The More the Merrier (1943)
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94% of critics liked it
(16 reviews) -
82% of users liked it
(1,196 ratings)
To fully appreciate The More the Merrier, it is important to know that, during WW2, there was an acute housing shortage in Washington DC. This is why elderly Benjamin Dingle (Charles Coburn) is obliged to share a tiny DC apartment with pretty Connie Milligan (Jean Arthur) and handsome Joe Carter… More To fully appreciate The More the Merrier, it is important to know that, during WW2, there was an acute housing shortage in Washington DC. This is why elderly Benjamin Dingle (Charles Coburn) is obliged to share a tiny DC apartment with pretty Connie Milligan (Jean Arthur) and handsome Joe Carter (Joel McCrea). After nearly two reels of misunderstandings, the trio becomes accustomed to their curious living arrangement. Joe takes a platonic liking to Connie, but she's engaged to stuffy bureaucrat Charles J. Pendergast (Richard Gaines). Sizing up the situation, foxy Benjamin contrives to bring Connie and Joe together, in spite of themselves. Things get dicey when Joe endeavors to complete a top-secret mission for the Air Force, which leads to all sorts of comic complications and misguided remonstrations. Throughout the film, director George Stevens and the four-man screenwriting staff deliberately tweak the noses of the Hays Office, getting by with any number of censorable offenses by deftly and tastefully sidestepping the obvious. Especially potent is the scene in which Joe tries to seduce Connie by talking about everything except seduction: it's also fun to watch Dingle robustly repeat the word "Damn" over and over, getting away with this breach of censorship because he's quoting Admiral "Damn the Torpedoes" Farragut. An Academy Award went to Charles Coburn, while nominations were bestowed upon Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, George Stevens, the screenwriters, and the film itself. The More the Merrier was remade in 1966 as Walk Don't Run, with Cary Grant, Jim Hutton and Samantha Eggar. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- George Stevens
- Written By
- Robert Russell
- Genres
- Romance, Classics, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Mar 26, 1943 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Variety Staff, Variety
A sparkling and effervescing piece of entertainment.
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, Time Out
Despite a belated drift towards sentimentality, this remains a refreshingly intimate movie.
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Bosley Crowther, New York Times
As warm and refreshing a ray of sunshine as we've had in a very late Spring.
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Stevens moves things along a lot more briskly than is usual for him.
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, Empire Magazine
Hilarious screwball comedy.
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Cast
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Jean Arthur
as Connie Milligan
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Joel McCrea
as Joe Carter
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Charles Coburn
as Benjamin Dingle
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Richard Gaines
as Charles J. Pendergast
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Bruce Bennett
as Evans
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Frank Sully
as Pike
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Clyde Fillmore
as Sen. Noonan
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Stanley Clements
as Morton Rodakiewicz
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Donald Douglas
as Harding
- Don Barclay
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Gladys Blake
as Barmaid
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Harry C. Bradley
as Minister
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Jack Carr
as Taxi Driver
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Eddy Chandler
as Police Captain
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Chester Clute
as Hotel Clerk
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Ann Doran
as Miss Bilby
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Sugar Geise
as Dancer
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Harrison Greene
as Texan
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Helen Holmes
as Dumpy Woman
- Frank LaRue
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Kay Linaker
as Miss Allen
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Bob McKenzie
as Southerner
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Shirley Patterson
as Girl
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Victor Potel
as Cattleman
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George H. Reed
as Caretaker
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Henry Roquemore
as Reporter
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Marshall Ruth
as Fat Statistician
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Ann Savage
as Miss Dalton
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Jean Stevens
as Dancer
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Grady Sutton
as Waiter
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Mary Treen
as Waitress
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Douglas Wood
as Senator
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Robert E. Hill
as Head Waiter
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Lon Poff
as Character
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Hal Gerard
as 2nd Statistician
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Kitty McHugh
as Taxi Driver
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Byron Shores
as Air Corps Captain
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David Ward
as Waiter