''So Goes My Love'' (released as ''A Genius in the Family'' in the UK) is an American 1946 comedy-drama film, produced by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

. It is based on a true story, ''A Genius in the Family'', the

memoir A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based in the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobiog ...

Hiram Percy Maxim Hiram Percy Maxim (September 2, 1869 – February 17, 1936) was an American radio pioneer and inventor, and co-founder (with Clarence D. Tuska) of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). Hiram Percy Maxim is credited with inventing and sellin ...

, which focuses on the relationship between Maxim and his father,

Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (5 February 1840 – 24 November 1916) was an American-British inventor best known as the creator of the first automatic machine gun, the Maxim gun. Maxim held patents on numerous mechanical devices such as hair-curli ...

. The film was Myrna Loy's first starring role as a freelance artist following her departure from M-G-M.

Plot

Farmer's daughter Jane Budden (

Myrna Loy Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. Trained as a dancer, Loy devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. ...

) sells her entire pig herd and moves to

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

to find a husband. On the way to the home of her cousin, Garnet Allison (

Molly Lamont Molly Lamont (22 May 1910 – 7 July 2001) was a South African-British film actress. Life and career Lamont was born in Boksburg, Transvaal, South Africa. After winning a beauty contest in South Africa she was offered a contract by Britis ...

), Jane runs into Hiram Maxim (

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, stock, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which ...

), an eccentric inventor who is her cousin's neighbor. Jane scandalizes local society by saying she will not marry for love; she merely wants a rich husband who can give her the life of ease and culture she has long dreamed of. Amused by Jane's announcement, Hiram visits Jane and tells her she can forget about marrying him. Jane is attracted to Hiram, but angered at his effrontery. She is amused when one of Hiram's inventions turns out badly and Hiram is publicly humiliated. Jane goes to a dance, where Hiram makes negative comments on each of her suitors, especially rich real estate developer and attorney Josephus Ford (

Richard Gaines Richard Houston Gaines (July 23, 1904 – July 20, 1975) was an American actor. He appeared in over 75 film and television productions between 1940 and 1962. Early years Gaines was born in Indian Territory and grew up in Texas, learning "to h ...

). Jane agrees to marry Josephus. Hiram gate crashes Jane's engagement party, where Jane is dismayed to learn that Josephus wants her to sign a

prenuptial agreement A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement (commonly referred to as a prenup), is a written contract entered into by a couple prior to marriage or a civil union that enables them to select and control many of the leg ...

and believes Jane should be frugal, silent, and matronly. When Jane learns that Josephus has just invested in a pork-packing plant, she breaks her engagement, rushes to Hiram's home, and proposes to him herself. Hiram and Jane marry. Even though Hiram's inventions are only marginally profitable, the couple is happy. Jane gives birth to a son, Percy (

Bobby Driscoll Robert Cletus Driscoll (March 3, 1937 – March 30, 1968) was an American actor known for his film and television performances from 1943 to 1960. He starred in some of the Walt Disney Studios' best-known live-action pictures of that period ...

), whom Hiram raises in an unusual, freestyle manner to encourage his creativity and confidence. With Jane's constant encouragement, Hiram finally begins inventing things which meet practical needs and bring in a sizable income. A local organization decides to honor Hiram for his inventions by asking him to sit for a portrait. Hiram refuses. Jane, pregnant with a second child, hires the eccentric artist Magel ( Rhys Williams) to paint the portrait anyway. Shortly thereafter, Percy tries to be amusing by adorning his dog Skipper with a baby bonnet, which Jane had received as a gift for the expected new arrival. When Percy and his mother chase the dog to retrieve the bonnet, Jane moves a piece of furniture and jeopardizes her pregnancy. Her physician fears she may lose the baby and her life, and Percy feels extremely guilty, thinking he has caused his mother to nearly die. Jane does recover and gives birth to a healthy son. An ecstatic Hiram has the entire family sit for Magel and a portrait.

Cast

as Jane Budden Maxim *

as Hiram Stephens Maxim * Rhys Williams as Magel *

as Percy Maxim *

as Mr. Josephus Ford *

as Cousin Garnet Allison * Sarah Padden as Bridget *

Renie Riano Renie Isabel Riano (August 7, 1899 – July 3, 1971) was an English-born American actress who, with the exception of the Jiggs and Maggie comedies, had minor roles in 1940s and 1950s films. She was sometimes credited as Reine Riano, Renee R ...

as Emily *

Clara Blandick Clara Blandick (born Clara Blanchard Dickey; June 4, 1876 – April 15, 1962) was an American character, film, stage and theater actress. She played Aunt Em in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939). As a character actress, sh ...

as Mrs. Meade *

Howard Freeman Howard Freeman (December 9, 1899 – December 11, 1967) was an American actor of the early 20th century, and film and television actor of the 1940s through the 1960s. Biography Freeman was born in Helena, Montana, and began working as ...

as Willis *

John Gallaudet John Beury Gallaudet (August 23, 1903 – November 5, 1983) was an American film and television actor. Career Gallaudet was born in Philadelphia and attended Williams College. His Broadway credits included ''Good Men and True'' (1935), ''Lost ...

as Theodore Allison * Pierre Watkin as Committee Man (uncredited)

Production notes

The music in the film was composed by Hans J. Salter. The

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

backlot was used for the wagon ride scene. The house facades used in the film were built on Universal's Stage 12. In 1950, two of these facades were moved from Stage 12 to Universal's new backlot set, named Colonial Street. The "Maxim House" was later used for the television series ''

The Munsters ''The Munsters'' is an American sitcom depicting the home life of a family of benign monsters. The series starred Fred Gwynne as Frankenstein's monsterEpisodes referring to the fact that Herman is Frankenstein's monster include #55, "Just Anoth ...

''. The "Maxim House" was also used in the movie ''One Desire'' (1955), while the "Allison House" was used in the movie ''Harvey'' (1950). The "Harvey House" was also used for the film '' The Ghost and Mr. Chicken'' (1966). Colonial Street was renamed

Wisteria Lane Wisteria Lane is the name of a fictional street at the center of U.S. television drama series '' Desperate Housewives''. ''Desperate Housewives'' storylines primarily center on the residents of the street. The set for Wisteria Lane is located insi ...

when production on the television series '' Desperate Housewives'' began: the "Harvey House" is 4349 Wisteria Lane, and the "Munster House" is 4351 Wisteria Lane.

References

External links

* * * * {{AFI film, id=24970, title=So Goes My Love
So Goes My Love Album

The Studio Tour
American comedy-drama films 1946 comedy-drama films 1946 films American black-and-white films Universal Pictures films Films scored by Hans J. Salter 1940s American films