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''Let's Make It Legal'' is a 1951 American
comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
made by
20th Century-Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film production and distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Com ...
, directed by Richard Sale and produced by Robert Bassler from a
screenplay A screenplay, or script, is a written work produced for a film, television show (also known as a '' teleplay''), or video game by screenwriters (cf. ''stage play''). Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of w ...
by I.A.L. Diamond and F. Hugh Herbert, based on a story by Mortimer Braus entitled "My Mother-in-Law, Miriam". The music was by Cyril J. Mockridge, and the cinematography by Lucien Ballard. The film stars
Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...
,
Macdonald Carey Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best known for his role as the patriarch Dr. Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera '' Days of Our Lives''. For almost three decades, he was the show's central cast membe ...
, Zachary Scott, Barbara Bates,
Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor. He is known for starring in the television shows ''It Takes a Thief (1968 TV series), It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch (American TV series), Switch'' (1975–1978), ...
, and
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...
.


Plot

Miriam and Hugh Halsworth are in the final stages of their divorce, which she initiated because he is an inveterate—though not unlucky—gambler. Their adult daughter, Barbara, is living in the family home with Miriam, along with Barbara's husband, Jerry Denham, and Barbara and Jerry's baby daughter, Annabelle, while Hugh is living at the Hotel Miramar in
Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, where he works as head of publicity. Jerry, who works for Hugh, would like to move out so Barbara will stop relying on her mother so much, but Barbara says she does not want to leave Miriam alone. Victor Macfarland, a self-made millionaire financier who is rumored to be under consideration to be the next American representative to the
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution funded by 191 member countries, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is regarded as the global lender of las ...
(IMF), stays at the Miramar during a rare visit home. Hugh is not happy to see Victor, as the two men were rivals for Miriam's hand in high school, and Miriam expresses no interest in seeing Victor, as she has not heard from him since he abruptly left town 20 years earlier. Much to Miriam's annoyance, Hugh still spends a lot of time at their house to care for his prized rose bushes. When he is over the last day before their divorce is finalized, he says he has quit gambling and gets Miriam to agree to go out to dinner with him, but his progress is reversed when his bookie calls to say he won a bet. Just then, Victor knocks at the door, and Miriam, frustrated by Hugh, invites Victor to stay for dinner. Hugh ends up sulking alone on the patio, while Miriam and Victor dance inside, until they have a champagne toast at midnight to the official end of Miriam and Hugh's marriage. Hugh cannot avoid Miriam and Victor's renewed courtship, as it takes place largely at the Miramar. He tries to throw a wrench in the works by introducing Victor to Joyce Mannering, but Victor hardly even looks at the attractive young beauty contest winner and model. Victor invites Miriam to come travel with him, but she reminds him that she has responsibilities as a mother and grandmother and says that maybe they should not see each other anymore. He stops her from leaving his hotel room, however, and, when she gets back home, she shows Barbara and Jerry her enormous engagement ring and announces she is getting married in three days. The day before the wedding, Victor tells Barbara that he has to go to
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, that evening for a hearing on his appointment to the IMF, and he gets her to agree to follow him the next day so they can still get married. Just before he steps on his plane, Miriam insists that he tell her why he abandoned her 20 years ago, and he finally admits that he and Hugh played
craps Craps is a dice game in which players gambling, bet on the outcomes of the roll of a pair of dice. Players can wager money against each other (playing "street craps") or against a bank ("casino craps"). Because it requires little equipment, " ...
for her, and he lost. A furious Miriam calls Hugh to tell him off. She threatens to tear out his rose bushes, and he is a bit drunk, so he goes by the house after dark to transplant the roses. He enlists Jerry to help him, and the pair end up getting arrested by some passing police officers. Jerry calls Miriam to come identify him and Hugh, and, in the morning, it is national news—complete with pictures—that Victor Macfarland's fiancée was seen leaving a police station with her ex-husband. The story proves awkward for Victor, and he calls Miriam to tell her to stay home until it blows over and he is confirmed. Their conversation becomes increasingly heated, and she ends up calling off their engagement. When Hugh comes by to pick up the last of his things, Miriam tells him that she cannot forgive him for gambling over her, as it proves he did not really love her. He says he always carries the pair of dice he used in his pocket, and asks Miriam to roll them. Confused, she complies, and discovers that they always come up three and four. Hugh says he cheated because the stakes were so high, and he and Miriam kiss.


Cast


Critical response

The ''
New York Daily Mirror The ''New York Daily Mirror'' was an American morning tabloid newspaper first published on June 24, 1924, in New York City by the William Randolph Hearst organization as a contrast to their mainstream broadsheets, the ''Evening Journal'' and '' ...
'' said of the film: : "
Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...
is a capable farceur, but she cannot make ''Let's Make It Legal'' as merry as it was hoped. While she is on the Roxy screen the comedy skips along, but when her co-stars take over the plot labors. ... It suffers from a weak script and incredible characterizations by
Macdonald Carey Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best known for his role as the patriarch Dr. Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera '' Days of Our Lives''. For almost three decades, he was the show's central cast membe ...
and Zachary Scott...
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...
parades her shapely chassis for incidental excitement. ... ''Let's Make It Legal'' is a valiant effort by Claudette Colbert, who cannot overcome the handicaps." The ''
New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...
'' stated: : "The Roxy's ''Let's Make It Legal'' is an inconsistent farce that luckily has sufficient saving graces, the predominating benefit being performances by the popular and comedy-wise co-stars, Claudette Colbert and Macdonald Carey. Their presences and a satisfactory amount of bright dialogue counteract strained farcial situations and indifferent story... Marilyn Monroe is amusing in a brief role as a beautiful shapely blonde who has her eye on Zachary Scott and his millions."


References


External links

* * * * {{rotten-tomatoes, lets_make_it_legal, Let's Make It Legal 1951 films 1951 romantic comedy films 20th Century Fox films American romantic comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Richard Sale Films based on short fiction Films scored by Cyril J. Mockridge Films with screenplays by I. A. L. Diamond Films about divorce 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language romantic comedy films