We have the 2 knockout blondes most likely to succeed the aging Betty Grable as the queen of Fox musical comedies, although this is just a moderate comedy without the music. Although they were the same age, June Haver had been groomed since 1945 for this eventual role, whereas Marilyn Monroe was still taking bit parts to test her audience appeal. However, the tables would soon turn, as June was getting weary of the Hollywood scene, and Fox would start putting Marilyn in some lead roles where her sexy screen persona would be emphasized. I definitely prefer June's earthy girl-next-door characterization in this and other films, in contrast to Marylyn's more aloof goddess screen persona.
There are 2 main male characters, one played by tall, handsome, smooth-talking William Lundigan, who plays June's husband, freshly arrived in NYC from his post-war army assignment in France. He's very surprised to find that his wife had used the money he sent home for a down payment on a decaying brownstone row house, which she had fixed up to provide a number of apartments or rooms for rent. Continued furnishing and repair bills threaten to cause them to lose their house. They can do some of it, but need specialists for some problems. The code-enforced need to redo their electrical wiring will cost them more than they can muster up or borrow. So, they decide they'll have to sell their house at a loss, since June paid too much for it.
Along comes Charley, one of their tenants, who offers to loan them the $800. needed to fix the wiring. They accept. However, before they can spend it, Charley is arrested for bilking quite a few lonely wealthy widows out of their savings. Does Charley consider himself a most wanted sleazy con man? Certainly not! He's just performing a service for an unspecified fee. He even occasionally romances poor lonely widows, such as Eadie, in the same apartment complex, using the money he stole from wealthy widows. He sometimes helps those in need, including impoverished landlords. He's sort of a Robin Hood, he thinks. Unfortunately, the local police and FBI don't see it that way. Lundigan also temporarily lands in the same jail cell as Charley, suspected of being Charley's accomplice. Charley suggests that Lundigan write up his life story as a potential best seller(Lundigan's ambition is to be a writer). Well, this idea works out and the couple use some of the royalties to further fix up their house. Unclear how they survived the wiring problem, and how Charley made a living after he married Eadie when he got out of jail. Perhaps some of royalties from the book?
Two minor characters are played by Jack Parr and Marilyn. Parr was attracted by Marilyn who, as Bobbie, was a WAC friend of Lundigan in France, and has come to live in one of his apartments while modeling. Their characters aren't really essential to the plot. However, Marilyn serves as another worry for June, and another knockout blonde to keep the boys' attention.
Lundigan and June appear to have great chemistry. They had costarred the year before in the musical "I'll Get By". The present film is unusual in June's film career in not being a musical: she having singing and dancing talent. I believe it's also the only film she was in that was filmed in B&W rather than Technicolor. Speaking of music, the song "Love Nest" was composed for this film, being heard during the opening credits and a little at the end.
This was the last film appearance of both Frank Fay, as Charley, and Leatrice Joy, as Eadie. Fay had been very popular on the vaudeville circuit.
This film is available as part of the 17 DVD Marilyn Premiere Collection. No doubt, if Marilyn hadn't been in the picture, it wouldn't be available as a DVD. The optional commentary is basically a film biography of the director, plus a biography and psychoanalysis of Marilyn, barely mentioning the lead actors nor anything about this film. For shame!
As an impoverished petty landlord myself, I can strongly identify with the problems of this couple. I've needed an "Uncle Charley" a few times to avoid losing the house.
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