Joy of Living *** (1938, Irene Dunne, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Lucille Ball, Eric Blore, Jean Dixon) – Classic Movie Review 12,684

RKO’s attractive 1938 American musical comedy film Joy of Living is inconsequential but always vivacious and full of high spirits. And it has the cast it needs to make it work: Irene Dunne, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee and Lucille Ball.

Director Tay Garnett’s attractive 1938 American musical comedy film Joy of Living is inconsequential but always vivacious and full of high spirits – just what it needs to make it work. And it has the cast it needs to make it work: Irene Dunne, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Jean Dixon, Eric Blore and Lucille Ball.

A handsome, happy-go-lucky, carefree, globetrotting charmer, Boston ship-owner Dannie Brewster (Douglas Fairbanks Jr), woos ambitious radio and Broadway singing star Margaret Garret (Irene Dunne) by liberating her from her introversion, tax worries, adoring fans and, especially, her crazily greedy family.

Irene Dunne in Back Street.

She may be the toast of Broadway, but she’s having no fun at all, and he decides to save her from her success, whether she wants to be saved or not in this joyous musical screwball romantic comedy, with lovely Jerome Kern tunes, sprightly star performances (Irene Dunne, Douglas Fairbanks Jr) and wacky comedy turns (Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Lucille Ball, Eric Blore).

Dunne sings songs like ‘What’s Good About Goodnight’ with great gusto. It also features the hit song ‘You Couldn’t Be Cuter’, written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.

Everybody looks almost unrecognisably young. Garnett moves his cameras about energetically and imaginatively, with big close-ups alternating with unusually arranged group set-ups and lively tracking shots.

Joy of Living is directed by Tay Garnett, runs 90 minutes, is made and released by RKO Radio Pictures, is written by Gene Towne, Allan Scott and C Graham Baker, is shot in black and white by Joseph Walker, is produced by Felix Young, and is scored by Frank Tours, with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Dorothy Fields.

It was released on May 6, 1938.

The cast are Irene Dunne as Maggie Garret, Douglas Fairbanks Jr as Dan Brewster, Alice Brady as Minerva Garret, Guy Kibbee as Dennis Garret, Lucille Ball as Maggie’s sister Salina Pine, Frank Milan as Salina’s husband Bert Pine, Dorothy Steiner (twin sister of Estelle Steiner) as twin sister Dotsy Pine, Estelle Steiner (twin sister of Dorothy Steiner) as twin sister Betsy Pine, Jean Dixon as Harrison, Eric Blore as Potter, Warren Hymer as Mike, Billy Gilbert as Cafe Owner, Phyllis Kennedy as Marie, Franklin Pangborn as Orchestra Leader, James Burke as Mac, John Qualen as Oswego, George Chandler as Taxi Cab Driver, Spencer Charters, George Chandler, Grady Sutton, Charles Lane, Pat Flaherty, Hatty Woods, Bert Roach, Charles Williams, Fuzzy Knight, Frank Moran, and Dennis O’Keefe.

There was no joy for RKO Radio Pictures. On a budget of $1,086,000, the box office was $1,337,000, and RKO recorded a loss of $314,000 on the film.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,684

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