IMDb RATING
7.6/10
7.8K
YOUR RATING
During the World War II housing shortage in Washington, two men and a woman share a single apartment and the older man plays Cupid to the other two.During the World War II housing shortage in Washington, two men and a woman share a single apartment and the older man plays Cupid to the other two.During the World War II housing shortage in Washington, two men and a woman share a single apartment and the older man plays Cupid to the other two.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Donald Douglas
- FBI Agent Harding
- (as Don Douglas)
David Alison
- Man in Alley
- (uncredited)
Sam Ash
- Committee Member
- (uncredited)
Don Barclay
- Drunk
- (uncredited)
Brandon Beach
- Shaving Gag
- (uncredited)
Betzi Beaton
- Miss Finch
- (uncredited)
Hank Bell
- Singing Man on Apartment Stairway
- (uncredited)
Edward Biby
- Committee Member
- (uncredited)
Gladys Blake
- Barmaid
- (uncredited)
Lulu Mae Bohrman
- Secretary
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFeatures Jean Arthur's only Oscar-nominated performance.
- GoofsAfter Joe gives Connie the travel bag and prepares to leave, she asks if he is going back to California. He replies, "No, Africa." The audio has been dubbed, as he clearly is not saying "Africa". He apparently is saying "Japan".
- Quotes
Connie Milligan: You've been shushing me for 22 months now. You've shushed your last shush!
- ConnectionsFeatured in George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey (1984)
- SoundtracksThe Torpedo Song
(1943)
(Published as "Damn the Torpedos - Full Speed Ahead")
Music by Jay Gorney
Lyrics by Henry Myers and Edward Eliscu
Recited often by Charles Coburn (uncredited)
Sung by Coburn and other members of the Committee at the end
Featured review
Easily the best film that I've ever seen from George Stevens (and I really like several of his other films). Jean Arthur stars as a woman renting out half of her apartment because of a housing shortage in Washington D.C. Charles Coburn, who is in Washington to help solve the crisis, weasles his way into the apartment even though Arthur didn't want a male roommate. The morning after, Joel McCrea arrives with yesterday's newspaper, not knowing that the vacancy exists no more. No matter, though. Coburn rents half of his half of the apartment to McCrea, unbeknownst to Arthur. God knows this premise could have made one hell of a sitcom, but it also makes a damn funny movie. There isn't an unfunny scene in the entire film, and several scenes vie for the title of Best Romantic Comedy of all times with Preston Sturges' contemporaneous films. The three performers are remarkable. They have great chemistry as a comic trio, and McCrea and Arthur throw sparks off the screen with their surprisingly erotic romance. I failed to mention that Arthur is engaged to an older man, adding to the dilemma. Richard Gaines is also excellent as that fiancé. I love the way his mouth moves. Grady Sutton has a very funny cameo near the end of the film as a waiter. Stevens' direction is exceptional. It's shocking how believably he pulls off the scene in which McCrea and Arthur wander around the apartment without bumping into each other. This is reminiscent of a famous scene from Buster Keaton's The Navigator, and it's even funnier. Or that intimate scene where McCrea gives a carrying case to Jean Arthur. Their acting is so subtly romantic in that scene. I love the way Stevens films it. 10/10.
- How long is The More the Merrier?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Merry-Go-Round
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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