A man is set to be executed for shooting a police officer while he was (or wasn't) insane. But Walter Burns (Cary Grant) just doesn't want to lose his ex-wife, Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell) so he contrives her to write the story.
Despite the excellence of the plot, and Hildy as a strong character, Walter, is downright wretched, having Bruce (Ralph Bellamy) write a life insurance policy and then has him robbed, picked up by a fake prostitute and given fake money. So he's a jerk but this film shows how important making a difference is to Hildy.
Still, the acting and timing is impeccable, and the story is fascinating, despite the blatant plot holes. I mean, is convicted killer Earl Williams (John Qualen) really going to stay quiet in that desk for as long as he does while the action happens all around him, please, I don't believe that for a second. And the governor gave the convicted murderer a last minute and the mayor (Clarence Kolb) tries to do away with the reprieve. Too bad this film is dated, as it is a gem. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-Of note, the police officer killed was 'colored', yet there are no African American roles in the film.
-Cary Grant does have one of the best lines, "He looks like that actor fellow, Ralph Bellamy," when he is actually Ralph Bellamy. That line almost made the film worth it.
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