Dream Wife (1953)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Sidney Sheldon

Writers:

Sidney Sheldon (writer) and
Herbert Baker (writer) ...

Release Date:

19 June 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

M-G-M's HILARIOUS HIT! (original print ad - mostly caps)

Plot:

Clemson Reade, a business tycoon with marriage on his mind, and Effie, a U.S. diplomat, are a modern couple...

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Diplomat | Marriage | Royalty | Diplomacy

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Clemson Reade
Deborah Kerr	...	Effie
Walter Pidgeon	...	Walter McBride
Betta St. John	...	Tarji
Eduard Franz	...	Khan
Buddy Baer	...	Vizier
Les Tremayne	...	Ken Landwell
Donald Randolph	...	Ali
Bruce Bennett	...	Charlie Elkwood
Richard Anderson	...	Henry Malvine
Dan Tobin	...	Mr. Brown
Movita	...	Rima
Gloria Holden	...	Mrs. Landwell
June Clayworth	...	Mrs. Elkwood
Dean Miller	...	George

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #16307)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening sequence, from shot to shot, there is complete lack of consistency as to which leg Cary Grant has crossed over the other.

Quotes:

Effie: [recites love poem to Clem] The night is filled with muted sounds / The air is still, but in the hush / The whispers of a thousand lovers. // You and I together here, to dream a thousand wonders / The night is still, we kiss, / And in my heart a thousand thunders.

Soundtrack:

Ghi Ti, Ghi Ti, Ghi Ti

Could have been so much better- and that's worse than a bad movie.

Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr are a wonderful couple. Throwing each other line after line with Grant's usual and very his -facial expressions. The dinner scene between the two in the beginning is a blast. The whole beginning is great, funny, very promising, but it's obvious where it's going plot-wise, and with the plot the movie flops. The funny scenes become scarce, predictable and I just waited for it to end. Walter Pidgeon must be one of the best supporting actors ever. Catch the first 30 minutes or so than stop watching, or just pass. Nice idea that went wrong.

PS How that "Dream wife" of his learns English so quickly is absolutely amazing! She does speak with a few mistakes, of course.