JohnHowardReid Director: MITCHELL LEISEN. Screenplay: Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder. Adapta¬tion: Jacques Thery. Original story: Ben¬jamin Glazer, John S. Toldy. Photographer: Charles Lang, Jr. Film editor: Doane Harrison. Art directors: Hans Dreier and Robert Usher. Set deco¬rations: A.E. Freudemann. Costumes: Travis Banton. Music composed and directed by Victor Young. Producer: Arthur Hornblow, Jr.Copyright 8 November 1940 by Paramount Pictures Inc. New York opening at the Para¬mount: 16 October 1940. U.S. release: 8 November 1940. Australian release: 30 Janu¬ary 1941. 12 reels. 9,915 feet. 110 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Girl reporter rescues rebel leader from Spanish prison - exciting, ingeniously cliff-hanging stuff - but, alas for the good of the rest of the picture, they fall in love.NOTES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences handed their Annual Award to Benjamin Glazer and John S. Toldy for Best Original Story (defeating Comrade X, Edison the Man, My Favorite Wife, and The Westerner). Also nominated for The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards for black-and-white photography (won by George Barnes for Rebecca); black-and-white art direction (won by Pride and Prejudice); Best Music Score (won by Alfred Newman for Tin Pan Alley).COMMENT: Made by the same team responsible for Midnight a year earlier, but this time the Brackett-Wilder script is the weakest link. Despite a really huge cast with some magnificent players, after a very exciting first reel, this movie goes slowly but steadily downhill until all we are left with of interest is Walter Abel periodically exclaiming, "I'm not happy!" But that first reel is must-see material. Frank Puglia is terrific!

touser2004 As a fan of Colbert as I was looking forward to watching what she described as "her favourite film"!.Though it starts well enough ,the writing ,plot and characters don't fully convince.Though in real life Colbert and Milland were very attracted to each other ,it doesn't feel that way in the film. As someone else has commented there is too much talking .Sometimes a surreptitious glance or a nervous laugh can express a depth of love that all the "I love yous "in the world fail to match. Colbert obviously remembered this film with great affection,possibly because of her dalliance with Milland and because of its propaganda use in the war effort-the Germans had invaded her country of birth . Colbert does well within the confines of the script ,but for one scene (when she rings her boss after the sinking of her boat)it is routine for this accomplished actress. In fairness the writers predictions in the final scenes about the Third Reich failing were spot on.

Neil Doyle Mitchell Leisen gets superb performances from CLAUDETTE COLBERT and RAY MILLAND in ARISE, MY LOVE.It's a comedy/drama with Claudette as a journalist tired of covering fluffy stories who decides to get into serious journalism by rescuing a man about to be executed during the Spanish Civil War (Milland) so that she can be the first writer to get a scoop on a great story. As soon as she and her prisoner meet, the deft comic timing of these two pros are given great support from Billy Wilder's clever script. Early on, there's a scene of mistaken intentions that has Ray thinking Claudette wants to seduce him. He's oblivious to the fact that she merely wants to take some photos of him for the article she intends to write. The double entendre dialog has seldom been matched, in this scene alone.Personally, I prefer "Midnight," another Leisen/Colbert film shown before this one on TCM. It's even wittier and much funnier. The trouble with ARISE, MY LOVE is that it attempts to do too many things at once and emerges as an uneven romantic comedy with a war background. For the ending, Claudette gets to deliver a flag waving speech that is obviously meant for 1940 audiences who were facing the prospect of getting involved in WWII.Lots of laughs along the way with both stars delivering excellent performances.

allans-7 This is a good movie, full of snappy lines, very capable acting and interesting scenes. Mitchell Leisen has an above average script to work with, and when this happens you can be assured of a very watchable movie. Well worth a DVD release (can you hear me Universal!), but this inexplicably has never even made it on to VHS.It features a strong capable woman (a trademark Leisen feature), but her male counterpart is no weakling is either, Ray Milland matches Claudette Colbert all of the way, helping create dramatic interest. The last section of the movie after the sinking of the Athenia is a bit underwritten and slightly unconvincing, but this is only a minor quibble.Very well worth watching.