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I Was a Male War Bride (1949)

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Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 14
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 3

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 6,338

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Movie Info

Howard Hawks directed this classic farce about how love attempts to triumph over military red tape after the close of World War II. Capt. Henri Rochard (Cary Grant) is a French officer who is assigned to put a stop to a black market operation in occupied Germany with the help of Lt. Catherine Gates (Ann Sheridan), an American WAC. While their initial meetings are hardly harmonious, in time Rochard and Gates find that opposites really do attract, and they fall in love. The two decide to get

Unrated, 1 hr. 45 min.

Romance, Classics, Comedy

Directed By: Howard Hawks

Written By: Charles Lederer, Leonard Spigelgass, Hagar Wilde

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1949 Wide

On DVD: Jan 6, 2004

Cast

Cary Grant
Capt. Henri Rochard
Ann Sheridan
Lt. Catherine Gates
Randy Stuart
Mae
William Neff
Capt. Jack Rumsey
Eugene Gericke
Tony Jewitt
Kenneth Tobey
Seaman
Ruben Wendorf
Innkeeper's Assistant
Lester Sharpe
Waiter
John Whitney
Trumble
Robert Stevenson
Lieutenant
Alfred Linder
Bartender
David McMahon
Chaplain
Joe Haworth
Shore Patrol
Andr� Charlot
French Minister
Russ Conway
Cmdr. Willis
Alex Gerry
Waiter
Paul Hardtmuth
Burgomeister
Gil Herman
Naval Officer
Arthur Hill
Carl Jaffe
Jail Officer
Lily Kann
Innkeeper's Wife
Harry Lauter
Lieutenant
Mike Mahoney
Sailor
William McLean
Expectant GI
Martin Miller
Schindler
William Murphy
Sergeant
Barbara Perry
Tall WAC
William Pullen
Sergeant
Otto Reichow
Bill Self
Sergeant
John Serret
French Notary
William Yetter Jr.
German Policeman
John Zilly
Shore Patrol
Kay Young
Maj. Prendergast
Marion Marshall
Bill Neff

Critic Reviews for I Was a Male War Bride

All Critics (17) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (3) | DVD (9)

The flimsiness of the film's foundations and the disorder of its episodes provoke the inevitable impression that it all fell together en route.

March 25, 2006 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Top Critic

Howard Hawks's darkest comedy (1949) -- a loosely constructed, episodic film that traces the progressive humiliations suffered by Free French army captain Cary Grant.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Don Druker

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

High-spirited subversive loosely structured comedy.

June 1, 2008 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Funny, revealing (about WWII humor) farce w/Cary Grant.

February 23, 2008 Comment

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Saddled with an egregiously thin premise and woefully underdeveloped characters...

April 10, 2007 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews

| Comment

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

It's very entertaining.

May 6, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

A silent newsreel is also included that shows the stars and director of the film interacting with a Lieutenant General of the U.S. Army during the shooting of the film.

March 2, 2004 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide

| Comment

Derek Smith

Apollo Guide

Howard Hawks and Cary Grant made several famous films together but it's a shame this one is often overlooked since it's a true comic gem that works well on every level.

March 2, 2004 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide

| Comment

Derek Smith

Apollo Guide

Very funny star vehicle with Grant and Sheridan at their best.

April 24, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

"Cary carries off a one-joke premise"

July 29, 2002 Comment

James Sanford

Kalamazoo Gazette

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for I Was a Male War Bride

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One of the more contrived Grant films, Cary is perfect as the broad shouldered, debonair, confused as ever bride to his officer wife. A dose of the unfamiliar makes it ever the more believable.

December 9, 2008

Spencer S.

Super Reviewer

This is one of my favourite Cary Grant movies, Ann Sheridan movies, and movies of the year 1949. It is so hilarious and perfect for a military romance movie. A must see for Grant fans.

September 5, 2010

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

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