''Julia Misbehaves'' is a 1948 American

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film starring

Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was an English-American actress and singer. She was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who became popular during the Second World War for her portrayal of strong women on the hom ...

and

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. He earned two Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his roles in ''Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) and ''Madame Curie'' (1943). Pidgeon also starred in ...

as a married couple who are separated by the man's snobbish family. They meet again many years later, when the daughter whom the man has raised, played by

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

, invites her mother to her wedding. The film also features

Peter Lawford Peter Sydney Ernest Lawford ( Aylen; 7 September 1923 – 24 December 1984) was an English-American actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 26 December 1984. He was a member of the " Rat Pack" and the brother-in-law of US president John F. Kennedy and sen ...

and

Cesar Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in c ...

. This adaptation of

Margery Sharp Clara Margery Melita Sharp (25 January 1905 – 14 March 1991) was an English writer of 25 novels for adults, 14 children's novels, four plays, two mysteries, and numerous short stories. Her best-known work is ''The Rescuers'' series about a h ...

's 1937 novel '' The Nutmeg Tree'', which was also the basis of the 1940 Broadway play ''Lady in Waiting'', was director Jack Conway's final film.

Plot

In 1936 London, mature showgirl Julia Packett leads a precarious life. She pretends to be contemplating

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

in order to finagle some money out of a male friend in order to pay her bills. Then she receives a wedding invitation from her daughter Susan. As a young woman, Julia had married wealthy William Packett. However, after 14 months of marriage, his disapproving mother broke them up. Julia returned to show business but left her infant daughter with William so that the child could be raised in a safe environment. On the boat trip to France, Julia meets and falls for muscular acrobat Fred Ghenoccio, and when in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, she performs with his troupe with great success. Later, Fred proposes to her as her train pulls away from the station. Julia reaches her destination penniless, so following her usual methods, she convinces a stranger, Colonel Willowbrook, to give her money, supposedly for an evening gown and other clothing. However, she sneaks away before Willowbrook tries to become better acquainted with her. Her mother-in-law is less than pleased to see her, but Julia manages to see Susan, who insists that Julia stay. As time goes by, William's love for Julia resurfaces. Julia observes that Susan has strong feelings for lovestruck painter Ritchie Lorgan, though he is not her fiancé. Though Susan claims to be merely annoyed, Julia sees that Susan loves Ritchie and successfully brings the two together. Julia remains skeptical of William's newfound love, unable to forget the past. Complications arise when Fred shows up to claim her. However, when William encounters his old friend Colonel Willowbrook, he learns of Julia's affair with Fred. William persuades Willowbrook to pretend to not know him and to interrupt their breakfast. The revelation of Julia's questionable method of raising funds sends Fred packing. Eventually, Susan takes Julia's suggestion and elopes with Ritchie. When William chases after them, followed by Julia, they discover that they have been tricked into going to the wrong place. Following Susan's instructions, servants drive away their cars, leaving them stranded for 48 hours in their isolated honeymoon cabin. Julia tries to walk away in a rainstorm, but ends up in the mud. When William comes to her rescue, he ends up sprawled in the muck as well, leaving them both laughing at their predicament.

Cast

as Julia Packett *

as William Sylvester Packett *

as Ritchie Lorgan *

as Susan Packett *

as Fred Ghenoccio *

Lucile Watson Lucile Watson (May 27, 1879 – June 24, 1962) was a Canadian actress, long based in the United States. She was "famous for her roles of formidable dowagers." Early years Watson was born in Quebec and raised in Ottawa, the daughter of an off ...

as Mrs. Packett *

Nigel Bruce William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 October 1953) was a British character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in a series of films and in the radio series ''The New Adventures of Sherlock H ...

as Colonel Bruce "Bunny" Willowbrook *

Mary Boland Mary Boland (born Marie Anne Boland; January 28, 1882 – June 23, 1965) was an American stage and film actress. Early years Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boland was the daughter of repertory actor William Augustus Boland, and his wife M ...

as Ma Gheneccio *

Reginald Owen John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs. Career The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...

