Hitchcock Month - Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941)

Starring Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

The only true comedy in Hitchcock's American filmmaking repertoire, the problem with Mr. and Mrs. Smith is that it simply isn't all that funny.  Despite some decent performances from Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery, the two actors aren't given much to work with from the script.

Genuinely devoid of all thrills, this flick really is unlike what we have come to know and love from Hitch.  David and Ann Smith are a married couple, living together quite happily, although not without their problems.  One morning, after a spat, Anne asks David if he would marry her again if he had it to do all over.  David bluntly states that he wouldn't, although he notes that he still loves her very much.  That afternoon, David is visited at his office by a man who tells him that due to an unfortunate series of events, David and Ann are not legally married.  The man also happens to visit Ann who is certain that David will remarry her that very evening.  David, feeling a bit guilty for his previous comment, wants to woo his "wife" back slowly, but Ann takes David's nonchalance as his desire to end their relationship.  While Ann begins to start dating other men, David does all he can to win Ann back.

The premise is silly, but the problem with this screwball comedy is that it just isn't funny.  I admittedly chuckled once or twice, but it just lacked laughs.  I don't think it's the fault of Lombard or Montgomery or even Hitch himself, but it just doesn't work.  There's not really a whole lot to say about the film because there's nothing offensive or agreeable about it.  Granted, it's not a horrible flick, but it's just not a movie that I can recommend.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-