Classic Film Friday: The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer

This screwball comedy from 1947 is perfect for Valentine's day. Margaret Turner (Myrna Loy), a judge, and the guardian of Susan Turner (Shirley Temple) who is 17-years-old. Richard Nugent (Cary Grant) is an artist and has a propensity for trouble, that's not to say he starts trouble, he is just in the wrong place at the wrong time and whenever he is there, things tend to get worse.

It starts off in a court room, the judge is hearing a case that involves Mr. Nugent, and a fight. The judge, after hearing everything, decides to throw the case out, as the accuser is just as guilty as the defendant. Mr. Nugent has to give a lecture at a high school, the very school that Susan is attending. Upon seeing him, Susan falls in love.

Now Susan sneaks out of the house, worrying her sister and guardian Margaret. Only to be found at Mr. Nugent's house. I don't know how/why they didn't lock the doors, but that could have hurt the plot slightly. So anyway Susan waits for Mr. Nugent and Mr. Nugent has no idea Susan is at his house, then there is a knock of the door, why bother I'm thinking, but anyway he just finds the judge outside and Susan inside, at the same time.

Of course the judge thinks Mr. Nugent is responsible, he's not, but he spends the night in jail anyway. Enter Margaret and Susan's uncle, court psychiatrist Dr. Matt Beemish (Ray Collins). He convinces everyone that it would be a good idea to continue this relationship between Susan and Mr. Nugent until Susan sees differently... Well except Mr. Nugent, he really wants nothing to do with her.

So they start an unbelievable relationship, angering Susan's boyfriend, and Margaret's, culminating into an almost love triangle between the three. This is a good movie, and we only picked this because my wife likes Shirley Temple. It's not like Curly Top, but it is funny, even my 13-year-old liked it.