Let's Make It Legal (1951) Reviews

• Naughty and Nice Little Romantic Comedy With the Divine M.M.

  movieman-2002005-08-11

  "Let's Make It Legal" is the delightful little comedy about a grandmother (Claudette Colbert) who, after divorcing her husband, Hugh (Macdonald Carey) discovers that an old flame, Victor (Zachary Scott) still has the 'hots' for her and intends on turning his flame into an inferno with a vengeance. Robert Wagner costars as Colbert's devilish son-in-law. So where's Marilyn Monroe in all this? She's the sexy siren in hot pursuit of Vic's affections. But he's all ice when it comes to her charms. Go figure. It's a good thing this film wasn't included as part of Marilyn Monroe: The Diamond Collection because for all its cutsie cuddliness, this one's more cubic zirconium. TRANSFER: Lots to smile about here. The black and white picture genuinely sparkles. Blacks are solid, the gray scale is perfectly balanced and age related artifacts are, for the most part, nonexistent. Minor edge enhancement and some video noise (particularly in plaid patterns) crop up now and then but truthfully, this is a superb looking transfer. The audio has been re-channeled to two stem stereo with predictable limited range. Nevertheless the soundtrack is smooth. EXTRAS: Come on, what did you expect for a film of this limited appeal. You get some Marilyn trailers. Enjoy! BOTTOM LINE: Even if you're not a fan of Monroe (and I'd like to meet the man who isn't!) this silly little programmer is easy on the eyes and tingly all over, but especially on the heart.

• Cute movie, not enough Marilyn

  MtDewdependant2003-06-05

  This is probably one of Marilyn's least watched films. She didn't have much screen time but I thought it was a pretty cute movie. Claudette Colbert is almost unbelievable as a grandmother because she is still so beautiful. The ending is great. Too cute. 4 stars out of 5.

• Enjoyabler even if the characters were terribly written.

  MartinHafer2011-01-14

  This is a seriously flawed movie that still manages to be interesting--an odd combination to say the least. With a slight re-write, this could have been a much more enjoyable film. The film finds Claudette Colbert living in a house with her annoying daughter and son-in-law. As for Colbert's husband (Macdonald Carey), he's about to become the ex-husband--though the divorce was not his idea. Colbert is sick of Carey's gambling and he shows no sign of changing. As for the son-in-law (a very young Robert Wagner), he's sick of living with his in-law and it's all his wife's idea. The wife (Barbara Bates) is very, very lazy and likes that her mother takes care of her and the baby--and she also holds out hopes that her parents could reunite. But Wagner is against it--and would LOVE to see Colbert marry her rich old sweetheart (Zachary Scott) as they'd undoubtedly leave to live in his mansion--and Wagner and his wife could FINALLY be alone. Much of the film consists of Colbert being wooed by Scott and Carey trying to win her back. The basic story idea is good, but the execution left quite a bit to be desired. The problem was in the characters. With the possible exception of Colbert, the rest were all very, very difficult to like! The daughter (Bates) in particular was awful and very one-dimensional--and nothing like a real human being. To call her annoying is a definite understatement and I was looking for Wagner's character to rap her in the mouth (and I usually am strongly against spousal abuse...but I'll make an exception here). Wagner is a bit selfish and hard to like--plus he needed to show some backbone. As for Carey, he WAS a gambling addict and SHOULD have been divorced! Yest, by the end of the film, he hasn't changed one bit...yet he DOES win his wife back despite this! Finally, the film is predictable and hasn't got a decent payoff. By the way, in another case of deliberately dishonest marketing, Marilyn Monroe is on the DVD case and all recent advertising. However, she's barely in the film at all---and if you're not paying attention you might not even notice her!!

• Who Gave Hugh The Roses?

  bkoganbing2012-05-26

  Let's Make It Legal is an amiable lightweight comedy that gave Marilyn Monroe a featured role in her days on the rise as a legend. The stars are Claudette Colbert and MacDonald Carey who are calling the marriage quits after over 20 years. Waiting in the wings is an old beau of Claudette, Zachary Scott who lost Claudette to Carey back in the day and has gone on to become a captain of industry and awaiting a presidential appointment besides. The reason for the divorce is Carey's drinking and gambling. His only other indulgence is his garden where he's grown some prize rose bushes. Two other interested parties are their son-in-law Robert Wagner and daughter Barbara Bates who live with Claudette with their baby girl. Bates won't leave the mother alone and wants her parents back together. Wagner wants to have their own home and if she won't get back together with Carey, Wagner will push a marriage with Scott. Carey should have done more comedy in his career, he had a nice light touch and does a marvelous drunk act. Colbert is a veteran comedy performer and the part was definitely no strain on her. Still Let's Make It Legal will never be among her top fifty. And Scott is shown up to be something of a cad in the end. The nucleus of this story is how Carey won her and what he does to win her back. Fans of the main players should enjoy Let's Make It Legal and others will to.

• Loaded dice

  jotix1002012-08-19

  Miriam and Hugh Halsworth's divorce is going to be final after midnight. Hugh, an inveterate gambler, cannot kick the habit, which was one of Miriam's main objections for divorcing the man she married. The two are not bitter about their separation, in fact, they seem to be pretty decent about their split than most couples. Hugh loves to come by his former home to tend the roses he so lovingly cares for, something Miriam would like to see him stop doing. When former beau Victor McFarland, a local man, decides to pay a visit to his hometown, he goes to see Miriam. He has not gotten over the fact she married Hugh instead of him. Now, recently liberated, Miriam reacquaints herself with the man she liked twenty years before. Victor proposes and she finally accepts, but leave it to Hugh, he will not concede defeat. He is up to his former tricks to win Miriam back. A 1951 Twentieth Century Fox comedy which was shown on a classic cable channel recently. Directed by Richard Sale, the comedy with its 77 minutes running time, is fast and frothy enough because of the good pacing the director had the good sense of giving the picture. The screenplay was written by I.A.L. Diamond, a genius for the genre, and Hugh Herbert. The three stars were perfectly cast. Claudette Colbert in her late forties made an excellent Miriam, the woman who could not take anymore of her husband's gambling, but who still loved him. MacDonald Carey was in top form as Hugh, the man fighting to save his marriage. Zachary Scott, suave and debonair, shows up to get between the Halsworths. Robert Wagner and Barbara Bates are seen as the young couple living with her parents. Marilyn Monroe has a small part in the film.