Sadly Over-hyped

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

"Ever Girl Should be Married" is not a movie about protagonists – female and male. It's a plain story of one person falling for and pursuing another. Well, not necessarily "falling for" initially. First, it is a determination by Anabel Sims (played very well by Betsy Drake), that she must get married and soon; and then she must look for the right man. That may be the part of the plot that sticks in the craw of most of us, and a fault in the screenplay. Had it been that Anabel was first attracted to Cary Grant's Dr. Madison Brown, and then reasoned that she should get married and pursue him, I think the plot would have seemed to be more natural. As it is, it is a calculated decision bereft of any love, romance or other emotion. I contend that that is the problem with the film for most of us, and the weakness of the screenplay for being able to build and deliver some great comedy sequences.I'm also not quick to dismiss some viewers who may see Anabel as a stalker. With the caveat that stalking by an attraction of one person for another of the opposite sex in the early 20th century did not have the connotation that stalking has by the 21st century. She was a stalker in what she did then, but it wasn't the dastardly act of a social misfit or emotionally disturbed person we associate it with today. Anabel was stalking Dr. Brown to get him to fall for her. Some may not appreciate the obviousness of Annabel's pursuit, but the very exaggerated nature of it is what makes for the most comedy. The rest of the cast are all very good. Diana Lynn is a great friend as Julie Howard. Franchot tone is perfect as Roger Sanford. Alan Mowbray and Elisabeth Risdon shine as Mr. Spitzer and nurse Mary Nolan. Nolan had a line that might have been impromptu because I thought Grant faltered a second with it and then commented on her sense of humor. She said, "A doctor can't lose his patience without losing patients."While Annabel's exaggerated efforts are the source of most of the humor in this movie, they could only carry so much weight. So long as she was the innocent, earnest person she played. Unfortunately, the screenplay didn't offer much more. The movie would have been lifted another notch or two with more witty dialog, especially between Madison and Roger. In the end, I think this movie pokes fun at both sexes over the age-old natural process of mate matching. It doesn't rank with a host of excellent comedies and films in Grant's portfolio, but it is an entertaining watch.After making this movie, Grant and Drake were married. Grant was on his third of five marriages, and this was his longest by many years. It was Drake's only marriage. The couple separated for four years after Grant had an affair with Sophia Loren while filming "Houseboat" in 1958. They divorced in 1962. Besides this movie, they made another film together three ears into their marriage. "Room for One More" was a wonderful 1952 comedy drama based on a true story. Cary Grant was 19 years older than Drake. He was 58 when they divorced and he made only three more films after 1962 before he retired from film in 1966. He had 76 films to his credit, all but the first four in which he starred. Betsy Drake was a French-born American actress and writer. She made only 11 films in her screen career, and the latter were interspersed with her writing. Her novel, "Children, You Are Very Little," was published in 1971 under the name of Betsy Drake Grant. Drake did volunteer work in health and education and earned a Masters degree in education from Harvard. Drake had an interesting and fearful experience in 1956 when she survived the collision of the Andrea Doria and Stockholm ocean liners. She was one of 1,660 people rescued from the Andrea Doria before it sank off the coast of North America. She died at age 92 on Oct. 27, 2015, in London.

Romantic comedy about a young woman (Betsy Drake) determined to snag a handsome doctor (Cary Grant) as her husband. Obviously its old-fashioned ideas will not sit will well with everybody today. Personally I didn't find anything offensive about it. Yes it's dated but I don't watch a movie from 1948 expecting it to appeal to modern sensibilities. Part of the enjoyment of watching older films, at least for me, is they are a window into the past.Probably not something Cary Grant would have signed on to do were he not trying to help out Betsy Drake, who he was dating at the time. He helped her get an RKO contract and this was her first movie. The two would marry the following year. Cary seems to be on autopilot with the unchallenging material. But a Cary Grant only half-trying is better than most stars giving it their best. Drake is likable despite her character being a stalker. Franchot Tone plays another guy who gets roped into Drake's scheme. All in all, it's a light bit of pleasant but forgettable fluff.

Cary Grant, of course, is always worth watching (Father Goose notwithstanding). Betsy Drake has a great cadence to support her slightly ditsy intonation, and I did not tire of it, as some have said, any more than I do the affectations of July Holiday or Marilyn Monroe.The plot is not trivial, nor is it totally predictable.Where this film fails in comparison to others of its era and genre is in the writing. The comedy is amusing enough, and there are some good moments, but the lines do not propel the viewer with the rapid-fire bite that is expected with a setup like this one. I wanted it to be good enough for a 7, but I will stick with my 6 which in my metrics is still "definitely worth watching".To those PC reviewers who were "disturbed" by the "stalker" aspect, I say: loosen up, it is a COMEDY! We have all laughed at Lucy being sillier, more extreme and more persistent. Beside, the movie starts by laying out the very sensible premise that a woman should be able to pursue an attractive man in ways similar to a man going after a desirable woman. eg., Rough paraphrase of girl talk: "What would you do on a date?" "Take him on a drive in the country.""And run out of gas?" "If I wanted to".. . . and everything follows from that premise -- logical, consistent and, for me, engaging.Lastly, I note that the best user ratings, as of this date, are by women of the age of Betsy Drake's character, and not by nostalgic curmudgeons like me.

That was just my little dig at the PC crowd. This movie may be an anachronism for today's society, but it is a fun watch, and a highly entertaining movie. It stars Cary Grant and Betsey Drake. Betsy plays a goofy girl with a good heart, who pursues the seemingly unattainable Grant, who she fell for after they met at a magazine rack in a local store. She is smitten and pursues him like a woman obsessed. Grant is a pediatrician, who has no interest in her whatsoever. She creates what seem like chance meetings, much to the chagrin of Grant. He is wise to her antics and just finds them amusing, knowing full well that this relationship will never get off the ground . I as a viewer thought to myself that there is no way this good looking successful man is going to fall for this goofy and strange person. If that happened today he would probably get a restraining order out against her. The two of them have this wonderful interplay that is very amusing. He does a brief imitation of her to someone, and it is dead on. I always wondered if he improvised that scene. I won't tell you the ending, since you may not have seen it, but it is a surprise. Betsy Drake and Cary Grant were married soon after doing this movie together. I believe the marriage lasted 10 years. Give it a shot. They certainly don't make them like this anymore