''Practically Yours'' is a 1944 American romantic comedy film directed by

Mitchell Leisen James Mitchell Leisen (October 6, 1898 – October 28, 1972) was an American film director, director, art director, and costume designer. Film career He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments. He d ...

and starring

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...

and

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

and

Cecil Kellaway Cecil Lauriston Kellaway (22 August 1890 – 28 February 1973) was a South African character actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice, for '' The Luck of the Irish'' (1948) and ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' ...

. Written by

Norman Krasna Norman Krasna (November 7, 1909 – November 1, 1984) was an American screenwriter, playwright, producer, and film director who penned Screwball comedy film, screwball comedies centered on a case of mistaken identity. Krasna directed three films ...

, it was produced and distributed by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

Plot

When a young pilot, Daniel Bellamy, is presumed dead after crash-bombing an enemy aircraft carrier, the footage of the crash and his presumably final reminiscence of walking in the park with 'Piggy' and kissing her on the nose is sent back home. A typographical error in transcribing his words becomes a tribute to heroism, while a girl who worked in his office, Peggy, is thought to be the object of his secret love. However, Dan returns home and in order to save embarrassment for both the girl and himself, he tries to maintain the pretense. Dan reveals that he was not speaking of a girl but of his dog. A series of comical mishaps ensue, leading to a resolution of the misunderstanding.

Cast

as Peggy Martin *

as Daniel Bellamy *

Gil Lamb Gilbert L. Lamb (June 14, 1904 – November 2, 1995) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 60 films and television shows between 1935 and 1980. Lamb was born on June 14, 1904, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the son of Mr. an ...

as Albert W. Beagell *

as Marvin P. Meglin *

Robert Benchley Robert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was an American humorist, newspaper columnist and actor. From his beginnings at ''The Harvard Lampoon'' while attending Harvard University, through his many years writing essays ...

as Judge Robert Simpson *

Tom Powers Thomas McCreery Powers (July 7, 1890 – November 9, 1955) was an American actor in theatre, films, radio and television. A veteran of the Broadway stage, notably in plays by George Bernard Shaw, he created the role of Charles Marsden in Eugene ...

as Commander Harry Harpe * Jane Frazee as Musical comedy star * Rosemary DeCamp as Ellen Macy * Isabel Randolph as Mrs. Meglin * Mikhail Rasumny as LaCrosse * Isabel Withers as Grace Mahoney * George Carleton as Hardy * Arthur Loft as Uncle Ben Bellamy * Will Wright as Senator Cowling * Donald MacBride as Sam * Charles Quigley as George Macy * Stanley Andrews as Shipyard Official *

Hugh Beaumont Eugene Hugh Beaumont (February 16, 1910 – May 14, 1982) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Ward Cleaver on the television series ''Leave It to Beaver'', originally broadcast from 1957 to 1963, and as private detec ...

as Film-Cutter * Hillary Brooke as Stenographer * Kitty Kelly as Wife *

Louise LaPlanche Louise LaPlanche (September 6, 1919 – September 7, 2012) was an American actress most active during the Golden Age of Hollywood from the 1920s to 1940s. LaPlanche made her film debut as in the 1923 silent film, '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame ...

as Attractive Girl *

Yvonne De Carlo Margaret Yvonne Middleton (September 1, 1922January 8, 2007), known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film star and sex symbol in the 1940s a ...

as Office Clerk

Production

The film was based on an original story by Norman Krasna. He had written a film called ''Bachelor Party'' that was produced by

Buddy DeSylva George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs, and along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol R ...

, who had since become head of production at Paramount. In September 1943, Paramount bought ''Practically Yours'' from Krasna. He had written the story in his spare time while on duty for the armed services in Los Angeles. In December 1943, Paramount announced the stars as

and

Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress and socialite. Her career spanned six decades, from the 1920s to the early 1970s. She was a prominent leading actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood ...

with

George Marshall George Catlett Marshall Jr. (31 December 1880 – 16 October 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army under pres ...

as director and Harry Tugend as producer. In January 1944, Goddard left for an army camp tour and her role was taken by Claudette Colbert. Mitchell Leisen replaced Marshall as director. Filming started in January 1944.

Reception

The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' said the film "maybe ... isn't quite big time, but it has the look." In a contemporary review for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', critic

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

called the film "a curiously thick-skinned little comedy" but with "the ugly contours of a most callous and inhuman jest." Crowther was uneasy with the film's premise given the state of the warring world at the time, writing: " e crocodile-tearful provocation which Norman Krasna used for the yarn is decidedly tasteless and unworthy. This is no time to joke about grief."

Radio adaptation

''Practically Yours'' was presented on ''Broadway Playhouse'' December 3, 1952. The 30-minute adaptation starred Gloria DeHaven.

References

Bibliography

* Dick, Bernard F. ''Claudette Colbert: She Walked in Beauty''. University Press of Mississippi, 2008. * Milberg, Doris. ''The Art of the Screwball Comedy: Madcap Entertainment from the 1930s to Today''. McFarland, 2013.

External links

* * {{Norman Krasna 1944 films American black-and-white films Films scored by Victor Young Films directed by Mitchell Leisen Paramount Pictures films 1944 romantic comedy films American romantic comedy films 1940s American films 1940s English-language films English-language romantic comedy films