Suddenly It's Spring (1947) User Reviews (15)

Winning her back

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 7 January 2016]

The most curious thing about Suddenly It's Spring that I found was the fact that Fred MacMurray stayed at home and it was his on screen wife Paulette Goddard who went off to war. In real life MacMurray was both a legitimate 4F and he was the sole support of his wife and two children. He was 33 when Pearl Harbor occurred. How his on screen character managed to stay out the film doesn't tell us.

But when Paulette Goddard joins the Women's Army Corps she becomes something of a celebrity as an informal marriage counselor to separated spouses because of the war. But while she's in the service Fred's met and fallen for Arleen Whelan and as soon as Paulette will sign the papers they can get a quiet divorce.

The MacMurray/Goddard marriage is down but hardly out. She's got a few tricks up her sleeve as she slowly makes Fred reconsider divorce. I guess I can't and shouldn't tell you how it works out.

Fred MacMurray already left Paramount when his friend and favorite director Mitchell Leisen called him back had the studio sign him for this additional film. It was worth it as the script by writer/producer Claude Binyon was written with him in mind.

Fred's best moments is when he steps out of character to become a cigar smoking lout on two occasions. Won't say what they were, but it becomes part of his plan.

Getting some of the best lines in the film is Macdonald Carey who plays client and friend of MacMurray. Carey's an old rebound man and if Goddard is cut loose he'll make sure he's around at the strategic moment.

Although MacMurray was a veteran comedy master becoming one during his years at Paramount this comeback film rates right up there with those he made as a contract player. He and Goddard worked very well together and Suddenly It's Spring is a delight.

Nice film, and I'll bet the situation was quite common

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 9 January 2016]

Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray star as a married couple in "Suddenly It's Spring," also featuring Arleen Whelan and MacDonald Carey.

Goddard is a WAC captain, Mary Morley, an expert in marital relations, who returns from overseas as an escort for GI war brides. She and her husband Peter (MacMurray) have been separated, and he wants a divorce. He is also her former law partner.

Peter is in love with Gloria (Whelan) and needs Mary to sign the divorce papers. As far as Gloria is concerned, he hasn't been moving fast enough, either.

When she doesn't sign them initially, Peter invites Mary to dinner. Meanwhile, one of Peter's clients, Jack (Carey) has been staying at his apartment. He thinks Mary is one of Gloria's bridesmaids for her wedding to Peter. When he talks to Mary, she realizes the situation. She isn't exactly ready to get a divorce.

Peter tries hard to get Mary to sign the papers, by acting like a jerk in public etc., but Gloria is impatient. He's getting desperate.

Very pleasant film with the vivacious and beautiful Goddard, one of my favorites, who plays well opposite MacMurray. When he was on My Three Sons, I thought he was a big nothing who starred in films while the big stars were off fighting World War II. I have been so pleasantly surprised by him over the years. He's a kind of Everyman, and if he didn't have the deepest range in the world, he has a nice presence and did both comedy and drama easily.

I wonder how many couples came together after the war and didn't know where they stood with one another - I'll bet a lot.

Good film.

Not the most romantic of romances...

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 10 January 2016]

Films about divorcing people are a tough sell. While there have been some very good films with this as a topic (such as MY FAVORITE WIFE and THE AWFUL TRUTH), this is a very tough sell as there normally isn't anything funny or romantic about divorce.

When the film begins, Mary Morely (Paulette Goddard) arrives home from her stint in the WACs following WWII. Her husband, Peter (Fred MacMurray) wants to meet her to sign their divorce papers. After all, when she entered the Army several years earlier, she'd asked for a divorce and in the interim, Peter fell for Gloria. However, now that Mary has returned, she's reluctant to sign those papers, so she plans on delaying as long as possible and hopes to win him back in the process. After a while, Peter is tired of trying nicely and resorts to deliberately being the most boorish jerk possible. Mary responds by telling him that this is a big turn on! And finally, Pater's 'friend', Jack (Macdonald Carey), works behind Peter's back to try to help him get the divorce...mostly because he wants Mary for himself.

