1940 was the year of films about missing and presumed dead spouses inconveniently surfacing after their spouse had remarried. In "My Favorite Wife", Irene Dunne's character comes home after 7 years on a deserted island with Randolph Scott's character. Cary Grant's character had just remarried after the customary 7 year grace period before a person is declared legally dead, In the present film, Jean Arthur(Vicky) only waited 6 months before marrying her lost husband's best friend(played by Melvin Douglas) She gave some legal reason I didn't understand for this uncommonly short grace period. But, her first husband, played by Fred MacMurray, inconveniently showed up after one year, and was shocked to find his wife remarried already. If Vicky was legally allowed to divorce her 1st husband in his absence, I could see this happening. But the legal verdict near the end, is that her first husband still had priority within the time frame. Her 2nd husband graciously accepted this decision after fighting tooth and nail to retain his marriage.
This film is based upon the 1919 play "Home and Beauty", written by Somerset Maugham. However, there are significant differences. The lost husband was missing in action rather than marooned on a desert island. Instead of 2 husbands fighting to remain married to the same woman, the 2 husbands are fighting to decide which should divorce her, as both found that her beauty was her only good asset. In addition, she wanted to divorce both, and marry another man. This sounds like it has more comedic potential than the screenplay for the present film.
Actually, this play is a variation on the 1864 narrative poem Enoch Arden, in which a marooned sailor showed up after 10 years to find his wife happily married to his best friend. However, he doesn't reveal himself, as he doesn't want to cause a problem for his (former) wife. The basic story was also redone as a musical in 1955: "Three for the Show" and again as a non-musical in "Move Over Dalring",'63.
I agree with the majority of reviewers that "My Favorite Wife" is the more interesting of the 2 films. The present film too much emphasizes the endless bickering between the 2 husbands, promoted by Vicky's inability to choose which one she prefers.(They have quite different personalities, and Vicky apparently likes some of both). Besides, she gets more attention than when she had only one husband, as they try to outdo each other in pleasing her and emphasize the other's weak points. Although there are funny scenes, in addition to the perplexing situation, I think the plot could have been milked for more humor.
This film is based upon the 1919 play "Home and Beauty", written by Somerset Maugham. However, there are significant differences. The lost husband was missing in action rather than marooned on a desert island. Instead of 2 husbands fighting to remain married to the same woman, the 2 husbands are fighting to decide which should divorce her, as both found that her beauty was her only good asset. In addition, she wanted to divorce both, and marry another man. This sounds like it has more comedic potential than the screenplay for the present film.
Actually, this play is a variation on the 1864 narrative poem Enoch Arden, in which a marooned sailor showed up after 10 years to find his wife happily married to his best friend. However, he doesn't reveal himself, as he doesn't want to cause a problem for his (former) wife. The basic story was also redone as a musical in 1955: "Three for the Show" and again as a non-musical in "Move Over Dalring",'63.
I agree with the majority of reviewers that "My Favorite Wife" is the more interesting of the 2 films. The present film too much emphasizes the endless bickering between the 2 husbands, promoted by Vicky's inability to choose which one she prefers.(They have quite different personalities, and Vicky apparently likes some of both). Besides, she gets more attention than when she had only one husband, as they try to outdo each other in pleasing her and emphasize the other's weak points. Although there are funny scenes, in addition to the perplexing situation, I think the plot could have been milked for more humor.