The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)

75% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
77% of users liked it
(6,597 ratings)

Judge Myrna Loy decides that the best way to curb the excesses of playboyish art teacher Cary Grant is to force him to do what he does best--romance a willing young lady. In this instance, the girl is Loy's own sister, played by a blossoming Shirley Temple. Aware that Temple has a serious crush on… More Judge Myrna Loy decides that the best way to curb the excesses of playboyish art teacher Cary Grant is to force him to do what he does best--romance a willing young lady. In this instance, the girl is Loy's own sister, played by a blossoming Shirley Temple. Aware that Temple has a serious crush on Grant, Loy orders him to date the teen-aged Temple until the girl gets him out of her system; he is also ordered to keep his hands to himself lest he wind up in the pokey. Grant finds the irrepressible Temple rather wearisome, but he throws himself into his sentence full-force, donning teenaged clothes, speaking in nonsense slang ("Voodoo! Who Do? You Do!" etc.) and participating in the athletic events at a high school picnic. Grant eventually divests himself of Temple by arranging for her to fall for a boy her own age; meanwhile, Loy realizes what we've realized all along--that it is she who is truly smitten by Grant. Adding to the frothy fun of Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer are the supporting performances of Ray Collins as a sagacious psychologist and Rudy Vallee as a stuffy district attorney. The film's screenplay won an Academy Award for Sidney Sheldon, who went on to create I Dream of Jeannie and to matriculate into a best-selling novelist. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Irving Reis
Written By: Sydney Sheldon, Sidney Sheldon
Genres: Romance, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 24, 1947 Wide
On DVD: Jun 1, 2004
Studio: Turner Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Cary Grant seems stymied in this claustrophobic, essentially misogynistic material, and director Irving Reis isn't the man to pull him out.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Surprisingly, this Cary Grant-Shirley Temple farce won the original screenplay Oscar in a year in which the other nominees included Body and Soul, A Double Life, Monsieur Verdoux and Shoeshine.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's a film that only could have been made in a more innocent time.
Jonathan R. Perry, Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas)
Anachronstic -- if sexist -- fun.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Terrific star comedy.
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies
Sparkling romantic comedy.

Read all 6 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A wonderful cast and a brilliant story. This movie is hilarious and fun. I loved it, and I highly recommend it.
jay n

fluffy, enjoyable. perfect for a lazy afternoon.
Marion R

it was just okay
monty h

Another classic comedy with Cary Grant as playboy artist Richard Nugent who through a court order has to date a love struck teenage named Susan (wonderfully played by Shirley Temple) who sneaks into his apartment one night. Her sister, Judge Margaret Turner (Myrna Loy) is convinced… More
Another classic comedy with Cary Grant as playboy artist Richard Nugent who through a court order has to date a love struck teenage named Susan (wonderfully played by Shirley Temple) who sneaks into his apartment one night. Her sister, Judge Margaret Turner (Myrna Loy) is convinced that for Susan to get over Nugent is for her to date him and then she will eventually come to her senses. Of course Nugent goes out of his way to make sure that happens all the more quickly. This is a classic comedy that has everyone involved at their peak acting abilities, especially the three leads in Grant, Loy, and Temple. One of the best comedies from yesteryear. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt Beemish: I'm the court psychiatrist. Richard Nugent: Come back in an hour. I'll be crazy by then.
Sunil J

A little silly but Shirley Temple is still pretty loveable as a teenager who falls for Cary Grant's charm.