So, how is this film? It's only fair--mostly for two big reasons. First, why they had Fred MacMurray change back and forth into the boorish and loud character, I have no idea...he WAS boorish and loud. Second, the other films I mentioned were simply much better. Better, more subtle and more clever. Now I am not saying this film is bad...but it felt a bit forced at times and is more of a time- passer as opposed to a timeless classic.

Paulette Goddard & Fred MacMurray Shine

[drednm · 12 May 2013]

Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray star as a divorcing couple separated by war. Their divorce, like everything else, is put on hold. She finally returns and Fred is there to meet her and get papers signed, but his girl friend (Arleen Whelan) lurks in the background. And Paulette has in mind a second attempt to save the marriage. Enter Fred's client and friend (Macdonald Carey) who takes an interest in Paulette.

What ensues is a merry chase as Fred and Paulette can't make up their minds whether to proceed with the divorce or try again. Whelan and Carey go along poking and prodding the situation to their own advantages.

Comic highlights include the girls' first meeting in a nightclub where Paulette is stuck wearing an out-of-style and hideous plaid dress (she's still in the Army)while Whelan enters draped in jewels and fur, which flies as the girls dig into each other. Later, Fred shows off his comic chops when he decides that his impression of a cigar-smoking goon will turn off Paulette.

The stars are in top form here and save a so-so comedy with their charm and comic skills. Co-stars include Frank Faylen, Willie Best, Lillian Fontaine, Victoria Horne, Georgia Backus, and Frances Robinson.

Vying for love

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 24 July 2020]

'Suddenly It's Spring' had potential to work a lot better than it did. Romance and comedy have been known to work well together, especially in the golden age regardless of the state of the story. Mitchell Leisen will never be one of my favourite directors any time soon, but he was a far from amateurish director and a number of his films are well worth the while. Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray were agreeable actors in their own way and worked well together elsewhere.

They do here too and are the main reason to see 'Suddenly It's Spring'. Which is a little above average as a film, without Goddard, MacMurray and their chemistry though it possibly would have been barely average, but could have done with a lot more inspiration and done more with familiar ground. 'Suddenly It's Spring' is not a bad film, not at all. There's just nothing special about it at the same time but that is my point of view and if people liked it better good for them. It is understandable too though if others liked it less than me.

Will start with the good things. As said, Goddard, MacMurray and their chemistry are the reasons to see 'Suddenly It's Spring'. MacMurray comes off the better of the two, his character is a boorish one but MacMurray still manages to bring some charm and agreeable comic timing to him. Goddard is more than at ease in comedy, it was always a strength of hers and she doesn't overdo it (even when trying to make her material more interesting than it was), and is elegant and full of class. They work great together, their chemistry having wit and grace.

Luckily there are other good things too, despite how my second paragraph sounded. It is an attractive looking film with classy production values. Victor Young provides a score that matches the elegance and with typically lush but luckily not over-sentimental scoring. The script does have enough moments of sophisticated wit and doesn't get too silly and never gets mawkish. Leisen does have some competent enough directing, especially in his direction of Goddard, MacMurray and their interaction.

He did do a lot better though with films where he was in full command of the material. 'Suddenly It's Spring' is not one of those films, it's one of those films that has moments but feels somewhat undistinguished and lacking in spark. It would have helped hugely if MacDonald Carey and Arlene Whelan's characters were far more interesting. Carey's character is so dull that it is hard to believe what any of the characters sees in him and Carey plays the character with very little personality. The chemistry between him and Goddard is near-non existent as well. Whelan's character is not as bland but Whelan's acting is pretty workmanlike with not much spark and she is at times annoying. She doesn't have much chemistry with Carey either.

