MY LIFE WITH CAROLINE
US, 1941, 81 minutes, Black and white.
Ronald Colman, Anna Lee, Gilbert Roland, Charles Winninger, Reginald Gardiner.
Directed by Lewis Milestone.
My Life With Caroline is a piece of entertaining Hollywood fluff. It is a star vehicle for Ronald Colman who shows himself in his suave style. It introduced Anna Lee, wife of director Robert Stevenson, who was more of a character actress than heroine. She appeared at this time in How Green Was My Valley but generally had supporting roles. There is entertaining support by such actors as Gilbert Roland. Direction is by Lewis Milestone, who made All Quiet on the Western Front, a number of action adventures and comedies in the '40s and '50s, and who made his mark with such war films as A Walk in the Sun, The Purple Heart, Pork Chop Hill. His final film as the Marlon Brando Mutiny on the Bounty. The film is dated and is of historical interest.
1. The style of the '40s comedy? The conventions of hero and heroine, marital mix-ups, farcical style? Routines and comic caricatures? The tradition of the screwball comedies?
2. The film as a star vehicle and Ronald Colman's attractive suave style? Black and white photography, sets, score?
3. Ronald Colman as the Hollywood hero ? the English background, manner, voice? The suave hero? His wealth? His love for Caroline? The device of his speaking to the audience? The flashback and his memories? The story of Caroline and her infatuation with Paul? His following them? Intervening? Caroline's repeating the situation? The suave rescuing of his wife? The humour of his characterisation and his comic intrusion and manipulating of events?
4. Caroline as flighty heroine? Wealth? Infatuations? Her taking on exotic types as sculptors, Argentinian stockman? Her erratic behaviour? On a real level, farcical level? Her love for her father?
5. Paul and his love for Caroline, his involvement in the intrigue, his foolish style, relationship with his manservant? and the comic touches? His being no match for Caroline's husband? The farcical aspects of the 24 hours and the elopement?
6. Gilbert Roland as the Argentinian and his debonair style? His response to Caroline? His losing her?
7. The comic fluster of Caroline's father ? his seeing the truth but unable to intervene?
8. The comedy with the manservant?
9. Themes of marriage and love and fidelity? The frothy sophisticated style ? and truth reflected in frothy comedy?
