Affectionately Yours (1941) User Reviews

Two gorgeous ladies compete for one philanderer

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 26 June 2007]

Dennis Morgan, Merle Oberon, Rita Hayworth, and Ralph Bellamy are "Affectionately Yours" in this 1941 comedy. Morgan is a newspaper reporter who travels constantly. His current amour is Malcolm (Hayworth), and he gives her the same story he's given all of them - his wife (Oberon) won't divorce him. However, he receives a telegram stating that she has, and he panics. He rushes home to New York, with Malcolm right behind him, and tries to woo her back. She's planning to marry Mr. Wright (Bellamy), who is more than disturbed by the fact that she still seems interested in her husband.

This is a fairly trite comedy with some very funny slapstick and, of course, two of the screen's most beautiful women, Oberon and Hayworth. This film was made just before Hayworth broke through into big stardom, and she's delicious. She has the best role in the film. It always amuses me to see her so vivacious and talkative on screen. According to one of her biographers, when the kids from the old neighborhood saw her on screen for the first time, they were shocked at how much she was talking. She never talked as a young girl. Though she didn't really like movie stardom, the screen was where she could let herself go and be someone else. Morgan is attractive and just right as the errant husband. Bellamy is in his usual role as the man who doesn't get the girl, and he does beleaguered very well. Oberon lends sophistication and class to the film. Someone commented here that she looked plump. I don't know what they're talking about.

This is a good movie to see for the stars. The story isn't much.

It's cute but a dated and dopey film

[mgmstar128 · 7/10 · 3 April 2009]

As a fan of Rita Hayworth, this is the only reason I wanted to watch this movie. She is in fine form, as are the all the actors. It's just such an insipid story that it bored me. I could not wait for it to be over.

I didn't like Rickey (Morgan) since he is such a womanizer. I wondered why would Rita want him after discovering what a player he is. I also wondered why Sue (Oberon) would want him again. I guess it's me: I just don't see why those two smart women would each want a man like that.

It's always fun to watch Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen, but they too often played the same roles over and over and over.

Anyway, view for it Rita, but don't expect a great movie. Check your brain at the door.

Plot outline of screwball comedy

[jknoppow · 6/10 · 21 February 2002]

Richard Mayberry is a world traveling newspaper reporter, who plays around with lots of women, excepting his own wife, who has to stay at home. He's in Lisbon, trying to mess around with lady reporter Irene Malcolm, and she's all for it: but she's like him to leave his wife first.

Meanwhile, his wife Sue has meet "Mr. Wright," literally, and she's about to divorce her husband. Lot of fluffy misunderstandings, misappointments and misdeals follow, as Richard tries to either make his wife jealous with Irene, or tries to foist Irene off on Owen Wright.

You have to watch it to find out what happens, but there is certainly a fair amount of screwball comedy along the way to finding out!

See this one for the actors

[jann-6 · 13 January 2001]

For me the brightest spots of this movie are Rita Hayworth and Dennis Morgan. The love triangle, which also includes Merle Oberon, is complicated by interference from Ralph Bellamy and others (at times it's difficult to be sure whose side Rita is on.) Standing by are Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen, who are rooting for Morgan all the way. The backdrop of the newspaper business - as well as the presence of Ralph Bellamy - reminds one slightly of "His Girl Friday." Not a terrifically funny comedy, but worthwhile, especially for fans of any of the cast members.

Ralph Bellamy plays the boyfriend...guess what's going to happen to him!

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 23 June 2010]

In the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Ralph Bellamy had a peculiar niche in films. He was cast as the boyfriend who will lose the leading lady by the end of the film in approximately 48230 films (give or take). Again and again, you KNOW by the end of the movie he'll be left alone, so when I saw him dating Dennis Morgan's ex-wife (Merle Oberon) in this movie, I knew he'd be a miserable loser eventually!

The film begins with Morgan learning that his wife's divorce is final and he connives to get her back--though she's now with Bellamy(!) of all people! So, he's off to get her...and pretty Rita Hayworth is following, as she wants him and is thrilled that he's now divorced. While all of this is reasonably enjoyable, I couldn't help thinking that I've seen similar films many times--and often the other films were a bit better. After all, while Moran and Oberon were fine, the likes of Cary Grant, Irene Dunne or Rosalind Russell simply were better. My advice is see "The Awful Truth", "His Girl Friday"

or "My Favorite Wife" instead. The plots are rather similar (and some even feature Bellamy as the sap) and are just better--better written, acted and directed.

