#14. We're Not Married - Review

We're Not Married Poster 1952This film reeks of the disappointment felt by Americans after World War II. With men dealing with the disillusionment of promised white-picket fences and a happy wife waiting in the kitchen, the troops who fought in the war were unaware that the America they left to defend no longer existed. Women, having taken up the cause and replaced the men in the work force were not willing to abandon their newfound independence. The resulting tension produced We’re Not Married, a 1952 anthology comedy that is light on laughs, but heavy on insight. Five couples in very degrees of unhappiness all receive a letter in the mail informing them that there has been an unfortunate mishap, and that all of their marriages were in fact not valid. While a few of the stories fall flat, there are one or two that are worth the entry fee. Marilyn Monroe and Ginger Rogers are fun to watch, and I especially enjoyed watching young Eddie Bracken going AWOL from the Navy to try and re-marry his pregnant wife.  Although it may be hard to find a copy of We’re Not Married, its an interesting display of post WWII American discontent.