The housing shortage in Washington DC during the Second World War might not be the most obvious source of material for comedy, but this winning screwball manages to find plenty.
The More the Merrier (1943)
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Reviews Counted:12
Fresh:12
Rotten:0
Average Rating:8.1/10
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: Given George Stevens' penchant for romantic comedy, it's probably not surprising that the WWII housing crunch in Washington, D.C. could provide fertile grounds for his imagination. The city's... Given George Stevens' penchant for romantic comedy, it's probably not surprising that the WWII housing crunch in Washington, D.C. could provide fertile grounds for his imagination. The city's dearth of apartments has made things difficult even for 60-year-old millionaire Benjamin Dingle (Charles Coburn) who answers an ad for an apartment share only to find a long line of prospective tenants ahead of him. Claiming to be the apartment's tenant, he dismisses the others, before encountering Connie Milligan (Jean Arthur), the real leaseholder. Despite her initial reluctance to rent to a man, she gives him a trial week. While she's out the next day, Sgt. Joe Carter (Joel McCrea) arrives to inquire about the ad, and the enterprising Coburn offers him half of his room, which he accepts. Connie is angry after finding out about the second sublet and orders them both to leave, but realizes she has to let them stay, since she can't return their money, which she's already spent. It's just as well since Dingle, who's noted Carter's unusual interest in Connie, has decided to play matchmaker to the two younger people. [More]
Starring: Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn, Richard Gaines
Starring: Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn, Richard Gaines, Bruce Bennett, Frank Sully, Clyde Fillmore, Stanley Clements, Donald Douglas, Ann Savage
Director: George Stevens
Director: George Stevens
Screenwriter: Robert Russell
Producer: George Stevens
Composer: Leigh Harline
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Reviews for The More the Merrier
As warm and refreshing a ray of sunshine as we've had in a very late Spring.
Charming wartime comedy that only veers towards the end into sentimentality.
The More the Merrier (1943) is a delightful romantic comedy of the homefront at wartime, exploring the problems of housing-bed-man shortages.
Despite a belated drift towards sentimentality, this remains a refreshingly intimate movie.
A delightful and effervescent comedy marked with terrific performances.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
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