"Darling, How Could You" is a good comedy and family film. Joan Fontaine and John Lund have the leads as Alice and Dr. Robert Grey. The time is 1906 and the place is New York City. The Greys have just returned home after spending several years in Panama. Grey served as a doctor for the crews building the Panama Canal, and his wife had joined him and helped with his work and the social life of the people there. They haven't seen their children all this time, and daughter, Amy, and son, Cosmo, have grown. She is now a young teen and he a young boy of 8 or 9 who doesn't remember his parents. On top of that, they have a baby sister, Molly, who was born to the Greys in Panama and who was sent back home with a nurse to be cared for.
On the day the Greys are to arrive at home, the housekeeper, Fanny (played by Virginia Farmer) has sent the children to the theater to see the stage performance of "Peter Pan." But, she got her theaters mixed up, and instead the children sit in box seats and watch an adult drama about a love triangle. It involves a married man, his wife, and another man; and the married couple's daughter who intercedes to try to save her parent's marriage. Amy and Cosmo return home to meet their parents, and after the Greys have some humorous incidents while trying to reconnect with their children, they plan an evening to meet a friend of theirs, Dr. Steve Clark. But, when Amy hears her mother talking to Steve on the phone, she thinks the very thing she and Cosmo had seen at the theater was taking place with her mother and another man.
From there on, the film revolves around this and Amy's efforts to intercede to save her parent's marriage. She goes to Steve's boarding house disguised as a mysterious woman, and much humor plays out from there on. Mona Freeman is hilarious as Amy, and David Stollery plays Cosmo. This is a good comedy and family film set in the early 20th century. People of all ages should still enjoy it, especially for the sharp and intelligent dialog of the children and antics and hot spots Amy gets into. It may seem slow for modern youth, but it would be good for those who spend hours with heads in smart phones to come up for air and watch an amusing film about real people.
The film is based on a 1905 drama play by James Barrie, "Alice Sit-by-the-Fire." It was a modest success with Ethel and John Barrymore in key roles.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Dr. Robert Grey, "Don't you have any schoolgirl secrets?" Alice Grey, "Schoolgirl?" Dr. Grey, "Certainly. Remember yourself at her age. Didn't you think you knew more than your mother?" Alice Grey, "That was different - I did."
Cosmo, "Bully for you, mom. Strikin' down there with nothing to eat but monkeys and snakes and, and bananas."
Amy, "She kissed him." Cosmo, "Aw, she wants to kiss everybody."
Cosmo, "What's a rendezvous?" Amy, "Well, it's French for when they're maddened by love." Cosmo "They don't look very maddened."
Cosmo, to Amy who is all dolled up, "Gee, you look old. Not beautiful, but old."
