"No Time for Comedy" clearly is a comedy, but a very strange one. The romance is very iffy because there doesn't seem to be much chemistry between the leads - Rosalind Russell and James Stewart. That it's also billed as a drama tells me that the writers and producers were intent on the somewhat dark aspect of the plot about halfway through. Overall, the film has a tremendous cast for a very strange, even awkward screenplay.
The plot is simple enough, and fairly common. A would-be writer from small town America has his play accepted for a Broadway production. He comes to the Big Apple after rehearsals are underway. He meets the leading lady and they fall for one another, and get hitched. But, instead of just a single hit play and then writer's block or some flops, he writes a few more successes and they are sitting on top of the world. Then, a different twist takes over. The playwright now wants to write a drama to address some of the world's problems. He feels he isn't contributing anything with his comedy. Interestingly, Paramount Pictures would pick up on this theme as the plot for a superb comedy and adventure drama the next year, in "Sullivan's Travels."
But the plot and result is quite different here. Somewhat similar to a few other films, the playwright is lured into his change of attitude and outlook by another woman. Her approach is quite different than the usual sexual attraction. This is where the dark aspect of the film comes in. She sees the playwright as a very capable person, but whose latent talent needs to be exposed and brought out for all to see. Now, I said that this is a strange comedy. That little dark aspect would be okay if the movie had kept it at that. But instead the film builds a whole subplot around it, that shakes up the marriage, and confounds the overall plot. And what makes this particularly detractive from what might have been a very good film, is that the humorous dialog is scatterbrained throughout. It's as though the writers just plopped in any funny line or thought that came to mind, without it fitting in the particular scene or conversation.
As a result, there is a good smattering of funny lines, but many that don't fit in the flow of the script. A much better screenplay could have made this a superb comedy. The film is based on a 1939 Broadway play of the same name. Even with Laurence Olivier and Katharine Cornell in the lead roles the stage play barely lasted one season - with 179 performances. Considering that two-some of the leading dramatic actors of the day, one wonders if the play wasn't much more drama than comedy. Then the effort to make it more of a comedy with the seemingly haphazard humorous dialog in this film makes more sense. The only thing that saves this film from being a flop is the lively performance by Rosalind Russell as Linda Paige Esterbrook, and some very funny lines from her and Charles Ruggles (as Philo Swift) and Louise Beavers (as Clementine). This is not a very good film for Jimmy Stewart.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Linda Paige, "Uh, tell me, do you do anything else besides write plays?" Gaylord Esterbrook, "Well, I'm editor of the Redfield Daily Reporter." Linda, "Ohhh? A town of 700 people has a Daily Reporter?" Gaylord, "It's 786... Well, it's - we call it the Daily Reporter. It comes out twice a month." Linda, "Uh, huh. Isn't that confusing for your readers?" Gaylord, "I don't know. I never thought of it. I guess it is."
Richard Benson, "You know, he's an eccentric young man, even for a playwright." Linda Paige, "I can't argue with you there."
Linda Paige, "Oh, uh, we'd be glad to buy a ticket for the Policeman's ball." Police Sergeant (James Burke, uncredited), "Get outta here. We don't want you at our affair."
Clementine, "I thought you was in Hollywood." Morgan Carrell, "I'm, uh, out on parole."
Linda Paige, "Well, of course, if you married me, you'd have to give up your room at the "Y." Maybe you don't love me enough to make that sacrifice. Maybe you don't even love me at all."
Philo Swift, "I've been married before. I shouldn't like to be divorced a second time. It gets to be undignified."
Philo Swift, "I don't discuss things with my wife. We're beyond that stage."
Linda Paige Esterbrook, "I'd better get dressed for dinner. I'm going out with Mr. Carrell." Clementine, "Well, heh, heh, it's a democracy and everybody's entitled to their own taste."
Clementine, "Why, boss, how come you opened the door by yourself?" Gaylord Esterbrook, "I've been practicing, Tulip."
Clementine, "He's stone sober, Miss Linda." Gaylord Esterbrook, "Now, I'll allow it this time, Cat. I won't let it happen again."
Gaylord Esterbrook, "I suppose you think Amanda's a complete idiot?" Linda Paige Esterbrook "I think she's a very clever idiot. But an idiot, just the same."
Linda Paige Esterbrook, "Did you send a telegram to Gay wishing him luck?" Philo Swift, "Yes, I sent him a telegram, but I forget what I wished him."
Morgan Carrell, during intermission of Gaylord's dramatic play, "Pretty awful, isn't it?" Philo Swift, "Well, it wouldn't be so bad if people didn't laugh so much. It keeps waking me up."
Morgan Carrell, "Well, no time to argue now. I directed this play and I've got to sit through it. And the punishment fits the crime."
