(1940)
4
Craig Butler
There was never a screen team like William Powell and Myrna Loy, and the uproarious I Love You Again shows them off to their best advantage. "Screwball" is the best term for Again, and few films deserve the appellation as much. The plot turns on a familiar "amnesia" situation, but once viewers accept this unlikely set-up, they're in for a fast, fast, fast rollercoaster of a comedy. Director W.S. Van Dyke is in top form here. There may not be the most imaginative camera set-ups that the world has ever seen, but everything fits together beautifully, and he keeps the pace up at all times -- yet without sacrificing clarity. Van Dyke should thank his lucky stars that Gene Ruggiero was on his same wave length in the editing room, for the cutting is key to the film's successes.) Of course, while the direction, editing and screenplay are all tops, it would be for nothing without Powell and Loy. Powell is totally in his element, delighting in the opportunity to play two such different characters and clearly having the time of his life. Loy is also in tip top form, ready with a riposte, yet also game for an embrace, when it's on her own terms, and delivering lines with beautifully precise inflection. And the chemistry between the two is without equal. Donald Douglas is a bit of a bore, but the rest of the supporting cast is a very definite plus.
I Love You Again on AllMovie
I Love You Again (1940)
