This isn't the funniest movie ever made, but it has one of the funniest scripts and plots. All of the four leads are in top comedic form. Fred MacMurray gives one of the best and funniest dour-puss performances of his career. His transformation toward the end of the film is a riot and shows the talent of this wonderful entertainer.
MacMurray and Paulette Goddard are husband and wife, and both are attorneys. Before the war, Peter and Mary were the law firm of Morely and Morely. The details of their separate service are never made clear, but during World War II both served in the Army as attorneys. He served in the Pacific Theater while she was in the European Theater. And, just before their war service, she wanted a divorce. The film opens with the war over, and Peter already returned to civilian life. He is back in their law practice and back in their apartment. Capt. Mary Morely seems to have been held over for some weeks or months in Europe. Apparently she has been helpful with service marriages and wartime separations. In the meantime, Peter has met and become engaged - conditionally, to Gloria Fay (Arleen Whelan).
Peter has packed his bags now that Mary is returning home. He plans to move out of their apartment and is on his way to meet Mary's ship with their divorce papers. Gloria has him on a tight string to get the divorce papers signed so they can then get married. But Mary has had a change of heart. The Army apparently is good for women maturing as well (to say nothing of the war's influence, of course). She loves Peter and no longer wants a divorce. So, a game of cat and mouse begins as Peter makes every effort possible to get Mary to sign the papers, while she uses every interruption and distraction possible to put it off. Just when the audience thinks we get this picture, another man comes on the scene. Macdonald Carey is Jack Lindsay, one of Peter's best clients, who lives in Washington. D.C. Whenever he comes to New York on business, he bunks down in Peter's apartment.
As if the love triangle of two women wanting Peter wasn't enough, Jack now turns it into a quadrangle. While he also knows Gloria, he is smitten with Mary. So, as Peter tries to get Mary to sign the divorce papers, Jack does everything he can to help Peter divorce his wife. But, everything he does backfires.
Part of the brilliance of this screenplay is that none of the four leads is a patsy or fall guy for the humor of any other. They joust and parry among themselves beautifully. Mary and Gloria have encounters that bristle with wit and humor. Peter is clueless to the women's insult exchanges, and Jack can't believe Peter's naïveté about the women and their exchanges. Peter and Jack have several encounters, and Jack and Mary fence with words. In some places, the lines are incongruous or just plain dumb and funny.
Then there are the antics. The pursuit on a train heading from New York to Illinois is hilarious. A porter, played by Willie Best, gets in on the comedy in this segment. With Jack's advice leading to unintended results, Peter takes on a whole new character that has one laughing out loud. And the closing brouhaha with Peter crashing an exclusive black-tie restaurant is just icing on this very entertaining, madcap of a comedy romance.
Here are some favorite lines from the film. For more witty dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMD Web page on the movie.
Major Cheever, "Captain, I don't think you should stay here." Mary Morley, "Oh, it's all right. He was in the Pacific, you know, on a little hot rock."
Gloria Fay, "Well, when does the fur start flying?" Peter Morely, "Fur?" Mary Morely, "Fur! Miss Fay means when is somebody going to trip over his own tongue and reveal that Mr. Morely is sitting between Mrs. Morely and his girlfriend." Jack Lindsay, "Touche!"
Gloria Fay, "Is she going to sign or must we sit here all evening and pick our teeth between insults?" Peter Morely, "Insults? I thought you two were getting along beautifully."
Peter Morely, "But how do you ignore someone who's locked in a bedroom?"
Peter Morely, "I wish I was like you. It'd be so easy to kill myself." Jack Lindsay, "Drink that coffee while I lend you my mind."
Peter Morely, "Oh, no. Mary's too smart. She'd see through that." Jack Lindsay, "You can also see through water, but people swallow it."
Peter Morely, "It's wonderful, Jack... to help me like this. So... unselfish. Like a bat borrowing its blood."
Peter Morely, "We thought you were three other people." Gloria Fay, "Naturally."
Jack Lindsay, "And what are you going to say to Gloria?" Peter Morely, "Well, I'll just tell her... well, I won't have to tell her anything. I'll just listen."
Man retrieving pajamas from peter, "He got away, but I got your pajamas." Jack Lindsay, "Thanks."
Porter on train, after reaching out to catch Peter who was running to catch the moving train, "Sorry sir, but that's against the rules." Peter Morely, handing him a tip, "That's okay. I won't report you."
Peter Morely, on the phone, "Hello, Gloria? Listen, honey, let me say first, you have nothing to worry about... Well, I'm in Poughkeepsie."
Peter Morely, "Do you realize that the way things stand now, I can't win?" Jack Lindsay, "You'll win - or I'll die trying."
Peter Morely, bursting into an all black-tie restaurant, "Be calm everybody, it's just the house detective. If you're with your own wife, just relax."
Jack Lindsay, "I created a monster and it bit me."