The verdict--a good film but nothing especially new.

JUST prior to ww ii... rita hayworth.

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 19 September 2020]

It's Rita Hayworth day on TCM! the cast list is just a roll call of great stars at Warner Brothers. Here, she's Irene, dancing in a nightclub in Lisbon, with Rick Mayberry (Dennis Morgan). trouble is, he's married. but at least Rick is honest, and tells Irene he's already married. released in May 1941, so a couple months BEFORE WW II breaks out. we were still happy and upbeat. even two guys dancing together, in the club. progressive, for 1941 ! Irene is ALSO on the plane home, so that will probably complicate things. Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen work for Susan (Merle Oberon, aka MRS. Mayberry !) McDaniel and McQueen had BOTH just had huge roles in Gone with the Wind. Ralph Bellamy is Owen Wright (Mister Right, of course) Susan's new boyfriend. they got chummy while Rick was traveling the world, getting chummy with Irene! George Tobias was a master of accents, and here, he's Rick's photographer. we all know him better as Abner, the next door neighbor on Bewitched. James Gleason is his boss back home, and doesn't help matters any. the bottom line here is that Susan can't seem to really decide if she's still in love with Rick, and strings both guys along to see if Rick still loves her. gets annoying after a while. and everyone is in on the act. so many shenanigans. does she still love him or not?? Directed by Lloyd Bacon. no oscars, but made some great films. this one was a bit too silly and overdone for me. i enjoyed the scene where Hattie McDaniel ends up with the bouquet and starts walking down the aisle. funny, considering it was filmed in 1941. different times.

two women smitten with a chronic liar

[gaynor.wild · 2/10 · 29 August 2009]

In this 1941 comedy, we are presented with two intelligent, beautiful women who are seriously smitten with a man who can hardly open his mouth without lying. The story ends with a major lie, and she accepts him. Either women in '41 were much more stupid or forgiving than today, or somehow people then thought that lying was cute and funny. The movie is terrible, and any women who are attracted to this man should be sentenced to marrying a serial liar.

Dennis Morgan was a familiar figure in the '40's, and was used to comedies. But Morgan's role in this movie is a little out of character, in his being a serial philanderer and a chronic liar. It's not difficult to see his appeal on short notice, but any woman who got to know him should have been repulsed.

If Only Rita Hayworth had been cast in more stylish comedies!

[Handlinghandel · 7/10 · 15 September 2003]

Dennis Morgan had experience in light comedy. Merle Oberon did some sophisticated comedy. But Rita walks away with this.

She looks ravishing -- as beautiful as in "Gilda," though in business clothes (which she wears dazzlingly) She is sensational as a woman of the world with a wry sense of humor.

The movie itself is mildly amusing.

Merle Oberon is very beautiful, as always, but she looks a bit plump.

Everyone does the things that were acceptable then but aren't now: The characters smoke a lot, they drink and it is supposed to be hilarious when they get drunk.

An American plays a Turk, using pidgin English. And, oh, it is racist: Every time Butterfly McQueen appears, the score picks up a leitmotif based on "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen."

Trite comedy wastes good cast...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 11 January 2011]

There's a silly plot about a philanderer (DENNIS MORGAN) who wants to play the field while in Lisbon on a journalistic assignment and making a play for lovely RITA HAYWORTH. But as soon as he finds out his wife is divorcing him, he's back in the USA plotting a way to win back her affection to make her jealous.

Under Lloyd Bacon's direction, this is a formula screwball comedy that hasn't got enough wit to make it shine and relies heavily on the cast to give it some life. Morgan is only mildly amusing in his attempt to play a comic role with GEORGE TOBIAS getting some of the best lines. But Rita does well as a flirtatious lady who'd like to take him away from Merle and RALPH BELLAMY is good in another one of his thankless roles as the man who loses the girl.

Despite the cast, it's too trite to be really enjoyable and the gags just don't work. Even HATTIE McDANIEL and BUTTERFLY McQUEEN are ill used for whatever laughs the script can spare. The slapstick ending with Morgan pretending to be an accident case, just strains credibility until the finish.

