Made for Each Other Synopsis: A couple struggle to find happiness after a whirlwind courtship.
John returns from a business trip married, which throws his personal and professional life into upheaval. He and his new wife Jane experienced a rather whirlwind romance, but both are confident they made the right decision. However, it’s not long before John’s work woes, his mother, and a new baby begin to take their toll on the delicate marriage.
I really do adore watching James Stewart in just about anything. He’s always been one of my favorite actors. As for Carole Lombard, Made for Each Other is the first film I’ve seen, though there are plenty in her filmography that I intend to watch.
I’ve been pretty happy with a lot of the romantic comedies I’ve watched from the Golden Age of Hollywood. They certainly don’t make them the way they used to, so it’s been a joy to go back in time and compare the writing and production to how it’s done today.
Unfortunately, Made for Each Other didn’t do it for me. It’s a movie about the difficulties of marriage, but it suffers from jumping right into the honeymoon phase, telling us rather than showing us how Jane and John met and fell in love. So we’re not all that invested from the jump. It was a very short courtship, so I think there could have been time for at least a brief montage.
James Stewart has perfected the down-on-his-luck everyman, but John Mason seems like the poor man’s version of George Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life), whom Stewart wouldn’t play for another seven years. Carole Lombard is luminous on screen, but I didn’t feel much chemistry between her and Stewart.
For me, the worst part is that Made for Each Other starts as more of a comedy, but by the third act, the tone shifts dramatically when John and Jane face the possibility of their baby’s death. It’s an emotionally manipulative way to keep our lovebirds together and doesn’t fit in the film at all.
I think it’s worth a watch for hardcore fans of James Stewart or Carole Lombard, but if you never see Made for Each Other, you’re really not missing out on anything.
Watched: 01/04/2023
Notable Song:
