"Katie Did It" is a fine comedy-romance set in a small New England town and New York City. Ann Blyth and Mark Stevens have good chemistry in this film. All but forgotten and unknown by audiences of the 21st Century, Stevens had a fine career from the early 1940s to late 1980s. He had supporting and lead roles in a variety of genres, from comedy to war and Western films. He made some very good film noir mysteries in the 1940s. Yet, he is probably best remembered for his various TV series in the 1950s.
Stevens never achieved the top stardom of the prominent leading men of Hollywood. He was lead actor in several 20th Century Fox films, but seldom had the top actresses opposite him. Those films in which he played opposite the big name stars all were box office successes. One of the best was "The Snake Pit" of 1948 with Olivia de Havilland. Other films with top stars were "From This Day Forward" of 1946 with Joan Fontaine, "The Dark Corner" of 1946 with Lucille Ball, "Please Believe Me of 1950 with Deborah Kerr, and "Jack Slade" of 1953 with Dorothy Malone.
Whether in comedy, drama, mystery or even musical films, Stevens had a fine film persona. He always seemed more at ease and comfortable in his roles, whether tough guy, romantic lead or fun loving character. That's a great talent for actors and one that made him seem so natural and real. This film is a good example.
"Katie Did It" has an original plot with some very good humor. Katherine Standish (Blyth) and Peter Van Arden (Stevens) have some scenes with good laughs. Other comedy is provided by a very good supporting cast. The best of those are Cecil Kellaway as Nathaniel Wakeley VI and William Lynn as Clarence Spivvens.
Horseracing was very popular among the public in the early to md-20th century. So, many movies made during that time had scenes around the sport. This is one such film. But its contribution to the story and humor is quite flimsy. This is a weak aspect of the screenplay. Much better handling of this and one or two other scenarios would have raised this film a couple of notches.
This isn't a rousing comedy on the order of "The Awful Truth" or "My Favorite Wife, but it's a fun film that the whole family can enjoy. Yes, even a modern family well into the 21st century. The film has two sequences that are very funny. The first is on a train ride and involves Katie, Peter and the conductor, played by Irving Bacon. The second is a nighttime scene with Katie, Uncle Nathaniel and Clarence Spivvens. They set out to touch up some artwork on several highway billboards.
Humorous lines and snippets of funny antics are peppered throughout the film. Here are some favorite lines. For more, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.
Peter Van Arden introduces Nathaniel and Clarence to the gimlet cocktail. After each takes their first sip, Clarence says, "Ain't much kick to it, is there?" Nathaniel Wakeley replies, "Hmm. I've tasted chasers that were stronger." A few drinks later and the two old gents are pleasantly potted.
Nathaniel Wakeley, "Peter, my boy. When you're my age, you'll begin to realize that all women are confusing."
Katherine Standish has gone to see about getting a song published. The publishers are a couple of young guys toughing it out and trying to come up with salable songs. The title of her song is, "Just a Little Old Cape Cod Cottage in a Little New England Town." The song men say they'll have to change the title to something that would sell. Chick (Norman Abbott) suggests a couple titles: "A Little Bungalow in Kokomo," or "A Little Shack in Hackensack." Eddie (Gabriel Dell) suggests a South of the Border touch and the title "A Cottage Dandy by the Rio Grande."
Nathaniel Wakely, to Katie, "I unintentionally bet $495 more than I intended."
Conductor, "Tell me - is she dangerous when she has one of those spells?" Peter, "She, uh, she might do anything."
The following is from a scene on the train. Katie, "Husband? Why I've never seen this person until a few days ago." Peter, "And what did I catch my little girl doing a couple days ago? You ran away and jumped in the river. You remember that don't you, Katie dear?" Katie, "Of course I remember. I was delivering some books and ..." Peter, "Now, dear, you know fish can't read." Conductor, "And for your own good, it's best your husband sit here."
The same scene a little later. Katie, "Conductor!" The conductor walks over to them and says, "Why don't you relax, lady. Maybe the spell will pass off in a minute." Katie, "Spell?" Looking down at Peter, "What did you tell him?" Peter, "I told him the truth. I thought it was best." Conductor, "It certainly is. We're your friends."
