MovieChat Forums > The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941) Discussion > A Question of Expectation

A Question of Expectation

posted 14 years ago by elf-65
3 replies | jump to latest

Like one of the reviewers, I too had heard nothing good about this film and on that basis, have avoided it for many years. However, I was really keen to see something different with my favourite actors in it and eventually decided that BOTH James Cagney and Bette Davis were just too tempting to ignore.

And what a pleasant surprise this film turned out to be! Though not a huge fan of screwball comedies, I found myself thoroughly entertained and even laughing out loud on a couple of occasions. Davis is delightful, full of fun and displaying a wonderfully light comedic touch. Cagney is simply masterful, effortlessly charming and roguish.

Storywise, it's silly and fluffy and inconsequential, but good-hearted and engaging.

Best scene: in the mine, with the smell of pickled gherkin! Davis's seriousness against Cagney's digestive secrecy is hilarious.

Oh, and Harry Davenport is magic, too.

[–] FranLovesBetteD 11 years ago

"Mustard!!!"

LOL, I loved that scene, too.

I think this is a very underrated comedy, since most people are prejudiced even before watching it because of the fact neither Bette nor Cagney were comediants, so the're not supossed to be funny. How silly. I love the picture from the beginning to the end. Of course the fact that it was my very first Bette Davis movie ever has to do a lot with it, I must admit, for which it has a very special place in my heart.

Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop

[–] hka-3 10 years ago

Well said. I admit to being one of those silly people . I only watched it because of Jack Carson and thought Davis and Cagney were absolutely wonderful.

[–] novastar_6 9 years ago

I first found this movie at our library, it was a few years ago when we still had a working VCR, see the jacket on the shelf, Bette David in furs talking on the phone, James Cagney, airplane, etc., didn't sound like anything spectacular, but we were at a period of 'get anything different because it might be good', and I LOVED it, I like THIS better than It Happened One Night.