The story has moments but it's familiar territory concept-wise and the execution is equally lacking in freshness. It has some wit and pleasant charm but tends to be uninspired and predictable with much playing out exactly as one would expect, that's including the convenient ending which is obvious as soon as one sees which couple is easier to root for and more interesting. Maybe more energy wouldn't have gone more amiss too, that dissipates later on when the material becomes more obvious.

All in all, slightly above average but nothing special. 6/10

Do You Untake This Woman?

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 6 January 2016]

It's 1947 and both lawyer Fred MacMurray and wife Paulette Goddard have returned from war service overseas in different theaters. In 1941, Goddard had suggested a divorce and now, reunited after a long absence, they wrestle with the question of whether to continue. In order for that to happen, Goddard must sign the papers. She no longer wants to. MacMurray wants to -- more or less -- because he has a girl friend, the pretentious and mean Arlene Whelan. MacMurray's friend, Macdonald Carey, believing a divorce to be immanent, is courting Goddard.

It lively and fast and the performers handle it with aplomb. It fits into a genre of films, some comic, others dramatic, that were made around the same time. How do you get a couple, who have been separated for years, together again? "My Favorite Wife" was made the same year and "Vacation From Marriage" was in 1944.

A nice diverting trifle. There are a couple of pratfalls and MacMurray does an entre chat but mostly the amusement quotient depends on the sometimes clever script. The screenplay is by P. J. Wolfson, who is a man. I thought at time that only a woman could have written it because -- well, it reminded me of how well -- how controlled, how precisely -- women can trade insults in the disguise of compliments.

Here I am, sitting with my girl friend at a table in a college cafeteria, opposite a newly admitted, more mature, and very sexy woman. She wears HIGH HEELS to class, and HATS, while the other girls are wearing jeans and tennis shoes. And I sit there for five minutes listening to a volley of insults that bounce back and forth between them like a tennis ball. I can only remember one. My squeeze: "I don't believe all the dirty stories they tell about you." Later I asked how she could say such a thing. "I was only trying to be honest!" It would have taken only one or two such insults to have two men punching each across the table.

There's a scene in here that replicates that particular incident, when Whelan and Goddard snipe at each other in a restaurant. "You must really love my husband to put such effort into it." "Oh, yes, Peter deserves the best -- and now he's got it." Meanwhile MacMurray and Carey sit there, smiling but puzzled, the entire exchange sailing over their heads. Women are from Venus, men are from Mars.

Other scenes, lamentably, show a lack of imagination -- MacMurray folding up the brim of his fedora, smoking a big cigar, and acting like a bipolar in a manic period. The climax has MacMurray assuming the same persona and barging through a fancy restaurant, toppling tables and decking waiters, without motivation.

Still, the thing is so up tempo and the dialog sometimes so cutting that it's an enjoyable little piece. Victor Young's tuneful theme became something of a standard.

Spouses returning from war.... sparks will fly

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 6 January 2016]

MacMurray and Goddard. Two giants of Hollywood in a "comedy" (?). Husband and wife are returning home from war WW II, but all is not well. She (Paulette Goddard as Mary Morely) and Fred MacMurray as Peter, had plans to get divorced, but the war intervened. Now that they have come home, everything is topsy turvy. This was filmed in 1947, so the actual war had already been over for two years. Arleen Whelan is "Gloria", who is Peter's new love interest, and when the women meet, the battle is on. All of a sudden, they both want Peter. This moves along at medium speed. While this WAS probably a very common situation for those returning from war duty, it feels a little shallow now, and they didn't really use the talents of both Goddard and MacMurray. Anyone could have filled these roles and done a fine job. There isn't a whole lot of spark or magic between the cast here. Also, it seems a little late to be discussing the issues of returning spouses. Everyone does a great job, but because the subject is divorce, there's bound to be some hostility. Directed by Mitchell Leisen, who had been nominated for an Oscar waaay back in 1930. Story by P. J. Wolfson, who had written a ton of stuff in the 1930s and 1940s for Paramount. A respectable way to spend an 90 minutes. There is a buzzing in the last 10 minutes, but I guess we're lucky to still have this film around at all.

