Brucey D Lawyer Nick Arden (Cary Grant) has just remarried when his first wife Ellen (Irene Dunne) returns from presumed death by shipwreck seven years earlier. Not even her children recognise her, and in the meantime she has been declared legally dead and the life insurance has paid out.This is a decent enough film and if you are a Cary Grant or Irene Dunne fan you will want to see it. There are not as many screwball laughs as there might have been, the character's motivations are not quite plausible and the plot is a bit lumpy but it is really quite enjoyable.Remade as 'Move over, Darling' in 1963, whether you will prefer this version probably depends on whether you like your movies with the flavour of the 1940s or the 1960s.I give it (in the context of the time) an 8/10.

tavm Last year, after James Garner died, I watched quite of few of his movies like Move Over, Darling which he did with Doris Day. I enjoyed that one. Now I just watched the movie that one was based on, this one starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. Much of the same plot but this one was much funnier especially when Ms. Dunne did a Southern accent! Grant was also funny with his reactions and his lying to try to not make anyone mad at him. Gail Patrick wasn't so funny as the new wife but I guess she wasn't supposed to be but Randolph Scott was quite enjoyably hilarious as the "Adam" to Irene's "Eve"! So on that note, My Favorite Wife is highly recommended. P.S. The main reason I watched this just now was because since I've been reviewing the Our Gang comedies-and individual members doing films outside the series-in chronological order, this was next on the list since one of the players was former member Scotty Beckett who's one of two children of Grant and Dunne.

dougdoepke Too many wives for one husband seems to be the problem for Nick (Grant). How did he get into the mess in the first place. Maybe if wife Ellen (Dunne) had stayed dead, he could retire with new wife Bianca (Patrick). But no, of all times, Ellen turns up alive on his wedding night to Bianca. Oh my, how will this straighten out. Worse, Bianca is having a very lonely honeymoon. At the same time, muscle-bound Burkett (Scott) turns up as Adam to Ellen's Eve after their seven years together on a lonely island. Now what's Nick going to do. Will the screenwriters be able to figure it all out.Great comedy premise that doesn't need madcap to heighten the effect. Grant and Dunne are in fine comedic form. But truth be told it's that looney judge (Bates) who steals the show in a uniquely addled performance. In his law book, legalities are just bothersome details. No wonder things are in such a mess. My only complaint is that the reconciliation phase goes on a little too long, somewhat dragging out that part. Nonetheless, it is hard having to sleep on a mattress that talks back, which hilariously leads up to that inspired last shot.Fortunately, this is the kind of movie that put the 'golden' in Hollywood's golden years.

Patryk Czekaj At first, I must say that this movie doesn't exceptionally stand out from the whole bunch of screwball comedies produced in the times of Great Depression in the USA. The first part of My Favorite Wife may be even called boring, due to a very slow narrative process and lack of any specific action. Of course, it's just an introduction to the plot and the viewer has to believe that in a moment something extraordinarily funny and crazy will happen. And it does, along with the entrance of, fantastic as always, Irene Dunne. The story presented in this movie is so ridiculous that it will make you laugh just reading about it. It seemed like another regular wedding for Mr. Nick Arden (Cary Grant) and his new wife Ellen (Gail Patrick). His first wife is presumed dead after drowning somewhere far at sea seven years ago, and he wants to be form a happy relationship with a new woman. Guess what happens when Ellen Arden (Irene Dunne) suddenly shows up at their doorstep more alive than ever – all hell breaks loose and Nick becomes involved with two women at the same time. Additionally, his two wives (how grand it sounds) aren't particularly fond of each other and start to make Nick's life much harder than he imagined. And if this wasn't enough, somewhere on the road Nick meets Steve Burkett (Randolph Scott), a handsome man, with whom Ellen was stranded on a deserted island for seven long years. Level of jealousy goes through the roof, and the real 'fun' starts for all people involved in this ludicrous affair. Finally, Nick has to decide, who to choose, as it may seem that from a point of having two beautiful women at once he will ultimately be left all alone.The movie provides a great amount of laughs, due to many amusing one-liners and gags, especially on the part of Cary Grant's perfect sense of humorous acting abilities. Every screwball film, in which he stars abruptly becomes much more entertaining, because of his irrefutable acting manners and charisma, so important for a funny leading man. And he does it differently every time. Even though the movies may seem similar, the portrayals of characters that he presents always have other specific comedic feels to it. And the relationship that he forms with Irene is brilliant; you can sense that deep emotional attachment coming from their characters in every scene. Maybe seven years have passed, but the flame in their hearts still burns. They can't argue that their need to be together is so strong that it will surpass anything.All in all, I can't call it My Favorite Screwball, but I certainly might recommend it to anyone, who is need of a light-hearted American comedy that may provide a positive shock in the sense of absurdity and amount of laughs that come with it.