Rent Unfaithfully Yours (1948)

Late Screwball. - Unfaithfully Yours review by Steve

Preston Sturges had been looking for a studio to produce this high concept comedy since the pre-code days, but with no takers. So it's a bit surprising when it finally got made, it had such a lavish budget with wonderful sets and music, and particularly costumes. But naturally, its wild anarchy looks back to the age of screwball.

Rex Harrison is a self absorbed, pompous orchestral conductor who has everything. Most particularly he is married to the lovely, devoted Linda Darnell who acquiesces to his every whim. So when he accidentally engages a private detective to watch her while he's away, he is devastated to discover she may be unfaithful.

His complacent life is torn apart. The core of the film is the three symphonies he leads while daydreaming about how he may respond. Including murder. Sturges says the music is intended to influence how he feels about her (presumed) infidelity. The story drifts for half an hour and then is invigorated during the fantasies.

It's a mixed success. Rex is- as usual- superb at making an egomaniac more or less sufferable. And he's funny. Darnell has little to do other than look beautiful, which she is. Rudy Vallee serves mainly as a reminder of how much better he was in The Palm Beach Story (1942). While it isn't in that class, this is the best of Sturges' later comedies.

Screwball Thriller - Unfaithfully Yours review by SY

I decided to watch this as it’s one of Quentin Tarantino’s favourite movies. It’s easy to see the influence it’s had on his work. It’s much more sophisticated than I expected. A bizarre mix of both screwball comedy and thriller. The viewer is shown multiple endings, so they never know what’s going to happen next. It’s fair to say this film surprised me and was like nothing I’ve experienced before (screwball or otherwise).

4 STARS