As Roger and Julie fumble to learn how to care for a baby (in a string of hilarious scenes of bedtime and bathing), their priorities shift. The transformation after little Trina enters the scene is gradual yet palpable. When it comes to having children, Roger is hesitant, but when he does agree to adopt, he insists he can only be happy with a boy with blue eyes.
Always eager for independence and control, marriage had not been a priority for him.Īnd when he does marry, he craves the high-class life and spends lavishly, often outside of his means. In the first half of the film, Roger relishes the present moment, with little thought to the future. Take the evolution of Roger’s character, which Grant executes with quintessential poise and energy. The result is two timeless messages: that children can bring out the best in couples, and that family happiness does not depend on money. The film’s entire impetus is to show how Roger and Julie stumble, cope, and grow through the turbulent moments of life. They decide to adopt, but Roger’s floundering newspaper makes money tight and weakens the prospects of getting the judge’s approval to keep the child. After pushing through the first few bumps of marriage, they receive the tragic news of Julie’s miscarriage and inability to have children. The two marry that very night, almost on a whim. After a brief meeting that lights a spark between them, they frequent each other’s lives with pleasant trips to the seaside and the dance floor, but without any indications of commitment, that is, until Roger lands a job overseas and hastily proposes before leaving.
This film, available on the free online streaming platform Kanopy, not only offers the nostalgia of a 1940s love story but is also an illustration of the growth, challenges, and lessons of love that can resonate with audiences today.Įven in their spiffy pre-war attire, Roger (Grant) and Julie (Dunne) resemble a 21st-century couple in their attitudes and actions.
One in particular can make for an especially thought-provoking movie night: George Stevens’ “Penny Serenade” (1941), starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. In those moments, the simple elegance of a classic black-and-white drama might do the trick. If there’s any time to become a modern movie expert, it’s now.īut every so often, perhaps one feels the need for a reprieve from the overpowering CGI, modern cynicism, and overly violent or sexualized content that permeates the streaming world. The explosive adventure of “1917,” the impassioned dialogue of “Marriage Story,” the weirdness of “Tiger King,” and everything in between is right at our fingertips. In a world of massive streaming libraries, high-definition screens, and surround-sound systems, technology grants us the power to transform the living room into a miniature movie theater, featuring almost any of the latest and greatest films we can think of.