1938 | Not Rated | 1h 35m | Comedy, Romance
Grant stars as Johnny Case, an energetic fellow who has worked many a job since he was 10 years of age. While on a holiday in Lake Placid, a quaint little settlement in northern New York (and the first vacation he’s ever taken in his life), he meets pretty young Julia Seton (Doris Nolan) and the two quickly fall in love.
The lovebirds agree to marry as soon as possible. However, Julia must first seek the permission of her hard-edged, overprotective, and very wealthy father, Edward Seton (Henry Kolker).
A little later in New York City, Johnny goes to meet Julia at her lodging, which happens to be the palatial Seton family estate. Since Johnny doesn’t know that Julia comes from a wealthy background, he asks his cab driver, “What’s this?” and then adds: “I guess she must work here,” as he hops out of the car.
Instead of going directly through the front door, Johnny walks around to a side gate and knocks on the kitchen door. There, he is ushered in by one of the servants, who begins to guide him through the mansion to Julia. “Judas!” Johnny loudly exclaims as he enters the sprawling, high-ceilinged main foyer, complete with dual winding stairways, crystal chandelier, and ornate candelabras.
The servant walks Johnny to an elevator that takes him up to the second floor, where he is told that Julia is awaiting his arrival in one of the larger rooms of the estate. As Johnny leaves the elevator and peers at the top of the stairway leading down to the main foyer he was just in, he remarks “I could have walked.”
When Julia finally greets Johnny, it is quite evident that the sparks of romance are still very much alive. But it also becomes clear that there is somewhat of a class difference between them, when Julia begins to lightly criticize his funky bowtie and haircut.
This class chasm isn’t lost on Johnny, who has concerns about marrying into a wealthy family and all of the baggage that often goes along with it. When he finds out that Julia’s father is a rather hard-to-please man, who would optimally want to match his daughter with someone from an upper-crust background, he becomes even more intimidated.
Johnny’s anxiety is eased somewhat when he meets Linda Seton, Julia’s older and wiser sister (Katharine Hepburn). In Johnny, Julia sees someone like herself: a similar free-spirited soul who isn’t impressed by wealth or the wealthy. Later, while Johnny and Linda are alone in the cold and dreary mansion’s sole bright spot—a cheery, toy-filled room that the Seton siblings used to play in with their now-deceased mother—Johnny reveals his hard-working, lower-middle-class background. He also tells her that he doesn’t want any of the family’s money and would rather make his own.
Johnny also announces to Linda that he intends to go on another holiday with his savings since he enjoyed the first one so much. Only this time, he intends to make it a lengthier one and adds that, once he finds out more about himself and what he wants out of life (he’s only 30 years old) and runs out of money, he intends to return to the working life as an older and wiser man.
This simple, admirable plan thrills Linda, who identifies with his freewheeling yet introspective nature. Soon, it becomes obvious where things are going with Johnny and Linda, and their blooming romance.
I must say that, although I could see a mile away how this romantic comedy was going to play out, because of the performances by its ensemble cast, coupled with the film’s peppy pace and fantastic dialogue, most of the fun is simply following along with its interesting characters.
Although comparisons can be drawn between this film and the aforementioned “Bringing Up Baby” (Hepburn also plays a wealthy woman to Grant’s more middle-class man), I must say that I enjoyed this one’s subtler humor.
Some standout examples of this humor can be found in Johnny’s initial verbal sparring with Julia’s father, as well as poking fun at some of the snobbery indicative of the hoity-toity “friends” of the Seton family. These stuffy folks mutter insults about people behind their backs, while later smiling to these same people’s faces.
Lew Ayres is also excellent as Edward’s only son, an alcoholic whose optimism has been stifled by his overbearing father.
Although the film is predictable, the masterful performances by Hepburn and Grant showcased here, coupled with the positive message about keeping one’s integrity intact despite being lured by the twin temptations of money and power, make this a highly enjoyable movie that is sure to charm.
