audiemurph Like fingernails scratching down a blackboard, Betsy Drake's annoying voice dominates this dreary offering from RKO. While nominally a Cary Grant film, Grant transparently takes second place behind the true star of the film, Betsy Drake. And what a painfully miserable choice she was. She is unable to open her mouth without engaging in a sanctimonious lecture about marriage and her plans to trap Grant, and barely two minutes ever go by in the film without her doing so. She is as unappealing an actress as has ever been my misfortune to waste time watching. Her endless speeches are unbearable, and I, who am able to suspend disbelief at the most outrageous plots, will go to my grave not accepting for a second that Cary Grant could ever have an interest at all in the most self-righteous and unattractive Betsy Drake.If only Grant had been given more to do in this film.But if you do choose to watch "Every Girl Should Be Married", there are a few interesting moments worth looking out for. The best comes when Cary Grant, going off on one of his diatribes against marriage in general and Betsy Drake in particular, actually does a very funny impersonation of Drake, complete with high pitched voice and female mannerisms. A quite enjoyable moment in what otherwise must have been a most boring assignment for Grant.One other interesting moment occurs when Grant is sitting beside Drake in her home, and the telephone rings for a second time. The receiver is apparently placed backwards on the telephone base, so that when Drake reaches for it, she ends up picking up the receiver sort of inside-out, and it is rather awkward; however, her improvisation goes smoothly enough, and was obviously kept in the film.Now you all remember the great telephone scene in "It's a Wonderful Life"; Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed are sharing the receiver as they speak to their old friend Sam. Because they have yet to openly declare their love for each other, the tension inherent in their being in such close proximity to each other is spectacular. Well, here in "Every Girl Should Be Married", there is a similar moment in the same scene as described above; as Drake and Grant are sitting next to each other, they pass the telephone receiver back and forth as it rings, and casually brush and touch each other's arms as they share a look at a baby magazine; here was some potential for some interesting tension. Unfortunately, like the entire rest of the movie, the potential is not even remotely realized. Just another small failure, though this is just a cog on a giant wheel of failure.Even the endless appearance of the great old song "Sailing" (recorded most memorably by Bobby Darin) becomes grating after a while.On the other hand, quite pleasing is the surprising un-credited appearance of genial Eddie Albert in the long closing scene. A great job by Albert, but sadly too little too late.Is this film awful? Maybe not awful, but at best, unbearable.

bkoganbing It's just another day at work for shop girls Betsy Drake and Diana Lynn, who over lunch decide that Every Girl Should Be Married. Especially after Betsy sees just the man she ought to be married to in the person of Cary Grant. Ironically enough that's exactly whom she did marry in real life.But back to this film, Betsy stalks and pursues him with the charm of an innocent child and as relentless as a jungle cat. These kind of films are kind of hard to pull off because if not done right you do come over like a stalker. Still Drake is successful enough to make you believe in her innocence.In fact for a film that stars Cary Grant and Franchot Tone, the real lead in the film is Betsy Drake. Grant does get in a few good moments however, the best being when he in his capacity as a noted pediatrician, Drake takes his audience away with her questions about his bachelorhood. Grant's reaction shots are priceless.Twelve years earlier Grant and Tone co-starred with Jean Harlow in Suzy with the billing completely reversed. It was at MGM and Tone's studio and Grant wasn't as big a name then. In those years their careers had completely reversed and Tone was now usually a second lead, but in this he was his usual rich playboy, the parts now he'd become used to being typecast in.In those same years Grant left his original studio at Paramount and his career pattern had him going back and forth from RKO and Columbia. Every Girl Should Be Married was Cary Grant's final film at RKO, a studio where he'd done such things as Bringing Up Baby, The Awful Truth, Mr Favorite Wife, and Mr. Lucky to name a few. Every Girl Should Be Married ain't quite up to the standards of these classics, but it has its moments.

ksf-2 *** Minor Spoilers: This fun film covers a lot of ground - kind of a love triangle, with some discussion of what women have to do to "catch the right man" going on about halfway through. Betsy Drake as Anabel is chasing (stalking) Cary Grant as Madison Brown, but she ends up being chased by another guy (Franchot Tone). They were deep in the Production Code during this time -- some things had to be hinted at.....ie Mr. Sanford ( from the restaurant) just wants to sleep with Anabel, not marry her. (Anabel actually says "Mr. Sanford just wants to play around" later in the film.) Also love the line where Madison says "the only place i'm safe is in a Turkish bath, and even there i'm not so sure..." When Anabel makes dinner, Julie the housemate says "It's not the dinner that wins him, it's the trimmings, like your dress, your hair..." Later, she says "They're having dinner at eight and who- knows-what at nine!" Notice Eddy Albert as Joe, the boyfriend from back home. (he would have been 42 by now). Also note that Diana Lynn gets top billing over Betsy Drake, since she had the bigger career established at the time. Things sure worked out in real life -- CG married Betsy D exactly a year to the day after this film was released on Christmas day! Don Hartman, director, producer, and writer, had done a bunch of the "Road" movies with Hope/Crosby throughout the 1940s, so he was sure familiar with comedy.

krdement I am always amazed and disappointed by commentators who cannot accept depictions of other eras without imposing their own contemporary socio-cultural values. Judging by many reviews of this film, Prince Charming must have been a stalker!This film is a quaint depiction of a bygone era, with different social mores. It is a delightful comedy, and Betsy Drake is so charming, it is no wonder that she became Mrs. Cary Grant shortly after this film was completed. Grant, himself, delivers a fine, and rather subtle performance. Give him some credit; he portrays a very serious character that does not become a wet blanket in this light comedy. He is certain that he is being chased, then not so certain, and finally decides that it doesn't really matter. I am also a fan of Franchot Tone, and he delivers a nice performance in an undemanding role. Diana Lynn is also good. None of these roles is very demanding, but each actor creates a credible, likable character. The end also provides a fun surprise, and a brief appearance by a young Eddie Albert. Otherwise the plot is simplistic in the extreme; the film stands or falls on the characters. A bunch of likable, easy to watch characters make this an enjoyable little movie.