''Love Nest'' is a 1951 American
comedy-drama film directed by
Joseph Newman and starring
June Haver
June Haver (born Beverly June Stovenour, June 10, 1926 – July 4, 2005) was an American film actress, singer, and dancer. Once groomed by 20th Century Fox to be "the next Betty Grable", Haver appeared in a string of musicals, but she never achie ...
,
William Lundigan
William Paul Lundigan (June 12, 1914 – December 20, 1975) was an American film actor. His more than 125 films include '' Dodge City'' (1939), ''The Fighting 69th'' (1940), ''The Sea Hawk'' (1940), ''Santa Fe Trail'' (1940), '' Dishonored Lady ...
,
Frank Fay, and
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
.
The post-
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
comedy features an early supporting role for Monroe. It is one of the few films future ''
Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 2010� ...
'' host
Jack Paar made prior to his television career, and the last film appearance by Fay, who had been a popular stage comedian in the 1920s and revived his career starring in the long-running Broadway comedy ''
Harvey
Harvey, Harveys or Harvey's may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Harvey'' (play), a 1944 play by Mary Chase about a man befriended by an invisible anthropomorphic rabbit
* Harvey Awards ("Harveys"), one of the most important awards ...
''. It was also the last appearance by silent star
Leatrice Joy
Leatrice Joy (born Leatrice Johanna Zeidler; November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985) was an American actress most prolific during the silent film era.
Early life
Joy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to dentist Edward Joseph Zeidler, who was o ...
.
The film borrows its name from the song "Love Nest" with music by
Louis Hirsch
Louis Achille Hirsch, also known as Louis A. Hirsch and Lou Hirsch (November 28, 1887 – May 13, 1924), was an American composer of songs and musicals in the early 20th century.
Life and career
Hirsch was born in New York City. In his senior ...
and lyrics by
Otto A. Harbach. The song is sung by a chorus over the opening credits and was used as a theme song for ''
The Burns and Allen Show'' on both radio and TV.
Plot
When serviceman and author Jim Scott (
William Lundigan
William Paul Lundigan (June 12, 1914 – December 20, 1975) was an American film actor. His more than 125 films include '' Dodge City'' (1939), ''The Fighting 69th'' (1940), ''The Sea Hawk'' (1940), ''Santa Fe Trail'' (1940), '' Dishonored Lady ...
) returns from Paris to his hometown,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, he is flabbergasted to discover that his well-meaning but unrealistic wife Connie (
June Haver
June Haver (born Beverly June Stovenour, June 10, 1926 – July 4, 2005) was an American film actress, singer, and dancer. Once groomed by 20th Century Fox to be "the next Betty Grable", Haver appeared in a string of musicals, but she never achie ...
) has invested his wages in a run-down apartment building. Despite Connie's hopes that being a landlord will give Jim time to write a novel, Jim realizes that the building will require much work and will barely give them enough income.
Meanwhile, smooth-talking Charley Patterson (
Frank Fay), a confidence man who romances and swindles wealthy widows, meets his neighbor in the building, gentle widow Eadie Gaynor (
Leatrice Joy
Leatrice Joy (born Leatrice Johanna Zeidler; November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985) was an American actress most prolific during the silent film era.
Early life
Joy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to dentist Edward Joseph Zeidler, who was o ...
), and becomes enamoured of her even though she is poor. Then, Jim persuades Connie to rent the vacant apartment to his old Army buddy Bobbie. When Bobbie arrives, Connie is shocked to see that she is a stunning former
WAC named Roberta Stevens (
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
).
An
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
agent visits and asks the Scotts what they know about Mr. Patterson, implying that he is under investigation. Later, an inspector from the Department of Housing and Building informs the Scotts that the exposed wiring in their building is a serious code violation, and that if it is not fixed within fifteen days, the building will be condemned. That night, Charley and Eadie announce their engagement, worrying Connie. Charley and Eadie leave the next day to be married, after which Jim learns that it will be so expensive to fix the wiring that he must sell the building.