Gaylord Esterbrook, "Gosh, I haven't kissed you for two months." Linda Paige Esterbrook, "That's nothing to brag about, you big, long drink of water."
The plot is simple enough, and fairly common. A would-be writer from small town America has his play accepted for a Broadway production. He comes to the Big Apple after rehearsals are underway. He meets the leading lady and they fall for one another, and get hitched. But, instead of just a single hit play and then writer's block or some flops, he writes a few more successes and they are sitting on top of the world. Then, a different twist takes over. The playwright now wants to write a drama to address some of the world's problems. He feels he isn't contributing anything with his comedy. Interestingly, Paramount Pictures would pick up on this theme as the plot for a superb comedy and adventure drama the next year, in "Sullivan's Travels."
But the plot and result is quite different here. Somewhat similar to a few other films, the playwright is lured into his change of attitude and outlook by another woman. Her approach is quite different than the usual sexual attraction. This is where the dark aspect of the film comes in. She sees the playwright as a very capable person, but whose latent talent needs to be exposed and brought out for all to see. Now, I said that this is a strange comedy. That little dark aspect would be okay if the movie had kept it at that. But instead the film builds a whole subplot around it, that shakes up the marriage, and confounds the overall plot. And what makes this particularly detractive from what might have been a very good film, is that the humorous dialog is scatterbrained throughout. It's as though the writers just plopped in any funny line or thought that came to mind, without it fitting in the particular scene or conversation.
As a result, there is a good smattering of funny lines, but many that don't fit in the flow of the script. A much better screenplay could have made this a superb comedy. The film is based on a 1939 Broadway play of the same name. Even with Laurence Olivier and Katharine Cornell in the lead roles the stage play barely lasted one season - with 179 performances. Considering that two-some of the leading dramatic actors of the day, one wonders if the play wasn't much more drama than comedy. Then the effort to make it more of a comedy with the seemingly haphazard humorous dialog in this film makes more sense. The only thing that saves this film from being a flop is the lively performance by Rosalind Russell as Linda Paige Esterbrook, and some very funny lines from her and Charles Ruggles (as Philo Swift) and Louise Beavers (as Clementine). This is not a very good film for Jimmy Stewart.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Linda Paige, "Uh, tell me, do you do anything else besides write plays?" Gaylord Esterbrook, "Well, I'm editor of the Redfield Daily Reporter." Linda, "Ohhh? A town of 700 people has a Daily Reporter?" Gaylord, "It's 786... Well, it's - we call it the Daily Reporter. It comes out twice a month." Linda, "Uh, huh. Isn't that confusing for your readers?" Gaylord, "I don't know. I never thought of it. I guess it is."
Richard Benson, "You know, he's an eccentric young man, even for a playwright." Linda Paige, "I can't argue with you there."
Linda Paige, "Oh, uh, we'd be glad to buy a ticket for the Policeman's ball." Police Sergeant (James Burke, uncredited), "Get outta here. We don't want you at our affair."
Clementine, "I thought you was in Hollywood." Morgan Carrell, "I'm, uh, out on parole."
Linda Paige, "Well, of course, if you married me, you'd have to give up your room at the "Y." Maybe you don't love me enough to make that sacrifice. Maybe you don't even love me at all."
Philo Swift, "I've been married before. I shouldn't like to be divorced a second time. It gets to be undignified."
Philo Swift, "I don't discuss things with my wife. We're beyond that stage."
Linda Paige Esterbrook, "I'd better get dressed for dinner. I'm going out with Mr. Carrell." Clementine, "Well, heh, heh, it's a democracy and everybody's entitled to their own taste."
Clementine, "Why, boss, how come you opened the door by yourself?" Gaylord Esterbrook, "I've been practicing, Tulip."
Clementine, "He's stone sober, Miss Linda." Gaylord Esterbrook, "Now, I'll allow it this time, Cat. I won't let it happen again."
Gaylord Esterbrook, "I suppose you think Amanda's a complete idiot?" Linda Paige Esterbrook "I think she's a very clever idiot. But an idiot, just the same."
Linda Paige Esterbrook, "Did you send a telegram to Gay wishing him luck?" Philo Swift, "Yes, I sent him a telegram, but I forget what I wished him."
Morgan Carrell, during intermission of Gaylord's dramatic play, "Pretty awful, isn't it?" Philo Swift, "Well, it wouldn't be so bad if people didn't laugh so much. It keeps waking me up."
Morgan Carrell, "Well, no time to argue now. I directed this play and I've got to sit through it. And the punishment fits the crime."
Gaylord Esterbrook, "Gosh, I haven't kissed you for two months." Linda Paige Esterbrook, "That's nothing to brag about, you big, long drink of water."