After "It Happened One Night" ran away with the top five Oscars for 1934, every major and minor studio picked up the theme of a runaway heiress for comedy romances. While none could match the sub-genre prototype, several very good and funny films followed over the next several years. "The Bride Came C.O.D." was a good one at the tail end of the depression-era, but it doesn't rank among the best. The challenge each new version had after "One Night" was to come up with a different plot that would work. The plot for this one was different and pretty good. But the screenplay was quite weak.
I agree with those reviewers who noted the fine supporting cast performances all around. James Cagney and Bette Davis were giants of the screen for sure, and they did well in their roles here, as Steve Collins and Joan Winfield. They played comedy off one another very well. But what was lacking was any chemistry for romance. Indeed, the script didn't seem to be leading there until near the very end. In the very good films of this genre, the romance develops slowly, in little noticeable bits. But there's no sign of romance in this film until very close to the end. Comedies don't have to be believable, but if they aren't, they have to have lots of funny stuff about them – zaniness, crazy antics, rapid-fire zingers and repartee. This film has very little of that – only a couple of zany situations with the bride and pilot, Joan and Steve.
So, a better screenplay would have helped a lot. Maybe the romance wouldn't have been believable, still, but at least we'd have more laughs to make up for that. My point is that when the romance seems believable, it does a whole lot to raise one's enjoyment of the whole film. "One Night" is the classic, of course, but there are any number of other very funny films with believable romantic plots.
The wonderful Warner's troop of supporting actors contributed a great deal to this film. Eugene Palette, Harry Davenport and Jack Carson were especially good in their roles as Lucius Winfield, Pop Tolliver and Allen Brice, respectively. Carson was a versatile actor who often had big secondary roles in films. He couldn't break into the leading man roles, but his performances were often better and contributed as much or more to some films than the leading actors. I never thought about that decades ago when watching these films for the first time. It's one of those things one becomes more aware of with some years and lots of film time under the belt.
"The Bride Came C.O.D." is an enjoyable film that most viewers should find amusing. The cast seemed to enjoy making it.
I agree with those reviewers who noted the fine supporting cast performances all around. James Cagney and Bette Davis were giants of the screen for sure, and they did well in their roles here, as Steve Collins and Joan Winfield. They played comedy off one another very well. But what was lacking was any chemistry for romance. Indeed, the script didn't seem to be leading there until near the very end. In the very good films of this genre, the romance develops slowly, in little noticeable bits. But there's no sign of romance in this film until very close to the end. Comedies don't have to be believable, but if they aren't, they have to have lots of funny stuff about them – zaniness, crazy antics, rapid-fire zingers and repartee. This film has very little of that – only a couple of zany situations with the bride and pilot, Joan and Steve.
So, a better screenplay would have helped a lot. Maybe the romance wouldn't have been believable, still, but at least we'd have more laughs to make up for that. My point is that when the romance seems believable, it does a whole lot to raise one's enjoyment of the whole film. "One Night" is the classic, of course, but there are any number of other very funny films with believable romantic plots.
The wonderful Warner's troop of supporting actors contributed a great deal to this film. Eugene Palette, Harry Davenport and Jack Carson were especially good in their roles as Lucius Winfield, Pop Tolliver and Allen Brice, respectively. Carson was a versatile actor who often had big secondary roles in films. He couldn't break into the leading man roles, but his performances were often better and contributed as much or more to some films than the leading actors. I never thought about that decades ago when watching these films for the first time. It's one of those things one becomes more aware of with some years and lots of film time under the belt.
"The Bride Came C.O.D." is an enjoyable film that most viewers should find amusing. The cast seemed to enjoy making it.