Genre: Comedy, Drama Directed By: Robert Z. Leonard Written By: David Hertz, Lenore J. Coffee In Theaters: 23 Aug. 1944 Runtime: 116 minutes Studio: MGM Budget: $1,508,000 Box office: $2,649,000 | Cast: Lana Turner: Theo Scofield West James Craig: Miles Lancing John Hodiak: Lt. Tom Cochrane West Frances Gifford: Sissy Mortimer Hugh Marlowe: Joseph I. Murdock Natalie Schafer: Mrs. Irene Selworth Keenan Wynn: Major Bob Wilton Herbert Rudley: Ted Mortimer Paul Cavanagh: Mr. Selworth Morris Ankrum: Mr. Ed Scofield Jane Green: Martha Tom Drake: Bill Rice Shirley Patterson: Mary Saunders Neal Dodd: Minister Nana Bryant: Nurse Cecilia Callejo: Señora Guizman Virginia Brissac: Mrs. Courtland West Byron Foulger: Ned Bolton Addison Richards: Colonel Ryder Gino Corrado: Wedding Party Guest Alexander D’Arcy: Mr. Garby |
“Marriage is a Private Affair” is a 1944 war-comedy film.
Theo (Lana Turner) has had many boyfriends who wanted to marry her. Her mother, Mrs. Selworth, has been married many times, which causes Theo to fear commitment.
Without much thought, Theo accepts a proposal of marriage from Tom West, an Air Corps lieutenant. After the honeymoon, Tom’s father dies and Tom accepts a job in the defense industry.
When Theo has a baby, she hates the idea of being matronly and wants to return to being a party girl.
However, Tom is working constantly and Theo turns to her friends who are having their own problems, including her old flame, Captain Lancing.
To decide what she wants to do with her baby and her life, Theo must learn to grow up.
Lana Turner plays Theo Scofield West.
This was the film that brought Lana back to the screen after an eighteen-month absence during which time she gave birth to her daughter Cheryl. Accordingly Metro made up for her absence in a big way – not only was she on screen virtually all of the film’s 116 minutes, but it was the first picture to give her solo star billing. As further bonuses, it permitted her to wear a succession of dazzling Irene gowns, sport an equal amount of Sydney Guilaroff hair styles, and receive the most loving photographic attention of her career to date.
As icing on the cake, they filmed a special prologue that shows Lana greeting the GI audience from the screen with a typically wartime “chin-up” message: “Well … here we are, having a world première of our picture for the armed forces overseas. And if you think that isn’t pretty important, boys, you’ve got another think coming. But … seriously … you should see all the pictures, and you should see them first because … well, because you’re you. Because you’re first in our hearts, our hopes and our thoughts. Thanks for coming to the show. I hope you like it. So long and good luck.”
Trailer:
You can watch the film here.
Lana Turner did a lot of movies. She really loved being a moviestar.
Here are the most important films in which she starred. Just click the links for more info, photos and videos.
20 April 1937: A Star Is Born
9 Oct. 1937: They Won’t Forget
24 Oct. 1937: The Great Garrick
1 Jan. 1938: The Adventures of Marco Polo
22 July 1938: Love Finds Andy Hardy
12 Aug. 1938: Rich Man, Poor Girl
9 Dec. 1938: Dramatic School
28 April 1939: Calling Dr. Kildare
18 Aug. 1939: These Glamour Girls
29 Sept. 1939: Dancing Co-Ed
19 April 1940: Two Girls on Broadway
19 July 1940: We Who Are Young
25 April 1941: Ziegfeld Girl
12 Aug. 1941: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
2 Oct. 1941: Honky Tonk
18 Febr. 1942: Johnny Eager
27 Aug. 1942: Somewhere I’ll Find You
1 April 1943: Slightly Dangerous
19 Aug. 1943: Du Barry Was A Lady
13 Nov. 1943: The Youngest Profession
23 Aug. 1944: Marriage Is a Private Affair
8 March 1945: Keep Your Powder Dry
1 Oct. 1945: Week-End At The Waldorf
2 May 1946: The Postman Always Rings Twice
5 Nov. 1947 : Green Dolphin Street
1 Nov. 1947: Cass Timberlane
29 April 1948: Homecoming
20 Oct. 1948: The Three Musketeers
1 Sept. 1950: A Life Of Her Own
2 March 1951: Mr. Imperium
5 Sept. 1952: The Merry Widow
25 Dec. 1952: The Bad And The Beautiful
25 Aug. 1953: Latin Lovers
1 May 1954: Flame And The Flesh
7 Sept. 1954: Betrayed
13 May 1955: The Prodigal
4 June 1955: Sea Chase
14 Dec. 1955: The Rains Of Ranchipur
12 Jan. 1956: Diane
13 Dec. 1957: Peyton Place
30 Jan. 1958: The Lady Takes A Flyer
2 May 1958: Another Time, Another Place
30 April 1959: Imitation Of Life
23 June 1960: Portrait In Black
19 July 1961: By Love Possessed
2 Nov. 1961: Bachelor In Paradise
25 Dec. 1962: Who’s Got The Action?
24 Febr. 1965: Love Has Many Faces
27 April 1966: Madame X
30 April 1969: The Big Cube
7 Nov. 1974: Persecution
27 Oct. 1976: Bittersweet Love
31 Oct. 1980: Witches Brew
21 May 1982: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
Sources: Wikipedia, IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Lana’s biography “Lana, the Lady, The Legend, The Truth“, “The Films Of Lana Turner” by Lou Valentino and “Lana Turner, The Memories, The Myths and The Movies” by Cheryl Crane.