Jim and Connie have received no offers by the time Charley and Eadie return, and Charley lends Jim the $800 needed for the repairs. Jim still wants to sell, however, as he is convinced that the building will drive them deeper into debt. Connie and Jim argue about the building and Bobbie, of whom Connie is still jealous, and Jim storms out of their apartment to sleep in a hammock in the back yard. Jim ends up sleeping in Bobbie's empty apartment, as he knows that she is away on a modeling assignment, but the next morning, Bobbie returns home, and Connie mistakenly assumes that she and Jim have spent the night together. Connie's anger is deflected by a newspaper story concerning Mrs. Frazier, a woman she and Jim saw in a nightclub with Charley, who has been cheated by an "elderly Casanova" named Charley Price. Charley assures them that he truly loves Eadie and has now retired. Charley decides to leave and send for Eadie later, but the police arrive before he can escape. As he is being taken away, Charley reassures Eadie that she is the only woman he has ever loved.
Charley, who insists on paying for his crimes by pleading guilty, arranges for Jim to get arrested for receiving the $800 from him, as it was part of the money he took from Mrs. Frazier. Jim is infuriated when he is thrown in a cell with Charley, but the older man explains that he needed time to tell Jim his life story so that he can write a book about him. Jim is released the next day and writes Charley's book, which becomes a best-seller.
After eighteen months, Charley is released from prison and reunites with Eadie. Later, Jim and Connie, who have beautified the apartment building with Jim's royalties, watch with amusement as Eadie and Charley take their newly born twin daughters for a walk.
Cast
*
June Haver
June Haver (born Beverly June Stovenour, June 10, 1926 – July 4, 2005) was an American film actress, singer, and dancer. Once groomed by 20th Century Fox to be "the next Betty Grable", Haver appeared in a string of musicals, but she never achie ...
as Connie Scott
*
William Lundigan
William Paul Lundigan (June 12, 1914 – December 20, 1975) was an American film actor. His more than 125 films include '' Dodge City'' (1939), ''The Fighting 69th'' (1940), ''The Sea Hawk'' (1940), ''Santa Fe Trail'' (1940), '' Dishonored Lady ...
as Jim Scott
*
Frank Fay as Charley Patterson
*
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
as Roberta Stevens
*
Jack Paar as Ed Forbes
*
Leatrice Joy
Leatrice Joy (born Leatrice Johanna Zeidler; November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985) was an American actress most prolific during the silent film era.
Early life
Joy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to dentist Edward Joseph Zeidler, who was o ...
as Eadie Gaynor
*
Henry Kulky as George Thompson
Critical response
''
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), ...
'' said:
:There are only a few fresh lines and situations in the script, and they are not enough to add any punch to a rather "dated" theme, no matter how hard the cast toppers try to keep the laughs going. ...
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
is tossed in to cause jealousy between the landlords... The
Jules Buck production supervision is adequate for physical polish, but short on story and script guidance.
''
Film Daily'' said:
:Lightly skipping about in its treatment of G.I.'s postwar investment, engineered by his wife while he was overseas, in a rundown house in the
Gramercy Park section of
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, ''Love Nest'' is a mild variety of comedy which gets a considerable boost from the expert talents—in that line—of
Frank Fay. Rarely seen, he registers here as a smoothie, glib and ultra sophisticated, handy with the correct word on the correct occasion.
Leatrice Joy
Leatrice Joy (born Leatrice Johanna Zeidler; November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985) was an American actress most prolific during the silent film era.
Early life
Joy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to dentist Edward Joseph Zeidler, who was o ...
is also present in this number. She gives mature warmth to the proceedings.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
has that other quality, while
William Lundigan
William Paul Lundigan (June 12, 1914 – December 20, 1975) was an American film actor. His more than 125 films include '' Dodge City'' (1939), ''The Fighting 69th'' (1940), ''The Sea Hawk'' (1940), ''Santa Fe Trail'' (1940), '' Dishonored Lady ...
, an author, and
June Haver
June Haver (born Beverly June Stovenour, June 10, 1926 – July 4, 2005) was an American film actress, singer, and dancer. Once groomed by 20th Century Fox to be "the next Betty Grable", Haver appeared in a string of musicals, but she never achie ...
play at being married and troubled with their creaky domicile.
References
External links
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Theatrical release poster
{{Joseph M. Newman
1951 films
1951 comedy-drama films
20th Century Fox films
American black-and-white films
American comedy-drama films
1950s English-language films
Films based on American novels
Films directed by Joseph M. Newman
Films scored by Cyril J. Mockridge
Films set in New York City
Films with screenplays by I. A. L. Diamond
1950s American films