Not worth your time.

Quite a disappointment considering the cast.

[bill-790 · 4/10 · 24 June 2010]

Another reviewer used the word "trite" to characterize the plot of this film. Amen to that! As for the film as a whole? How about lame? Really lame!

Since this was a 1940s Warner Brothers production featuring several of that studio's stalwart players, I had high hopes when I saw it for the first, and almost certainly ONLY, time. But, really, this is a silly story that is hardly ever funny and simply makes everyone involved look foolish. (Butterfly McQueen absolutely sobs her way through this movie. Makes you wish someone had taken her apron and gagged her with it!)

I love the WB product of the 1940s, but this is really a let down. Don't expect anything like "Christmas in Connecticut"!

An adorable romantic comedy

[HotToastyRag · 8/10 · 2 April 2023]

Affectionately Yours is so sweet and charming, it makes you either long for the good old days or wish Hollywood could produce romantic comedies similar to it nowadays. Since modern flicks just don't have that feeling anymore, I prefer to stay in the realm of black-and-white movies.

The opening scene shows a crowd of drunken patrons at a nightclub in Lisbon. Newspaper correspondents Dennis Morgan, Rita Hayworth, Jerome Cowan, and George Tobias all live it up while they wait for their next assignment. Dennis and Rita have a romance going on, and he utters his infamous, "I'd marry you in a split-second if I didn't already have a wife," which he's handed to any number of women all around the world. Moments later, he receives a telegram informing him that his wife has finally had enough and has divorced him in Reno. The philanderer makes up a lie to Rita and hops the next plane back to New York to win back his wife.

Merle Oberon and Dennis are really cute together (but he's also cute with Rita, too) as they have the on-again, off-again chemistry that keeps them connected. She wants nothing more than to be rid of him, but whenever she hears he's injured or in a bad way, she drops everything and runs to his side-never mind her current fiancé, Ralph Bellamy. Ralph is understandably frustrated, as is James Gleason, Dennis's boss who doesn't want him to prioritize his wife over his work. Who will win out? Merle and the temptation of home cooking every night, or wild international assignments with Rita and a promotion from James? This is a very adorable romance that has the distinct feeling of the 1930s, that pure escapism that makes you forget about your problems. Also, for old movie trivia buffs: Affectionately Yours was release the same year as Rita's The Strawberry Blonde, which was remade in 1948 starring Dennis Morgan!

A zany film only works if the material is actually funny - this one's a dud

[SimonJack · 4/10 · 17 October 2020]

With a box office of just $1.3 million in ticket sales, "Affectionately Yours" probably didn't come near covering its budget. With its big-name cast, it should have been a big draw. But, finishing the year in 166th is a sign that it probably bombed. When something like that happens - with such a cast, it's a sure thing that the story - the plot, is a dud. Even stars such as these - Merle Oberon, Rita Hayworth, Dennis Morgan, Ralph Bellamy - can't save a lousy story.

I don't know what the critics might have written or said about this film, but I'd wager it wasn't very good. When a film has such poor box office results, it's likely that the first audiences spread the word that the film stinks. And, this sure is a stinker for Warner Brothers.

The plot is all about a married American foreign correspondent who has girlfriends in every city where he has been to cover news events. He's been married four years, but spends most of his time away in Europe. His line with each of his women friends is that he'd marry her in a minute, if only he wasn't already married. When he finally learns that his wife has actually divorced him, he heads back to the States from Lisbon, against his editors orders.

The ex-wife is now planning to marry another guy. But now, the correspondent wants to prevent her from doing that. She still loves the guy (so she'll marry another guy to prove that point?), but he's a chronic liar. No one watching this film could possibly believe he still loved her. But the film is a series of back and forth charades and lies on his part trying to dupe her into not marrying the other guy.

This is a lame comedy romance. The dialog is humorless - no witty, clever or even memorable lines. Morgan's Rick Mayberry runs around trying to stop Oberon's Sue Mayberry from seeing and then marrying Bellamy's Owen Wright. Hayworth's Irene Malcolm is another correspondent who is one of those other women Rick would marry in a minute.

Some zany movies can be very good if the material is genuinely funny. But this film won't generate so much as a chuckle with most sober movie buffs. I think I gave it four stars for the supporting cast.

