I Love You Again

I Love You Again (1940) starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Frank McHugh

Synopsis of I Love You Again

In I Love You Again, William Powell and Myrna Loy star in this comedy about a seemingly staid married businessman whose recovery from amnesia exposes his past existence as a con artist.

Review of I Love You Again

In short, I Love You Again is a hilarious romantic comedy!  It may well be the funniest movie that William Powell and Myrna Loy ever made.  The basic story begins with a stuffed shirt (William Powell) on board an ocean cruise.  He jumps overboard to save a drunken man overboard (Frank McHugh) – and his life changes in that moment.  He comes to on ship a changed man — a con man, in fact.  Apparently, nine years before, he’s suffered amnesia, and became a dull, stuffy, honest man.  And the con man plans to take “his” money, and con “his” home town out of every penny.  And the rescued man is a minor con man, who vows to help the man who saved his life.  He goes on to become his right-hand man.

When the ocean liner docks, he’s smitten by a beautiful woman whose come to meet the boat – Myrna Loy.  Who he soon discovers that he’s actually married to; but she plans divorce.  So, he wants to woo his wife, while pretending to be his stuffy alter ego, and con the town with a oil scheme.

In short, it’s hilariously funny, fast-paced, and higly recommended.

Cast of characters in I Love You Again

• Larry Wilson aka George Carey (William Powell, My Man Godfrey).  The newly-awakened con man.  He’s absolutely hilarious, as a duck out of water trying to fit in as an upright citizen.  And trying to win his wife’s love back, by being himself.  As much as possible …
• Kay Wilson (Myrna Loy, Libeled Lady).  Larry Wilson’s beautiful wife.  Who has been treated by her husband as a thing, to be used as he aspires to be … president of the Chamber of Commerce.  And she’s tired of it, and about to divorce him.  But … after he returns, he seems different.  And she slowly, gradually, falls in love with her new/old husband.
• ‘Doc’ Ryan (Frank McHugh, Miss Grant Takes Richmond).  The man Larry/George rescues, who then becomes his right-hand man.  And pretends to be a doctor, to help his cover as “recovering” from the boat rescue.  A very funny performance!
• Herbert (Donald Douglas, Angels in the Outfield).  The man who plans to marry Kay as soon as she’s divorced.  But a man who’s outclassed by the “new” Larry.  And, not quite as nice or honest as he’s leading Kay to believe …
• Duke Sheldon (Edmund Lowe, Chandu the Magician).  Another con man brought in by Larry/George to help him fleece the community.  A not-very-nice man, who doesn’t take “no” for an answer …

Editorial review of I Love You Again courtesy of Amazon.com

Take a refreshing plot with a novel twist, add line after line of wonderfully saucy dialogue, garnish with top-notch direction by W. S. Van Dyke II, and the result is one of the brightest romantic comedies ever essayed by the William Powell-Myrna Loy team.

In this wildly original tale (by Charles Lederer, George Oppenheimer and Harry Kurnitz), Mr. Powell plays a big-city confidence man who awakens from a nine-year amnesia to discover he has become the manager of a small-town pottery works, joined the Elks and married Miss Loy. Partnered in a phony oil scam, he continues the charade, only to find that Miss Loy is about to divorce him for being such a fuddy-duddy! His problem: How to get the dough, avoid discovery and re-win the heart of his wife. The result is an unpredictable melange of swift gags and clever one-liners. William Powell and Myrna Loy. Screen legends. And a barrel of fun!