Love Crazy (1941)

Love Crazy
Directed by Jack Conway
Written by David Hertz, Charles Lederer, and William Ludwig
1941/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Steve: She’s married now – got a husband.

Susan Ireland: Yeah? Whose husband has she got?[/box]

William Powell gets plenty of opportunity to show off his physical comedy skills in the tenth of his pairings with Myrna Loy.

Things start going wrong on Steve (Powell) and Susan (Loy) Ireland’s fourth anniversary. Steve is heading up to their apartment with roses when he is stuck on the elevator with Isobel, an old flame, (Gail Patrick) who is eager to renew the acquaintance.  Then just as the couple is getting ready for a romantic dinner Susan’s annoying mother shows up and sprains her ankle.  Susan has to go pick up her aunt and Steve is stuck with his mother-in-law.  He escapes to have a drink with Isobel and mother-in-law sets the suspicions in motion leading to Susan suing for divorce and taking up with an archery champion (Jack Carson.

The only way out seems to be for Steve to fake insanity to delay the procedings. Unfortunately, his ruse proves to be all too convincing and he ends up in an asylum.  The laughs keep coming as Steve continues to do everything in his power to win Susan back.

This has more slapstick comedy and less snappy dialogue than most Powell/Loy movies. Fortunately, Powell is a pro at both.  The film marks the only time Powell appeared on screen without his mustache – near the end of the film when he appears as Steve’s “sister” in drag.

Trailer