JLRMovieReviews
I know I ought not to go crazy over this simple comedy, but pairing Claudette Colbert as a poetess who "swears by her eyes" with James Stewart - who goes all out to prove that the man, who's sentenced to die for a crime he didn't commit, is innocent - is totally an outrageous hoot. Claudette is kidnapped by James, when their paths cross, after his escape from a prison truck transferring him. She of course is missed and an APB is put out for her. But she fights with and of course falls for him. In all the excursions together, they tackle and tie up a Boy Scout when he's on to them, she says he's her fiancé when he's decked out in clothes too big for him and with glasses that make him look cross-eyed, and they wind up in a little theater group, when a clue for the real killer leads them there. Guy Kibbee is great in a supporting role, as a friend on the police force, who tries to help him out, but is only successful in being knocked or conked out three times in the movie. And, Guy's convinced if you throw a fit, you can plead insanity. "Oh no, that's them. I'm serious. Now throw a fit." Loopholes? Imperfections? Probably. Laugh-out-loud belly laughs? Silly antics? Incredible situations? A good time for all? Definitely. This is a prime example of a screwball comedy. It may not be in the same class as "Bringing Up Baby," but if you haven't seen "It's a Wonderful World." then you have missed one of the craziest and most delightful screwball comedies ever.
Hot 888 Mama
. . . (and Humphrey Bogart would have gotten this role if Bogie worked for MGM), but at least Stewart is a more straight-forward Evil Doer in IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD than the devious types he played for director Alfred Hitchcock in ROPE, REAR WINDOW, & VERTIGO. Though his private eye character here is dumber and greedier than his later P.I. portrayal for VERTIGO, at least Guy in WORLD doesn't make love to his client's wife. And Guy is only half as bad as Stewart's misanthrope professor in ROPE, since Guy's merely a misogynist. The same can be said for Stewart's characters' treatment of their volunteer female sleuths, as Princess Grace must do ALL the dirty work in REAR WINDOW, whereas Guy allows his WORLD co-star Claudette Colbert (as poetess Edwina) to do only HALF the fighting in this film. Still, the chemistry between Stewart and Colbert seems a catalyst short, and the overall tone of this flick is uneven at best. Made by MGM around the same time as the WIZARD OF OZ, Colbert's line to Stewart, "From one wizard to another," is a double reference to the greater film, echoing Wizard Frank Morgan's "from one dog to another" comment as Toto steals his hot dog in the black & white prologue of that movie.
mkilmer
Was IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD hurt by the fact that it is difficult for me to imagine Jimmy Stewart as a hardball character, even a chauvinist, or was it helped by the fact that this movie would have been nothing without him? Granted, Claudette Colbert plays the poet, the hopelessly romantic dreamer, well, and that plays off Stewart's greed-driven detective splendidly.The detective, crime-solving part of the film is well done within its confines, Edgar Kennedy and Nat Pendleton are cast well as the rather slow-witted police. If this 1939 film had been made two and a half decades earlier, they would have fallen over each other, broken things, and caused ultraviolence in a Mack Sennett sort of way.) Guy Kibbee is, of course, perfect as the Stewart's partner. I will not spoil the ending, but I can say that as with all well-written screwball comedies, the film has a delightful way of meandering through situations and reaching a conclusion which satisfies.I don't know if this will help, but before viewing, I had to promise my wife that it was not that Christmas movie.
lcbob7107
James Stewart and Claudette Colbert are both in the Top 10 as actors. As a rule I do not miss re-plays of films they are in. I did not miss this one as I came back for a second viewing. I was disappointed again although because of the cast it passes as a contrived comedy. So, the low ranking in my mind comes as a result of the less than adequate script for first class actors. Also, below average were the cheap sets. Summer stock pinches pennies, but never to the extent shown here. I, definitely will pass my third chance to view it. I love Guy Kibbee in any role. He would have taken less of a physical beating from Laurel and Hardy. Possibly that great comedy team was not available for casting.
AD
