MovieChat Forums > I Married Joan (1952) Discussion > revisiting the 50's, TV style

revisiting the 50's, TV style

posted 17 years ago by jondoe888
2 replies | jump to latest

I finally got to see an episode of this show, something I watched as a kid. Whatever I thought then, Joan is hard to watch now - and noisy! The primative recording and the background hiss made my ears ring when it was over.
But I didn't watch it for the sound, so much. It was fascinating to see the world of my childhood, at least the TV world, where women were always dressed up and in heels!!! The 50's dyamics of marriage, society were so interesting to see (I HATED the 50's! Now, it seems comfortably nostalgic), I may watch a few more.
TV Joan's acting and story lines were hard to watch, but Joan had some funny lines - quick 'zingers', like a comic on stage. She was no Lucy (or Laura Petrie. Interesting how the dynamics had changed in a decade), and I wonder how her TV career would have gone if she had looked as good?
And the show had Jim Backus!

[–] nycruise-1 17 years ago

I finally watched this after like some 40 years since my last viewing.

I could not get over how contrived the whole first episode is: abrupt storyline transitions, character lapses, etc.

That is more the fault of the writers than Joan Davis (although she presumably hired them, so I guess her assessment of who could write for her needed re-thinking).

What I could not get over was how much this show comes off as being "stuck in the 50s": Joan's upper middle class existence is rife with campy 50s decor and dress, along with the all-knowing male head-of-the-household. "I Love Lucy", in contrast, with its male hispanic lead amid a less-affluent, even struggling household, seems almost contemporary in its "look". (Also, the chorus whose vocals transition over many a scene give "Joan" an almost 50s "sci-fi" feeling!)

I always like Joan Davis in the movies, but she was not well-served in her show. I wonder what would have happened had she had better writers.

"Don't call me 'honey', mac."
"Don't call me 'mac'... HONEY!"

[–] rainingviolets 17 years ago

I regard Joan Davis as the funniest commedian ever-I Married Joan is the most
overlooked series whenever they show a perspective on the classic funny
ladies of television-she is completley disregarded--and her brilliant performances are totaly unknown to this generation. For Shame!