Easy to Wed is an enjoyable screwball comedy with Keenan Wynn, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball. It deals with romance, marriage, and a libel lawsuit …
Easy to Wed (1946) starring Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball, Keenan Wynn
Easy to Wed is a very enjoyable remake of Libeled Lady. The plot’s exactly the same: an overeager newspaper has literally libeled a wealthy woman. She’s going to sue, and drive them out of business. To prevent that, they plan to “catch” her in another compromising position, romancing a married man. So, they set that up!
But the best-laid plans of mice and men often go astray. Especially when the writer, who’s supposed to be the bait, begins falling in love with the heiress for real. And his “wife” – the editor’s beleaguered fiancée – also begins falling in love with him.
Cast of characters
- Van Johnson (Two Girls and a Sailor) … William Stevens ‘Bill’ Chandler. The writer, hired by newspaper editor Warren to get “married” to Gladys …. And then romance Connie Allenbury, so the paper can blackmail her into dropper her libel suit! But along the way, he begins to care for Gladys, and truly fall in love with Connie.
- Esther Williams (Neptune’s Daughter) … Connie Allenbury Chandler. The rich socialite. She’s rightfully suing the newspaper for libel. She’s not attracted to Bill …. at first.
- Lucille Ball (The Long, Long Trailer; I Love Lucy) … Gladys Benton. Warren’s suffering fiancé whom he’s left at the altar multiple times, when an emergency’s come up at work. She’s divorced, which becomes an important plot point later. Thanks to Warren’s duplicity, she’s actually married to Bill, although they both intend to “divorce” when the charade’s over. Bill treats her well, and she begins falling for her. A very good performance.
- Keenan Wynn (Annie Get Your Gun) … Warren Haggerty. The newspaper man at the center of the scheme. He really does love Gladys, but he puts the newspaper first. And becomes very jealous when the “couple” start becoming romantically involved.
- Cecil Kellaway (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms) … J.B. Allenbury. Connie’s father. He loves her — and duck hunting! And wants to protect her from scandal.
- Carlos Ramírez (Anchors Aweigh) … Carlos Ramírez
- Ben Blue (My Wild Irish Rose) … Spike Dolan. Warren’s right-hand man.
- Ethel Smith (Bathing Beauty) … Ethel Smith – Organ Player
- June Lockhart (She-Wolf of London; Lost in Space) … Barbara ‘Babs’ Norvell
- Grant Mitchell (Edison the Man) … Homer Henshaw
- Josephine Whittell … Mrs. Burns Norvell
- Paul Harvey (High Sierra) … Curtis Farwood
- Jonathan Hale (Blondie Knows Best; Her Husband’s Affairs) … Hector Boswell
- James Flavin (Mighty Joe Young) … Joe
- Directed by: Edward Buzzell
Songs
- Continental Polka
- Lyrics by Ralph Blane
- Music by Johnny Green
- Sung and Danced by Lucille Ball (dubbed by Virginia Rees) and chorus
- Acercate más (Come Closer To Me)
- Written by Osvaldo Farrés and Al Stewart
- Sung by Carlos Ramírez
- also sung by Esther Williams
- Viva México
- Written by Pedro Galindo
- Performed by a wandering trio
- Sung by a chorus at the end
- Row, Row, Row Your Boat
- Traditional
- Heard during the duck-hunting scene
- A-Hunting We Will Go
- Written by Thomas Augustine Arne
- Heard during the duck-hunting scene