She said, "You're welcome and you could use some lessons."

Yesterday, I watched Bachelor Mother (1939) while I was working on some projects. It was my first time watching it in a long time.

The basic premise, if you've never seen it, is this: Polly Parrish (Ginger Rogers) is mistaken for the mother of a foundling baby. David Niven plays David Merlin, the playboy son of the owner of the department store that Polly works at. David offers to extend Polly's seasonal position at the store into a full time job and offers her a raise so that she can keep the baby. When Polly continues to maintain that the baby is not hers, David threatens to fire her. Polly keeps the baby in order to keep her job and starts an unlikely friendship with David. Things get even more complicated when David's father mistakenly believes that David is the baby's father.

The first time I watched it, I thought it was absolutely hilarious and I couldn't wait to show it around. This time watching it, I still liked it. Ginger Rogers is, of course, brilliant. David Niven is adorable and silly. It's still very funny and there are some wonderful scenes.

However. It's harder to watch this movie than it was the first time I watched it. Maybe it's because women are so often mistrusted and not believed by society today. Maybe it's because I'm more aware of how hard it is for single mothers. Maybe it's because I read a whole book on single women in America and how they affect society and how society views them. Maybe it's because I'm older and have a better appreciation for Polly's life pre-baby. Regardless of the reason, I have a harder time watching the movie where everyone not only disbelieves Polly that the baby isn't hers, but she is bullied and pushed around until she relents and takes the baby in anyway. And even then everyone tells her how to raise the baby and what to do. It's very frustrating. The only nice thing about the situation is no one seems to judge her for being a single mother. I do like that. But from a feminist perspective, it's a very frustrating movie.

I think that one of the hardest things about growing older is discovering that movies you love don't always hold up to your scrutiny and values as you grow older. Does anyone else have that problem?

But, don't let me discourage you from watching it. It is a very funny movie and there are some fine performances all around.

Oh, and quick aside: the character of the landlady is absolutely wonderful. She's amazing throughout the story and is definitely my favorite (aside from Polly - she's a great character too). Basically, most of the women in this movie are great and most of the men are awful. So, if nothing else, watch it for the women characters. 😊

We'd make half of a lovely couple.

Here we go again! So far so good on this New Year’s resolution! And we’re continuing the fun with a fun romantic comedy that would never work in a contemporary setting:

Bachelor Mother (1939)

RKO

Director: Garson Kanin

Featuring: Ginger Rogers, David Niven, Charles Coburn

Plot in a nutshell:

When Polly Parrish saves a foundling child from rolling off the steps of an orphanage, her life is turned upside-down by all of the people who mistakenly believe her to be the child’s mother.

Trivia:

I could find nothing on this movie. The only thing I really know about it is that it was remade in the fifties with Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fischer as Bundle of Joy. Do you know of any cool trivia? Do tell!

Thoughts on the movie:

When I first saw this movie, I laughed so hard I cried. I showed it to my sister and she was not nearly as enthused as I’d hoped. The unfortunate chauvinism bothered her tremendously. To be honest, that is a frustrating aspect of the film. No one believes Polly when she insists she is not the mother. While I found the confusion funny, it was not terribly funny how poorly Polly was treated because of the mix-up. All of the men in the movie are incredibly rude to her because they think she is an irresponsible mother. The movie ends very well, though. And I think that David Niven’s character gets a good dose of his own medicine so it turns out all right in the end (I think). And Polly comes to love the baby very much so I think it’s ok… even if in a round-about way.

Favorite scenes:

 I love the NYE scene when Polly and David are at a party. It’s so funny! I love the chemistry between Ginger Rogers and David Niven. I wish they’d done more films together. There are several really cute scenes in the movie, really. Again, I really liked it, despite the chauvinism. 

We are going to land on an Alp!

Do you know what movie I have yet to see? Around the World in 80 Days (1956).

I grew up with Phileas Fogg looking like Pierce Brosnan and just never got around to watching the David Niven version. Rather surprising, really, because I love David Niven. In any case, it's on my Netflix queue; we'll see if I ever actually watch it!

from Doctor Macro

Hulinsporg!

This is one of my favorite New Year's scenes! So cute!!

He can quote the first line of Gunga Din!

Okay, so last Wednesday, I rushed (safely!) home from work, skipped the grocery store trip I had planned to make, quickly whipped up some dinner, and then sat down to watch Vivacious Lady. There were several movies last Wednesday night that I was dying to see. First, I have to say that I really liked Vivacious Lady. I have to make that disclaimer because this post is not about it. But I did really like it and I really want to own it! No, this post is about the next movie on my count-up:

#22 Bachelor Mother (1939)


First, let's start with the plot: Polly Parrish (Ginger Rogers) has just been fired from her job as store clerk at Merlin & Son's Department Store. On her way home, she passes by the Foundling Home and witnesses a lady dropping a baby on the doorstep. As the baby starts to cry, Polly picks the baby up to comfort it, just in time for the door of the Foundling Home to open. The people in the home don't believe Polly isn't the mother, no matter how insistent she is, and they go directly to her boss, David Merlin (David Niven) to ask him to rehire her so that she can care for the child. Now, she's stuck with a strange baby but when David threatens to take her job away if she doesn't care for the child, Polly finds herself a mother. This is a romantic comedy, so the complications add up when she and David fall in love. (I am refraining from adding "Further complications arise when..." because I don't want to spoil it!)


I didn't watch this movie for the longest time, in fact, I sort of avoided it, for the silly and simple reason that I thought it was a drama. I read the title and decided I didn't want to watch Ginger Rogers struggling through motherhood. Well, I finally read some summaries of the film, realized it wasn't a drama, and decided to watch it. And am I glad I did! I laughed for the majority of the film! I was doubled over with laughter - it was that funny!! Now, I really, really want to own this film so that I can show it around to everyone. I'm a little nervous, though, because I know I'm going to build it up to be this amazingly fantastic comedy (which it is) and then my friends and family will watch it and say, "It was cute." In any case, I will have to get my hands on it so that I can watch it again, if nothing else! What can I say? A new favorite!