"Love is News" is a hilarious screwball comedy with a first rate cast. It's the second pairing of Loretta Young and Tyrone Power after "Ladies in Love" of 1936. Fans reacted so well to the young Power from his supporting role in that film, that Fox paired him in the lead with their established top star at the time for this movie. They click so well here that they had three more pairings.
But this film also has a great supporting cast, most of whom add much to the comedy. Don Ameche is superb as Martin Canavan, a long-time newspaper comrade and jousting friend of Power's Steve Leyton. George Sanders plays a titled foreigner who has been engaged to Young's Tony Gateson. Jane Darwell is Mrs. Flaherty, a society friend of Tony. Slim Summerville is very good as Judge Hart. Dudley Diggs plays Tony's millionaire uncle, Cyrus Jeffrey. And, Walter Catlett is very good and funny as Eddie Johnson, a rival newspaper reporter and drinking buddy of Steve's.
The plot for this film is simple, but runs fast and furious with dialog and changing scenes. In a nutshell, Tony Gateson is a mega-millionaire heiress. She has just broken her engagement to Count Guyon. This is big news to the newspapers of the day. Since the late 19th century, through the Great Depression of the 1930s, the press in America competed with sensationalism and exaggeration. Yellow journalism, as it was called, peaked in the 1920s and 1930s.
Steve Leyton has been writing scathing articles about the millionairess. She doesn't know him from a hole in the ground, so he wards off other reporters and cons his way into the confidence of Tony Gateson. But, when she learns who he is, she gets even by telling the rest of the press corps that she and Steve are engaged. All of the other papers get the story but Steve's, so the city editor, Canavan, fires him. From thereon, the mayhem takes off with Tony and Steve pulling one trick after another on the other. She clearly has the upper hand, playing perfectly off his injured and angry straight man. And, Canavan rehires and fires Steve again and again.
Young shows her great comedy talent in different personas - whether she's the sly, knowing person as here, or the humble, down-to earth person (Karin Holstrom in "The Farmer's Daughter" of 1947), or the wise woman of the world (Marianne Duval in "He Stayed for Breakfast)" of 1940). The handsome Power and Young did have good chemistry, and while Power was good in their comedy romances, Loretta Young is the true talent that put their films over as very good comedies.
It occurred to me that Steve could have turned the tables on Tony by going along with the engagement. And then, when she had enough and would decide to call it off, he could sue her for alienation of affections or some such thing - to her further chagrin. Of course that would have been a different angle to write for the comedy. Instead, we have it this way, and it works very splendidly.
One scene should be noted. After Tony and Steve are both jailed in a small community for her speeding, driving without a license, and half a dozen other charges, the rest of the press get the story. The newspaper headlines are hilarious. One reads, "Steviekins in Jail to be Near his Tonikins." (sic)
Here are some favorite lines from this very funny and fun wacko comedy.
Tony Gateson, "I can't understand why they call them 'gentlemen of the press.'"
Martin Canavan, on his intercom, "Take Steve Leyton off the payroll." Voice back, "How about the bonus?" Canavan, "What bonus? No! Cancel it."
Tony Gateson, holding the phone away and faking that she's talking to Steve Leyton, "Oh, Steviekins, Mr. Canavan on the phone. Oh, darling. I couldn't tell him to do that." Back on the phone, "I'm sorry, Mr. Canavan. Steviekins doesn't seem to want to talk to you right now. Goodbye."
Uncle Cyrus Jeffrey, "Tony, this isn't true, is it?" Tony Gateson, "Well, it's just as true as a lot of other things that gentleman of the press has been writing about me."
Steve Leyton, "You can't tie a tin-can heiress to my tail."
Count Andre de Guyon, with others visiting Tony in jail, "Antoinette, how is it possible that they'd put you in so terrible a place like this?" Tony Gateson, "Heh, it's not so bad, Andre. As a matter of fact, it reminds me of your chateau - especially the plumbing."
Mrs. Flaherty, visiting Tony in jail and seeing Steve in the adjoining cell, "Why, this must be one of those public enemies." Steve Leyton, walking up to his cell bars in front of her, "Hiya, tubby. How's for a little kiss, huh? Boo!!" She then screams and hurries away.
Judge Hart, "You big city slickers are not gonna tell me how to run my court."
Judge Hart, after visitors ask about sending food to Tony, "I don't care what you send. As long as you don't go smellin' up the place with none of that French perfume."
Martin Canavan, "Why, you crank! I wouldn't believe your dying confession. And if I ever see that pretty puss of yours in this office again, I'll put my fist through it."
Uncle Cyrus Jeffrey, as Steve is dictating a sensationalistic story on the phone, "That scandal mongerer, I'll..." Tony, "Shhhh! Don't disturb him, darling. He's dictating his own obituary."
Eddie Johnson, "Oh, uh, Steve, here's hoping all your kids will be city editors."
Eddie Johnson, "Oh, uh, Steviekins. If Tonykins has a sister, remember, I can be had."
Tony Gateson, "You're old-fashioned, Lois. Marrying titles isn't being done anymore."
