EASY TO WED (1946)

This musical remake of the (1936) comedy classic Libeled Lady. Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball and Keenan Wynn, do a wonderful job taking over the roles first performed by William Powell, Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy. I think this is my favorite Lucille Ball performance. I had to post the picture of the English Springer Spaniel. I'm owned by one.. :)

The story begins when Farwood knows that his newspaper (The Morning Star) is in trouble, when they print a libelous story about Connie Allenbury, the daughter of the famous tycoon J. B. Allenbury, stealing another woman's husband. Just as he predicted angry by the newspaper's claims Allenbury threatens to file a $2,000,000 libel suit against his paper. Farwood calls his business manager, Warren Haggerty, for help. Warren, jumps at the chance to call off his wedding to his fiancee Glady Benton, and quickly comes up with a plan to frame Connie for another husband stealing story. Warren hires a reporter at the newspaper, womanizer Bill Chandler, to head off for Mexico City, where the Allenburys have a vacation home.

Warren tricks Glady to pretend to marry Bill, so that she can sue Connie for "alienation of affection" when they have a compromising picture of Bill and Connie.

Bill, and his partner in crime Spike, are off to Mexico, where he takes a crash course in duck hunting.

At the Hotel Del Rey, Bill pretends to protect Connie from the unwanted questions from Spike. Bill introduces himself to Connie and her father as a writer and hunter. Allenbury invites Bill to go duck hunting. After a few days Glady and Warren are starting to wonder what's up with Bill, who has not produced the picture. Connie becomes suspicious of Bill's duck hunting abilities when he shows up with brand new sports equipment. They split up into separate boats. Bill has one hilarious problem after the other trying to shoot down a single duck. After hours of waiting, a flock of ducks flies overhead, Bill accidentally fires a shot into the air, hits a duck which falls right into his lap.

A romance begins to blossom between Bill and Connie, Glady is becoming impatient and is ready to ruin all their plans. He has to quickly come up with another plan to keep her quiet. He tells her that he has a romantic interest in her. Warren becomes jealous and decides it's time to pay a visit to Connie and try to talk her out of going ahead with the law suit. After Connie refuses, Warren makes a telephone call to Glady and tells her that Bill is really in love with Connie.

Will Glady ruin everything?

Fun Fact:

Early in the film, on the lower Left of the screen, Fidel Castro,( without beard), is sitting poolside with a drink in front of him. When Fidel was young he did "extra" work for MGM, while a student at UCLA, before becoming active in politics.

Soundtracks:
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"Continental Polka"
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Music by Johnny Green
Sung and Danced by Lucille Ball (dubbed by Virginia Rees) and chorus

"Acendiete Mas"
(Come Closer To Me)
Written by Osvaldo Farrés and Al Stewart
Sung by Carlos Ramírez
also sung by Esther Williams

"Toca Tu Samba"
Music by Paul Soler
Performed on the organ by Ethel Smith

"Bonecu de Pixe"
Music by Ary Barroso
Performed on the Organ by Ethel Smith
Danced by Van Johnson, Esther Williams and chorus

"Viva México"
Written by Pedro Galindo
Performed by a wandering trio
Sung by a chorus at the end