A Film that makes you laugh!

[steveareno · 2 May 2000]

I absolutely loved this story!Rita Hayworth,Merle Oberon and Dennis Morgan are energetic and entertaining throughout this whole film.Ralph Bellamy doesn't get the girl,but he's great anyway.Merle Oberon once commented that she thought this movie "was a real dud..I hate it!"She conceded that her children did like it.I thought it was wonderful and I love when Dennis ties Merle's foot to something on the pier and after struggling to get away...can't budge!She falls over into the water and catches a cold...which leads to Morgan and Bellamy arguing over who gets Merle.You'll have to watch this film to find out what happens!

Desperately completed.

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 27 November 2019]

This is one of those screwball comedies that tries too hard and fails miserably, giving a nearly perfect cast a chance to act like children and come out worse off than the little rascals. Foreign correspondent Dennis Morgan overacts as the ex-husband of socialite Merle Oberon, now engaged to Ralph Bellamy, and being chased around by Rita Hayworth at boss James Gleason's orders to prevent him from giving up his career to return to Oberon. This mess of a plot also features George Tobias as Morgan's sidekick, Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen as Oberon's maids and Renee Riano as a lonely hearts club worker tossed in out of the blue for no reason but to pad out Tobias's screen time.

While McDaniel is fortunately somewhat dignified, her "Gone With the Wind" co-star McQueen is not, forced to chirp in a whiny sob every time that she is on. Morgan is not at all appealing in his poorly written part, lying pathologically to get what he wants. Hayworth is striking, Oberon is glamorous, but I preferred the rivalry of Rosalind Russell and Kay Francis in the similar "The Feminine Touch" made the same year. There's only sympathy for Bellamy (the actor, not the character) as the obviously going to be jilted fiancee. Having attempted this years ago, I now realize that this deserves a one time viewing only for its cast followed by a permanent shelving.

It's not "The Awful Truth." It's just awful.

[michaelprescott-00547 · 4/10 · 15 July 2021]

Idiotic comedy that hopes to be another "Awful Truth" and fails on all counts. Dennis Morgan is no Cary Grant, and unlike the earlier film, there's no ambiguity about his marital misbehavior here. "Affectionately Yours" opens with Morgan wooing a woman who's not his wife and proceeds to introduce us to another of his (many) paramours.

There's also no moral equivalency; unlike "Awful Truth's" Irene Dunne, who may or may not be guilty of some hanky-panky of her own, our heroine this time (Merle Oberon) is above suspicion. This makes it impossible to root for Morgan, a shameless cad employing a variety of stupid tricks to win back a faithful wife who has no earthly reason to love him. He kidnaps her (twice!), lies to her incessantly, and in general carries on like a mentally unstable stalker.

It doesn't help that the other woman in the picture is Rita Hayworth at her most beautiful, vivacious, and alluring. Unaccountably she is mad about Morgan, even though she's knows he's a worthless sleazeball. Even more unaccountably, Morgan is indifferent to Hayworth's charms, so smitten is he by the dour Oberon. It also doesn't help that Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen are saddled with painfully stereotypical roles as the household help.

Dross from the Golden Age of Hollywood

[JamesHitchcock · 4/10 · 20 December 2021]

"Affectionately Yours" is a "comedy of remarriage", a genre particularly popular during the "Golden Age of Hollywood" of the late thirties and early forties which dealt with a divorced or separated couple getting back together again. (The best-known example is probably "The Philadelphia Story"). Such films were popular because they allowed screenwriters to flirt with daring themes without breaching the requirements of the Production Code relating to the depiction of adultery.

Rickey Mayberry is the foreign correspondent of an American newspaper. He enjoys his work because foreign assignments allow him ample opportunity to romance local women, even though he has a wife back in New York; his favourite line is "I'd marry you in a split second if I wasn't already married". (The aforementioned requirements of the Production Code mean that the film is never too explicit about whether Rickey's flirtations end up with him taking his conquests to bed).

