Affectionately Yours (1941)

You won't be disappointed!

hyped garbage

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

The acting in this movie is really good.

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.

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.

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!

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.