Over 21
| Over 21 | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Charles Vidor |
| Produced by | Sidney Buchman |
| Screenplay by | Sidney Buchman |
| Based on |
Over 21 1944 play by Ruth Gordon |
| Starring |
Irene Dunne Alexander Knox Charles Coburn |
| Music by | Marlin Skiles |
| Cinematography | Rudolph Maté |
| Edited by | Otto Meyer |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
|
Release date
|
August 8, 1945 |
|
Running time
|
102-105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Over 21 is a 1945 comedy film about a wife who supports her husband's decision to enlist in the army for World War II over the objections of his boss. It was based on the play of the same name by Ruth Gordon.
At the New York Bulletin newspaper, its owner, Robert Drexel Gow (Charles Coburn), receives a teletype story that the newspaper’s thirty-nine-year-old editor, Max Wharton (Alexander Knox), is resigning to enlist in the army. Robert is livid, both at the news and the method that he found out about the news. There is a second story on the teletype: Max’s wife, the famous novelist Paula Wharton (Irene Dunne) (whom Max calls Paulie), is in Hollywood adapting her latest book into a movie screenplay. Max wants to do his duty as a citizen and responsible journalist to be close to the war (World War II). Robert’s view is that without Max, the newspaper will fold because Max *is* the newspaper.
From Hollywood, Paulie telephones Max and congratulates him on his decision. After Max informs her of the plan of basic training then possibly officer’s candidate school, Paulie decides that she will move to where ever that school is to be close to him.
After completion of basic training, Max sends Paulie a telegram that officer’s candidate school is in Tetley Field, Florida. She doesn’t quite understand Max’s motivations, but she wants to see her husband succeed in this passion.
Paulie arrives at Palmetto Court looking for bungalow 26D and meets the last tenant, Jan Lupton (Jeff Donnell), whose husband Roy has just graduated to second lieutenant. Jan gives Paulie the lowdown on life in 26D, and that life for the enlisted at Tetley Field is all work, work, work. With school, Jan relays a story she heard where once you’re over 21 years of age, your brain doesn’t absorb the material taught anymore. Max comes by the bungalow surprised to see his wife there already. They have a loving reunion. The Luptons say goodbye to the Whartons, who can now have a proper reunion.
Max and Paulie discuss their upcoming life. Paulie wants to be just like all the other army wives living in the complex. With his difficulties in school, Max is concerned if he is doing the right thing for himself, for the country and for the newspaper. But his reason for doing this in the first place was to see the war first hand so that the newspaper could have some credible first hand account.
...
Wikipedia