as Benjamin Hawkins, Julia's friend *

Henry Stephenson Henry Stephenson (born Harry Stephenson Garraway; 16 April 1871 – 24 April 1956) was a British actor. He portrayed friendly and wise gentlemen in many films of the 1930s and 1940s. Among his roles were Sir Joseph Banks in ''Mutiny on the Bo ...

as Lord Pennystone, Susan's future father-in-law *

Aubrey Mather Aubrey Mather (17 December 1885 – 16 January 1958) was an English character actor. Career Mather was born in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, and began his career on the stage in 1905. He debuted in London in '' Brewster's Millions'' in ...

as the Vicar *

Ian Wolfe Ian Marcus Wolfe (November 4, 1896 – January 23, 1992) was an American character actor with around 400 film and television credits. Until 1934, he worked in the theatre. That year, he appeared in his first film role and later television, as ...

as Hobson, the butler *

Fritz Feld Fritz Feld (October 15, 1900 – November 18, 1993) was a German-American film character actor who appeared in over 140 films in 72 years, both silent and sound. His trademark was to slap his mouth with the palm of his hand to create a "pop" s ...

as Pepito * Phyllis Morris as Daisy *

Veda Ann Borg Veda Ann Borg (January 11, 1915 – August 16, 1973) was an American film and television actress. Early years Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Gottfried Borg, a Swedish immigrant, and Minna Noble, Borg became a model in 1936 before winni ...

as Louise * Harry Allen as bill collector (uncredited) *

Edmund Breon Edmund Breon (born Iver Edmund de Breon MacLaverty; 12 December 1882 – 24 June 1953) was a Scottish film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1907 and 1952. Life and career Born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Br ...

as Jaime (uncredited) Cast notes *Elizabeth Taylor turned 16 during the filming of ''Julia Misbehaves'' and also received her first onscreen kiss, from Peter Lawford. Taylor had a crush on Lawford and pursued him, but he had been warned that she was off-limits and told her that there was no chance of a romance between them. Taylor stayed in bed for days until a visit from Lawford smoothed things out, and they remained friends.LoBianco, Lorraine
"Julia Misbehaves"
on

TCM.com Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasti ...

*During filming, Lawford introduced Greer Garson to E. E. "Buddy" Fogelson, an oil and cattle millionaire from Texas, whom she married the next year. *''Julia Misbehaves'' was the fourth of six films in which Walter Pidgeon and Greer Garson co-starred.

Production

''Julia Misbehaves'' began with the working titles ''The Nutmeg Tree'' (the title of the 1937 novel by

upon which the film was based) and ''Speak to Me of Love''. The screenplay was originally to have been written by James Hilton and would have starred

Gracie Fields Dame Gracie Fields (born Grace Stansfield; 9 January 189827 September 1979) was an English actress, singer, comedian and star of cinema and music hall who was one of the top ten film stars in Britain during the 1930s and was considered the h ...

. Announced in April 1941, it was postponed later in the year because Fields was unavailable."Notes"
on

In 1946, the project was revived, with Greer Garson in the lead role and with Everett Riskin as the producer, replacing

Dore Schary Isadore "Dore" Schary (August 31, 1905 – July 7, 1980) was an American playwright, director, and producer for the stage and a prolific screenwriter and producer of motion pictures. He directed just one feature film, '' Act One'', the film bio ...

, who had replaced Sidney Franklin.

Box office

The film earned $2,948,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $1,549,000 overseas, resulting in a profit of $298,000."Top Grossers of 1948", ''Variety'' 5 January 1949 p 46
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Critical reception

A ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' review commented that Garson was "out of her element" in the film, although a ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' reviewer said that she "...acquits herself like a lady out to prove she can be hoydenish when necessary. She proves it and audiences will like the new Garson."

References

Notes

External links

* * * * {{Jack Conway, state=collapsed 1948 films 1948 romantic comedy films American black-and-white films American romantic comedy films Films scored by Adolph Deutsch Films based on British novels Films based on works by Margery Sharp Films based on romance novels Films directed by Jack Conway Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films with screenplays by William Ludwig Films set in London 1940s English-language films 1940s American films