mark.waltz The light-hearted comedy intertwined with war drama in Mrs. Miniver gave the idea that the team of Greer Garson could handle screwy situations but after a few dramatic pot-boilers kept their work totally serious. MGM's comedies were a familiar bag of repeats but with teams like Loy and Powell and Hepburn and Tracy, they figured why mess with a successful formula?The situation here is a totally familiar one with larger elements of farce. Garson is estranged from her not so stuffy Pidgeon, working in a music hall show. She gets a letter inviting her to her daughter's wedding and ends up stirring up the pot in delirious confusion. Elizabeth Taylor, on the thresh of stardom, is the bride, and she seems more interested in reconciling her parents than her own fiancé. Along comes dashing Peter Lawford to stir up more confusion, and eventually the forgotten feelings of her parents emerge.Encounters with tamed seals and bears, a truly hideous music hall number and Garson's flight into a torrential downpour add on to interference by Lucile Watson as Pigeon's imperious mother and Cesar Romero and Nigel Bruce as admirers of Garson's do as well. Pretty silly going, there is never any doubt how this will play out. If it wasn't for the professional cast and tight direction by Jack Conway, this certainly would be more of a misfire.

Hot 888 Mama . . . for Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon at the honeymoon cabin of their characters, down-on-her-uppers entertainer Julia Packett and rich mama's boy William Sylvester Packett, who Ma P has successfully kept apart for 15 years or so. All's well that ends well, as evidenced by the wonderfully slap-stick roll down the woodshed's collapsing log pile by Greer. JULIA MISBEHAVES has some of the elements of a French farce thrown into its mix, as the viewer practically needs a scorecard to keep track of all of Julia's (and her until now estranged daughter, Susan's) fiancés and would-be fiancés. Elizabeth Taylor is fairly low-key as Susan, but Peter Lawford is a hoot as her first on-screen kisser, as is Cesar Romero as acrobat Fred Ghenoccio, hot on Julia's trail (along with Nigel Bruce, who looks somewhat like the Wizard of Oz, Frank Morgan). All in all, JULIA MISBEHAVES is a fluffy fun frolic!

wes-connors In 1936 London, veteran chorus girl and actress Greer Garson (as Julia) takes a bubble bath, then receives an invitation to the wedding of the teenage daughter she abandoned to pursue a career. For some reason, Ms. Garson never got around to divorcing wealthy Walter Pidgeon (as William Sylvester Packett), which should give you an idea where this is heading. Comments from his mother indicate Mr. Pidgeon had no subsequent interest in women. The daughter in question is sweet 16-year-old Elizabeth Taylor (as Susan), who is obviously matched-up with mural painter Peter Lawford (as Ritchie Lorgan)...Before reuniting with Pidgeon, Garson becomes a throaty singer, leggy dancer, and unlikely "flying acrobatic" performer with the troupe led by suave Cesar Romero (as Fred Ghenoccio), who wants to marry her himself. After witnessing the show, Mr. Pidgeon receives a kiss and spanking from a noisy seal, backstage in Paris. Deciding she wants to buy Ms. Taylor all the past Christmas gifts she's missed, Garson goes out to win some money gambling at a conveniently located casino...Winning no money at the roulette table, Garson next decides to become a prostitute, while having a smoke at the bar. She makes off with the cash, but leaves picked-up old Nigel Bruce (as Bruce "Bunny" Willowbrook) sexually unsatisfied. Later, Garson disrupts the wedding rehearsal with a superstitious story about the color pink, and then Garson does her seal impression. This, of course, recalls the earlier live seal scene with Pidgeon. None of this plays very well, or even makes much sense. A couple of the later scenes, with Garson and Pidgeon boating while Mr. Lawford gives Taylor a picnic kiss, are sweetly romantic.**** Julia Misbehaves (8/8/48) Jack Conway ~ Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Peter Lawford, Elizabeth Taylor

Michael1958 I will not give away the plot, but will give my own run down on the characters. Walter Pigeon-he is good, but stuffy in his role-his best part is with the Seal. Greer Garson-L.B. Mayer must have wanted to punish her with this wacky role. Elizabeth Taylor-her first grown up role, I cannot believe MGM wanted her in grown up roles so soon. She is pretty, but seriously folks-she looks more like she is about to attend a sock hop. Peter Lawford-has an odd role, but not too bad. I think he was overall film wise the best human part. Nigel Bruce-as a dirty old man friend of Walter's. Reginald Owen-he was in it for just a bit and this was sad-he was a good actor and added much to films. Cesar Romero-talk about a challenging role, he plays a cockney speaking Englishman! Corny, but not bad. The Seal-this animal and his antics with the stuffy Walter Pigeon are priceless-the very best thing about the movie. Forget Elizabeth Taylor-the Seal acts and looks better in this film than she does. Sorry Liz.