Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Antonius Block I've fallen in love with Jean Arthur. She is funny, cute, romantic, and utterly charming in this film. Her hair and outfits are exquisite. The way she moves her body is so endearing, in everything from getting out of a car, to skipping around her apartment in madcap moments, to dancing. I love the little squeak in her voice and the fact that she was 43 when this film was made. Her reaction to being kissed on the neck on the steps outside, my god. What an incredibly steamy scene. Oh yeah, and Joel McCrea was great too. :) He plays his part with a perfect touch, drawing on the seriousness of wartime, goofing around with Charles Coburn, and unable to stop a growing attraction to Arthur, but at the same time, with a degree of understatement and reserve. He's a gentleman, but damn, those hands and his moves in that scene on the steps. Did I mention that scene? Another great one is when he gives her a fancy travel bag and then shows her all of its various features - they are both just so natural, and one feels their interest in each other simmering in their terrible nearness. He accidentally marks his nose sniffing a makeup container, and it was quite clever of director George Stevens to leave it on his face for as long as he did. I also loved when they both secretly hoped her fiancé (Richard Gaines) wouldn't call by 8 pm, so that they could go out together instead.Charles Coburn is quite a character in this film as well, impish and bold, while cleverly playing matchmaker between the two. The banter between Coburn and McCrea is as good as the banter each have with Arthur. Coburn's performance was worthy of the best supporting actor Oscar he won. Stevens has a great sense of flow, balances the comedic and romantic elements perfectly, and gives us lots of little eye candy on top of it. The wartime song at the end was a nice touch too. Highly recommended.

weezeralfalfa This superior romantic comedy features Charles Coburn and Joel McCrea as short-stay transients in wartime Washington, D.C., looking for a place to bed down for about a week. Jean Arthur is a working resident looking for a roommate to help pay the rent , while doing a bit to relieve the severe housing shortage in the nation's capital, due to the influx of people to work in the offices and plants relating to the war. Joan put an ad in the paper, but failed to specify that she was looking for a female. Hence, she was shocked when Coburn showed up, having tricked the many other hopefuls into believing the position was taken. At first, Jean was adamant that she would not tolerate a man as a roommate, even an old grandfatherly-looking one. But Coburn blustered and bullied his way in to her spare room. He would soon get an earful of her mandatory wakeup routine, from 7 to 7.30, each morning. One of the comedic highlights of the film has Coburn trying to conform to her schedule......While Jean is at work, Coburn takes it upon himself to sublet half of his room to another street wander: McCrea. Some humor results from McCrea getting used to his new abode. Again, Jean is shocked that she has an additional male roommate, even if only for perhaps a week......In the morning, Coburn talks to a committee about the need for new housing, even if just temporary. Later, Coburn finds and reads the last part of Jean's diary, especially, her first impressions of McCrea. When she catches him reading, she goes through the roof, then goes to her room, and cries. She orders them to leave by morning. Coburn has a pre-arranged hotel room, so he's not too disturbed, but McCrea has only another 2 days before he leaves for Africa. Thus, she relents and allows him to stay those days. Well, as you can guess, romance eventually enters the picture. But there's a problem: Jean is engaged to a Mr. Pendergast. See the film to find out how things turn out......The most fun part of the film is the first part, where Coburn and Jean much interact. But, the last part isn't excessively dull. only in comparison....See it on YouTube

GeoPierpont I guess "Gone With the Wind" set the precedent for scare tactics to lure audiences using evil guttural utterances. Pish posh, in your dreams friends. This film was a dreg.I've had many male roommates and of course this led to many romantic opportunities but as a business arrangement, I NEVER went there, and at times this was eXtremely difficult, but rules are rules. And let me tell you these gents were not of the wooden unemotional daft Joel McCrea types.I had a hard enough time with "Walk Don't Run" but I soldiered through this first installment with grit. The "Schedule" routine was tedious but gave it some slack thinking the payoff would be forthcoming. Not the case here folks. This farce is dreadful at every turn. The split screen tactic in the bedroom may have it's foundation here but guess that's where the creativity ends.Perhaps if there were more sightseeing tours of DC in the 40's it could save the day? I guess I could recommend to round out your collection of Arthur, Coburn and McCrea. But not likely.... Big Sigh!

DKosty123 This is a good comedy which is a period piece but works very well due to the talents of the cast. Jean Arthur is delightful in this doing the type of comedy she was born to do. Charles Coburn won a Deserved Oscar in support as Mr. Dingle who seems to have his nose into everybody's business.Joel McRea is out of the saddle here. His sequences with Jean Arthur seems to have some real spark and he seems a perfect straight man to her. George Stevens does a fine job handling the cast with support including Grady Sutton who had a much larger support role in The Bank Dick a few years earlier. This is a Columbia Picture which is very well constructed & still holds up are quite amusing.The setting is World War 2 in Washington DC with the actual housing shortage going on. This would be remade later as Walk Don't Run with Cary Grant in Colburns role in the mid 1960's. Both are good pictures though Colburn was not near the end of his career here, where Grant was near it in the later picture.