vincentlynch-moonoi While I never particularly liked David Niven, I never disliked him either. Here, however, he turns in a very entertaining portrayal of a socially dense department store heir. Through all his density, he eventually becomes rather likable.For years I avoided Ginger Rogers, thinking of her as "that dancer". In recent years I've discovered she was quite a good actress, and she shines here as the woman with the foundling...which doesn't really belong to her. Of course, she works for David Niven's department store.The big disappointment here is Charles Coburn's role. As one of the finest character actors of that era, he was terribly wasted here as the father/owner of the department store. He could have been so good had the role been fleshed out a bit more.I'm not sure Frank Albertson was up to the role of the sorta-protagonist here.The plot line is entertaining. Polly (Ginger Rogers) is walking along the street one day and sees an older lady leave a baby on the steps of an orphanage. Fearing for the baby's safety, Polly picks up the baby and is assumed to be the baby's mother. Although she has just lost her job as a clerk at a department store, the store's owner's son (David Niven) is brought into the situation, and also assumes Polly is the mother. He gives her her job back, but Polly has to start raising the child (BTW, this part of the story -- what ultimately happens to the baby -- is never resolved in the film). Of course, Ginger and Niven fall in love, although it is a bit of a rocky road for a while. Niven's father (Charles Coburn) wants a grandson, even if it was born out of wedlock, and in a screwball finale all live happily ever after...presumably the baby, too.It's light, but charming and funny. Recommended.

evanston_dad Ginger Rogers is adorable, and she has a ton of chemistry with David Niven in this comedy about a woman who's mistaken for the mother of an abandoned baby and for various reasons plays along with the ruse.The film is pretty racy stuff for its time, frankly acknowledging illegitimate children, not to mention the fact that Niven's character falls in love with Rogers and willingly begins a relationship with her all the while believing that she is the true mother of the child. There's little in the film that's outright hilarious but much that induces humorous chuckles, and much worse could be said for many a movie.One of my favorite character actors, Charles Coburn, is on hand to play the child's "grandfather" who goes on a crusade to take custody of it.Grade: A-

MARIO GAUCI Apart from its originality (the somewhat risqué story, involving the various misunderstandings which arise over an abandoned baby, was even nominated for an Oscar) and reputation as a comedy classic (from an era crammed with them), this film is notable as a touchstone in the careers of all three protagonists – Ginger Rogers (her musical partnership with Fred Astaire now firmly behind her), David Niven (tackling his first starring role) and Charles Coburn (who practically spent the rest of his life playing wealthy and big-hearted eccentrics) – as well as marking perhaps director Kanin's most satisfying effort in this capacity (he is still best-known as a scriptwriter); incidentally, Rogers and Kanin would soon be re-united for the almost-as-good TOM, DICK AND HARRY (1941; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034299/usercomments-11). Given the Christmas back-drop, BACHELOR MOTHER makes for ideal festive fare – adding to the already warm glow (but thankfully eschewing sentimentality) of its subject matter. The two leads exude a wonderful chemistry (they would be reteamed two more times over the course of almost 20 years) which lends conviction to their budding romance and, likewise, a greater sense of involvement to their wacky antics (particularly Niven's attempt to exchange a defective toy in his own establishment incognito, during a marathon dance contest and a New Year's Eve dinner in which department-store clerk Rogers is passed off before Niven's high-society peers as a Swedish heiress). When Coburn, playing Niven's tycoon dad, gets wind of his son's supposed parenthood (via an anonymous note, actually from vindictive employee and romantic rival Frank Albertson), he is overjoyed at the prospect of finally having a grandson – even after both Rogers and Niven produce alternative fathers (including Albertson himself)!; the ending, then, with the leads getting hitched with a ready-made child in tow (a common occurrence today but not back then I suppose), is pure Hollywood. For the record, the film was remade – in color and widescreen – as BUNDLE OF JOY in 1956...which, given the casting of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher (then a real-life couple), not to mention the addition of musical numbers, provided a distinctly unappetizing 'alternative' scenario for this viewer.

Jem Odewahn Ginger Rogers gets one of her best roles in this absolutely charming, goofy and heartwarming comedy. She's the plucky shopgirl who has just been fired, and has just been landed with a baby in a severe case of misunderstanding! David Niven is the rich shop-owner's son who both foists a child on Ginger that's not hers, and then falls in love with her and it, the adorable little "Johnny". And the always-great Charles Coburn is just marvellous as the "grandfather" who thinks that Niven and Rogers have produced his longed-for grandson.This is pretty much a perfect romantic comedy, with Rogers giving a terrific performance. Niven gets one of his more unusual roles, it;s sort of a role you imagine Cary Grant in, but he's delightful in it and has unexpectedly great chemistry with Ginger. Garson Kanin directs and Norman Krasna provides a sparkling comic script, that has you both laughing and getting a tear in the eye as a loving, makeshift family is created around a cute tot. When a film contains a major plot gag involving Donald Duck, has Ginger pretending to be Swedish and David Niven trying to rub oatmeal into a baby's stomach, you really can't go wrong!