Every Girl Should Be Married (1948)

Every Girl Should Be Married is a 1948 comedy starring Cary Grant. Although Franchot Tone gets billing above Betsy Drake, the star's true lead, Franchot's role is secondary. The film revolves around Anabel (Betsy Drake), the over-eager and a bit stalker-ish protagonist who sets her sights on Dr. Madison Brown (Cary Grant). Obsessed with marriage and babies, Anabel learns everything she can about Dr. Brown and puts herself in places she knows he will be.

Franchot Tone is Roger Sanford, the wealthy, twice-divorced owner of the department store in which Anabel works. Anabel tries to throw a suspicious Dr. Brown off the trail by telling him that she is actually after another man and using Dr. Brown to make the mystery man jealous. Dr. Brown assumes the man is his old schoolmate Roger Sanford. Roger walks into the conversation and plays along. A ladies' man, Roger tries to put the moves on Anabel, but she only uses him to attract the attention of Dr. Brown.

In one bustling street scene, Dr. Brown sees Anabel, who happens to be walking behind Roger. Anabel grabs her boss Roger and kisses him, making frontpage headlines!

Roger is frustrated by Anabel being hot and cold, but enjoys playing the game. He doesn't seem to buy that Anabel is only after Dr. Brown and continues to think he is a contender for her affection. Franchot laughs a lot in this film and makes me laugh a lot when I watch it. He was such an underrated comedian, in my opinion.

Anabel continues to one-up Dr. Brown and Roger Sanford and has one final trick up her sleeve to get the man of her dreams in the end. The scene between the enthusiastic, but perplexed suitors (Franchot and Cary) is really a joy to watch. Franchot and Cary play well off each other and it's fun to see them in a comedy. (They previously costarred in the 1936 romantic drama Suzy).

You can purchase Every Girl Should Be Married on DVD on Amazon.