Pleasant enough but lacks zip

[csteidler · 6/10 · 16 June 2016]

Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray share some cute moments in this modest comedy-drama about a married couple just back from the War. Back in 1941 they had planned to divorce—but then Fred went to the Pacific to fight and Paulette became a WAC and zipped around Europe.

Now it's 1946 and they have to decide how—or whether—to put their lives back together.

Of course there are complications....Fred has taken up with the snooty Other Woman (Arleen Whelan), who wants him to get that divorce. And Fred's best friend (Macdonald Carey), seeing that Paulette may soon be free, sensibly takes an interest in pursuing her.

Unfortunately, Whelan's character just isn't very interesting, and Carey comes across as pushy at best. MacMurray and Goddard seem to be trying hard but there's just not much to their story—a lot of talking but not much snap or depth to the dialog, which leaves the plot feeling flat, too.

The two stars do look good; one could always do worse than spend an hour-and-a-half with Fred and Paulette. If the picture is unconvincing, at least it's also inoffensive.

"You can see through water, but people swallow it" -- Hilarious script and plot

[SimonJack · 9/10 · 27 December 2017]

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."

Almost, but no cigar

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 6/10 · 9 January 2016]

As with one other of our reviewers, for me, this film doesn't quite work. But I'm not quite sure why. My best guess is that there just isn't real chemistry between Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray. Not sure why, but chemistry is always tricky. Both Paulette Goddard and Fed MacMurray were talented at comedy, MacMurray especially so. To make things worse, this is a sort of love triangle, with Macdonald Carey as the third point, and it doesn't seem to me that Carey and Goddard have much chemistry, either. In fact, maybe the problem here is Paulette Goddard.

That's not to say that this film doesn't have its moments. For example, when MacMurray tries acting like a slob at the train station, it's a hoot. Unfortunately, the only "joke" (situation) throughout the movie is MacMurray trying to get Goddard to sign divorce papers (following WWII, when both were in the military).

Of course, what's going to happen here -- will she or won't she sign the divorce papers? Will they or won't they stay married? -- that's all obvious from the beginning of the picture. Which is okay, because usually we know what's going to happen in most movies; what's usually interesting is how the characters get there. Only this time it's mostly a bit muddled and not that much fun. And the ending seems very forced.

Another problem is the role Macdonald Carey plays. Yes, he wants Goddard, too...while also being MacMurray's law client. It just seems like a lame situation. It might have worked better if the two were close friends, rather than lawyer-client. Carey's performance is alright, it's just the role that doesn't quite work.

Arleen Whelan plays the woman that MacMurray wants to marry, She had a rather brief film career...thankfully.

I hope I remember not to watch this again. It's okay...once.

Suddenly, it's pretty dull

[AAdaSC · 3/10 · 15 January 2018]

Paulette Goddard (Mary) returns home at the end of WW2 to find her husband Fred MacMurray (Peter) waiting for her to sign divorce papers. Goddard suggested the divorce but now she's not so keen and wants to hold on to Fred. He's not too keen, though, and has another woman - Arleen Whelan (Gloria). The film runs to its obvious conclusion with not many laughs despite being a comedy.

You can afford to fall asleep during this one - I did three times. It's just not funny and the story has no momentum. It is also not very interesting and very unrealistic. There is one standout scene when the two women trade insults at a nightclub/restaurant venue. That is pretty funny. Outside of that, I'm afraid it's a bit of a struggle to keep interested.

Goddard/MacMurray duo!

[guil12 · 10/10 · 17 November 2001]

Fred MacMurray and Paulette Goddard made this 1947 film for Paramount which marked their fourth and final picture together. Having appeared together in earlier classics like STANDING ROOM ONLY, THE FOREST RANGERS and ON OUR MERRY WAY [although they didn't perform together in this all star cast].

