Easy to Wed

We jump right into the action in 1946’s Easy to Wed, which is based on the plot from Libeled Lady. The movie begins with men frantically trying to collect all of the morning editions of the newspapers that went out featuring a story about Connie Allenbury, played by Esther Williams, one of the richest women in the world. It claims that she fought with another woman over that woman’s husband. The editor of the paper fears a libel suit since the story may not have been entirely accurate. Unfortunately for the editor, the story was already seen and he will be facing a libel suit from her for two million dollars. If she wins, she will bankrupt the paper and put many people out of their jobs.

At the start, Connie seems like a spoiled rich girl, but you soon realize there is much more to her. Plus, the paper really should check facts before they print stories like that.

The editor keeps freaking out and calls in his business manager, Warren, played by Keenan Wynn, who is supposed to be marrying his love, Gladys, played by Lucille Ball. He walks out of their wedding, not the first time they have attempted it, mind you, to go help his employer. Warren is thrilled that something pulled him from his wedding yet again, but his fiance is not.

I have been a longtime fan of both Van Johnson and Esther Williams, but so far had not watched Easy to Wed. I was also intrigued by Keenan Wynn and Lucille Ball in this one.

While I love Lucy in her show, I love seeing her movies even more. Her character is so iconic that seeing her play a different role is always super exciting to me.

Although it is not her singing, I still really enjoyed this number.

Warren seeks out reporter and former colleague, Bill Chandler, played by Van Johnson, for a game of entrapment. The scheme is for Bill to pretend to marry Gladys, gain Connie’s interest, and then use it to expose Connie as a husband stealer.

As the plot progresses, Bill falls for Connie and tries to get her to drop the suit on her own instead of needing to go through with their original plot. When Connie learns of his “wife,” she demands that he marry her to prove to herself it is not true. He marries her thinking that the marriage to Gladys won’t actually hold up even though it was signed. She was previously married and as far as he could research, she still was when their pretend wedding went through. She then informs them that she did have a divorce. Determined to now be with Bill, she is upset that he would marry another, but soon Warren and Gladys realize they were meant to be after all.

I really enjoyed this movie, especially Ball. She was funny and had a depth of character that I love to see her play. I also loved watching Williams and Johnson together. They have great chemistry. I did find that Johnson’s character was a bit different than the ones I’m used to, but I loved the character development. Love really changed him here.

This post was written specifically for Love Letters to Old Hollywood‘s Van Johnson Blogathon. Read all the other entries here!