And they say things move pretty fast in the 21st century. . . in 1939’s Made for Each Other, directed by John Cromwell, the protagonist couple marry after one short day of courtship – and they weren’t even in Las Vegas (instead, Boston).
A bizarre script structure, this David O. Selznick production takes an almost vignette-style look at marriage (the opening credits actually feature the couple signing the marriage certificate – a nice touch) – with no foreshadowing or traditional setup in the first two acts, like in life, things just arise out of nowhere. . . yet, despite this unusual format, there is still enough to catch your interest.
Centred on Jimmy Stewart and Carole Lombard (as a young lawyer and his new wife), there are no better actors to capture a newly married couple circa the end of the 1930s. Playing John and Jane Mason, John was voted most likely to succeed by his class – perhaps they did not know him well, for even though he tries to be forward and bold, his soft spoken, bumbling ways don’t help him get very far; while Jane is a strong-willed, loving housewife struggling with a live-in mother-in-law (Lucile Watson), and the day to day running of a household.
Met at every turn by a new challenge, John’s nearly deaf boss, Judge Dolittle (Charles Coburn), is the type of guy, who, upon hearing (after several repeats) of their marriage, states, “last year, there were nearly half a million divorces in this country – congratulations, Mason”, only to follow up honeymoon talk with, “I don’t approve of honeymoons – a waste of time”. . . it may not help that there were long-held rumours that John would someday marry his daughter Eunice (Ruth Weston). And, like in every office, there is the resident twerp (screenplay scribe Jo Swerling’s own word), Carter (Donald Briggs), a snooty, interfering meddler who has his head shoved so far up Dolittle’s derriere, he can taste his dinner.
Perhaps one of the most challenging problems for audiences settling into this film is its
complete lack of a focussed genre. Starting off as a romantic, screwball-leaning comedy, it then takes a turn towards a character-driven family drama – excessively so in the third act. Though we see John become more than a touch of a depressive self doubter, and we witness Jane’s ever comforting words – as well as her forceful zest for him to better himself in his position within the firm, the last portion of the picture is a touch jarring. . . yet, as mentioned above, if you can get invested in their lives, it really is an intriguing family story.
Another noteworthy mention is the cinematography (by Leon Shamroy – the original Planet of the Apes), an evolution of dark, moody lighting the farther we journey with these personas – echoing a darkness entering their lives (marital bliss slowly fading away). Like a precursor to the lighting soon to be found in the film noir genre of the 1940s, feast on the stylish fedoras, crisp shadows, barred lighting (almost as if the pair are becoming trapped in their marriage). . . even the light of a disco ball on New Year’s Eve can look glum when things are going poorly.
With a playful script, stellar performances (this film is actually a nice companion piece to It’s a Wonderful Life, as Stewart’s character’s journey is, in some ways, like a precursor to that of George Bailey’s), and a visual style that cannot be denied, Made for Each Other is a family style drama (with comedic tinges) that is rarely seen anymore. Two last things worth drawing ones’ attention to: a stunning sequence, with superb effects, that finds a man flying across the country in horrible weather to deliver medical supplies to New York City (a concept derived from Selznick himself – who had life saving serum flown in to help save his critically ill brother) – it is a visual masterpiece of film making; while Louise Beavers makes a small cameo as Lily, the cook – a sharp little performance where she provides Jane with some excellent advice (even though the watermelon analogy used could be construed as stereotypical today, it really is a beautiful scene that is so rare for movies of this era). Though this movie was a box office bomb back in the day, it has the right antidote to cure your mundane movie blues today, and, like the title suggests, perhaps you were made for each other.