Paulette comes home from serving as an army officer to find her lawyer husband [MacMurray] wants a divorce. She refuses, and prospective spouses [Macdonal Carey and Arleen Whelan] complicate the couple's situation. Unfortunately a bad script with a worn out subject, didn't help the stars make this a winner. Although both Goddard and MacMurray were at their top form. The supporting cast just didn't have the ability for comedy to keep up with the stars.

This is surprising as Mitchell Leisen [who directed Paulette in one of her outstanding films, KITTY] didn't make much happen in this. I guess it's a matter of the studio assigning a picture and the stars obligated to film it. There is one plus side to this film. The pin-up artist of the time, Vargas, did a stunning full portrait of Paulette. It was used for all the ads for the movie.

This is rarely seen [I have a VHS [a poor one] made for me from the film. The stars looking terrific, couldn't make this film rise above a B rating movie.

***

[edwagreen · 16 January 2016]

World War 11 interrupted their plans for divorce as separated couple, both attorneys, separated and joined the military.

By the end of the war, MacMurray has found Arleen Whelan and wants Paulette Goddard to sign the divorce papers. Apparently, Goddard has had a change of heart and MacMurray spends the entire picture trying to get her to sign the papers so that he may wed the Whelan character.

MacMurray pulls out all the stops to get what he wants. When his kindly manner doesn't work, he resorts to being repulsive and at this point, late in the film, the picture really takes off.

Having finally realized that he still loves his wife, as if you didn't know it would come to that, to get rid of Whelan he resorts to that repulsive character. The scene at the fancy restaurant in the end is hilarious.

Paulette Goddard Does It Again!

[kfrbot · 8/10 · 3 February 2024]

I don't typically write reviews here, but this film is even more underseen than underrated, and deserves some attention. Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray come back from the war, having sworn to get a divorce four years prior. However, during the war Goddard worked as a marriage counselor to soldiers, and has since had a change of heart; not just to save her reputation/career but also her marriage. It plays not dissimilarly to The Awful Truth or The Philadelphia Story, in that MacMurray must chase down his wife; and yet it is dissimilar in that she's the one who loves him and he must chase her down to sign divorce papers. As it turns out, there's nothing so romantic as the thrill of the hunt - will MacMurray open his eyes and see what a wonderful wife he's giving up before it's too late? (Take a wild guess). Definitely would recommend this film to anyone into classic comedy.

Suddenly it's time to start over

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 7 January 2016]

I was glad that SUDDENLY IT'S SPRING aired on TCM, as I had never seen it before. I thought the scenes on the train were quite funny, especially the stuff with Willie Best as the porter. I did not think all of the movie's scenes worked, however. The part about Fred MacMurray & Macdonald Carey in bed together was not funny and went nowhere-- it could easily have been removed without harming the story. Having MacMurray's girlfriend show up later at the hotel was something that came totally out of the blue and should have been foreshadowed better. And near the end, where MacMurray decides he wants to be with Paulette Goddard after all was quite predictable. This is because we knew the two leads had to have a happy ending before the final fade-out, but there was no proper motivation for his decision, and the reunion seemed rushed.

Basically, I didn't buy the fact that looking over some junk in a storage closet (including an unused bassinet) would make MacMurray dump the girlfriend and hook back up with his estranged wife. While it was nice to see that the couple had memories of their marriage and some what-ifs, it was not sufficient enough to compel them to try again. It had been established earlier in the picture they had been separated since 1941, when the war started-- and now four years later, they spent more time apart than together...so what makes them think they could even be compatible at this point to reconcile and start a family? It just wasn't believable that they ultimately belonged together, especially because aside from the closet scene, we never really saw much tenderness or that they longed for one another but were too stubborn to admit it. But overall, the story does move along at a brisk enough pace, and it's was fairly entertaining. Mitchell Leisen's direction and the charm of the leads did make it watchable.