The More the Merrier

Starring: Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn, Richard Gaines, Bruce Bennett, Frank Sully
Directed by: George Stevens
Rating: Passed
Genre: Comedy
1943

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: During a housing shortage in World War II in Washington, a woman (Jean Arthur) reluctantly shares her apartment with an older man (Charles Coburn) who then sublets his half with a Washington newcomer (Joel McCrea).

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed George Stevens' The More the Merrier, but I also struggled with the movie. There were so many flashes of brilliance throughout the film, but it ultimately frayed my patience too much. By the end of the 1 hour, 44 minute run time, I was glad it was over. This was a weird viewing experience for me. As I think about the movie, I recall it fondly- it's funny and entertaining. However, Stevens doesn't quite get the pacing down well. The movie wasn't consistently engaging enough. So, it feels like a good movie with a few big flaws. I still enjoyed it, but I don't think it is quite as good as it looks on paper. The film did win 1 Academy Award, but it was nominated for 6, including Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture. It never felt quite that level of quality good to me.

The set up for the film felt unique- I don't think I ever knew there was a housing shortage in Washington during the second World War. I suppose that makes some logical sense, but I'd never considered it. This is the impetus for the film, as three very different people end up living in one apartment together. As you can imagine, it sets up loads of comedic opportunities. The movie does seize a number of them- there's several wildly humorous moments and I did find myself laughing frequently. However, several of the comedic sequences just run on too long. A few of them feel forced and don't quite connect. Towards the end of the movie, it does feel like the writers ran out of funny ideas and the situations become more strained and stretched, to try and get a laugh. The end of the movie isn't nearly as effective as the first two-thirds of the film. Still, it was genuinely entertaining watching these three characters interact in this unique situation. It's a bit hard to watch how Jean Arthur's character is treated by the two men, but I recognize that is looking at the story from today's standards (still, though, it's not always easy to watch).

The film is really helped by the wonderful cast. Jean Arthur is terrific in her role. She brings such energy to the role and her comedic timing was impeccable. Her performance is effective throughout and she gets to show a wide range of emotions. She's funny and endearing in a really strong role. I was very happy she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Charles Coburn won the film's only Academy Award, for Best Supporting Actor. He gives an absolutely worthy performance. The craziness of the first morning he spends in the apartment is one of the highlights of the film, a scene that had me continually laughing. Coburn brings a great comedic flare to everything he does here. His interactions with Arthur and Joel McCrea are superb and the movie picks up energy every time he is on screen. I marveled at his ability to play the straight-laced older man, and then in the next scene, fully embrace buffoonery to get a laugh. It's a really strong performance. McCrea rounds out the main cast. McCrea was good, but not as effective as Arthur or Coburn. There's a reason he's the only main cast member not to get nominated for an Academy Award. He plays his character as the straight man. This occasionally helps the film feel more balanced, but his performance feels a little too reserved, often wooden. I liked his performance mostly and I thought he did a good job, but it felt like a performance a dozen actors could have given. He is indeed an important member of the cast, I don't want you to think I disliked his performance. It's solid- it's just in comparison to his colleagues that a bit of the shine comes off his performance. Still, these three are all very different and I loved how they portrayed such different people living in the same place.

I did enjoy George Stevens' The More the Merrier. It was a funny, unique movie that continually entertained me. It does feel like the ideas were stretched a bit too thin and ultimately there wasn't quite enough substance to fill the time, though. The movie kind of runs out of steam towards the end. So, while I probably view this as a movie that's a bit overrated, it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I absolutely did and it's a good film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



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