As the film opens, Rickey is on assignment in Lisbon where he is romancing a girl named Irene Malcolm. (The name and her accent suggest that she is American rather than Portuguese). And then he receives news that his wife Sue has divorced him. (It would seem that in 1941 it was possible for Americans to obtain a divorce without allowing their spouse to contest the petition, or even informing them of the proceedings in advance). Rickey heads back to New York to try for a reconciliation, with Irene in hot pursuit. Upon arrival he discovers that the news is true and that Sue has found another man. (Her new boyfriend Owen is played by Ralph Bellamy, who had played a similar role in "His Girl Friday" the previous year). The film then explores the complications arising from this situation.

Some comedies of remarriage could be very good; "The Philadelphia Story" is a classic and "His Girl Friday" not far behind in terms of quality. "Affectionately Yours", unfortunately, is in nothing like the same class as either of those films. This is partly because the plot runs out of steam about halfway through, leaving the latter part of the film painfully unfunny, and partly because Rickey is such an unpleasant two-timing rat that it is difficult to imagine any two women fighting over him, let alone two as attractive as Merle Oberon and Rita Hayworth, two of the great cinema beauties of the forties. Even during its Golden Age Hollywood could still turn out plenty of dross. 4/10.

Affectionately Screwballed-**

[edwagreen · 4/10 · 12 January 2011]

Perfect example of the screwball comedy of the 1930s and 1940s is "Affectionately Yours."

Ralph Bellamy seemed to be stuck in the part of the prospective bridegroom who never quite makes it down the aisle to matrimonial bliss. The film also gave Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly Queen the opportunity to work again 2 years after the memorable "Gone With the Wind." Sadly, their talents were basically wasted here. McDaniel again is cunning and sly as a maid but she is given little material to work with. Ditto for McQueen who reminded me in "Mildred Pierce" of introducing all guests coming into the house. She is forever crying and after all, she isn't exactly burping those babies as she did 2 years before.

The film would have been better had there been some international intrigue as the Dennis Morgan part was that of a foreign reporter. Here we have wife Merle Oberon divorcing Dennis because he is rarely around. The picture is devoted to Morgan trying to woo wife Merle back. Bellamy is her new beau and Rita Hayworth plays a reporter with designs on Morgan as well. James Gleason is Morgan's boss who only sees breaking up the latter with his wife so that he can get the most out of him work-wise.

The ending is almost slapstick-like and not much appreciated.

It's the other woman here

[howardeisman · 26 September 2009]

This is a late and modest entry into the screwball comedy genre. As such, all the performers are frenetic, histrionic, and act in broad, bold strokes. Performers falling into water is a running joke. There is no dry humor in this film. Unfortunately, no good lines either; it has a script of shtick patched together from older and better comedies.

But the other woman here acts as an intelligent person and has a natural manner. Since it is Rita Hayworth herself, she is naturally beautiful. It suggests a script writers dilemma: other woman has to be less desirable than the female lead, but they have to be desirable enough for the male lead to be attracted by them. In this movie, Rita Hayworth is so much more appealing in every way than Merle Oberon that it renders the plot silly.

The racial stereotypes are prominent here, with Hattie MacDanial and Butter McQueen doing routines they could have done in their sleep. Had they had sharp,incisive funny lines, we might have had a guilty laugh or two from these offensive stereotypes. As they were simply stereotypes to laugh at, it is now only offensive.

Awful waste of time and talent!

[hemisphere65-1 · 2/10 · 8 July 2021]

Morgan plays an incredibly unlikeable lead, which makes the "love" of Oberon impossible to believe. Hayworth is beautiful but saddled with terrible writing and a moronic plot. Of course, Bellamy loses the girl at the end. I don't think that even counts as a spoiler.

Terrible attempt at comedy. Don't waste your time on this trash.

problematic premise

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 9 March 2024]

Rickey Mayberry (Dennis Morgan) is a womanizing globetrotting reporter. He tells fellow journalist Irene Malcolm (Rita Hayworth) that he would marry her if not for his marriage to Sue (Merle Oberon). It's his usual line. He gets a cablegram that his wife is seeking a divorce. He intends to win her back by any means necessary although she intends to remarry to Owen Wright (Ralph Bellamy).

This needs to start with Rickey and Sue together so that they can build some chemistry. This couple has limited rooting interest. Then there is his womanizing ways. It may be a sign of the times, but it doesn't build any more rooting interest in this coupling. In fact, he has more chemistry with Rita Hayworth. She is the best of this entire movie. I would really consider reworking the premise and the cast in general.