Skylark
Skylark
| 21 November 1941 (USA)
Skylark Trailers

As her fifth wedding anniversary approaches, a woman realizes that she is fed up with always coming in second to her husband's advertising business. Just at the moment when she is trying to decide what to do, she meets a handsome attorney, and their innocent flirtation begins to turn into something a bit more serious.

Reviews
Cebalord Very best movie i ever watch
Nonureva Really Surprised!
Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.
Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
GManfred Or, if you prefer, Comedy Lite, because 'Skylark" is only semi-funny. I can only guess Director Mark Sandrich didn't have a good feel for comedy as several scenes which could have been funny seemed forced and heavy-handed. A Leo McCarey or Mitchell Leisen could have gotten more mileage out of them, but, as is, "Skylark" is unsatisfying and leaves you feeling unfulfilled, like Lite beer or diet soda.Other reviews recount the plot, but just let me say that the main reason to watch this one is to watch several old pros give their all and try to make a mediocre picture better just by their presence. It belongs mainly to Claudette Colbert, who tries mightily and comes off the best of the principals. She is ably supported by Ray Milland and Brian Aherne, who also do their best. Walter Abel does not come off so well and is better in straight drama parts. And the old pop standard 'Skylark" is apparently not from this picture. I put my star rating in the heading as the website no longer includes them.
MartinHafer Lydia (Claudette Colbert) and Tony (Ray Milland) have been married for five years. Tony is in love with his job and his wife is mostly an afterthought. Inexplicably, she accepts this and loves the big jerk in spite of this. However, after years of being neglected emotionally, the problem comes to a head during their anniversary. Instead of a romantic dinner for two, he invites over clients-- clients who Lydia doesn't like--and she has every reason to dislike these nasty folks. She's in a funk and a dashing guy, Jim (Brian Ahern), offers to take her away from this dinner party and she impulsively goes. She returns many hours later--long after all the guests have gone home.Jim realizes, finally, that his marriage is in trouble. His plan to woo her back--lie to her and tell her he's quitting his job. But, he has no intention of leaving this job--and it really isn't much of a plan. Eventually, Lydia learns about this and leaves him. Soon they are divorced and NOW Jim finally tries to actually do something to win her back. But, considering they are divorced and she doesn't want to see him, it really seems like he's stalking her and is an abusive ex-spouse. It's really quite creepy and about as romantic as a case of the clap. The film might have seemed cute back in 1941, but today it comes off as an endorsement for a man to claim ownership over his 'property'--and Jim would, in the real world, end up in jail for his boorish behaviors! Considering how good these actors are, the film should have been so much better. I also take off a point for the terribly overdone scene where Lydia keeps falling in the sailboat--it was about as subtle as a stripper at a Baptist picnic. Overall, it's a big disappointment, though the film does have its moments.
mamalv Very cute movie, about a wife that is sick of playing second fiddle to her husband's advertising job. It is obvious that he loves her but, he is so obsessed with his job, and little else, he loses her. Claudette Colbert is great as usual, and has some very funny scenes. She proves she was never afraid to get messy as long as it got a laugh. Ray Milland is dashing, but we don't like him in the beginning of the film when he makes Colbert apologize to his clients wife for running off with her other man, played so well by Brian Ahern. One of the funniest lines is when he "gifts" his clients his cook. Mona Barrie who plays the best friend of his wife says: "Lookie, lookie, lookie, there goes cookie". She leaves Ray, and then he realizes what a mess he made and tries to win her back. She gets involved with Ahern, who is charming and attentive and totally lovable. Ray lies about quitting his job, but she catches him in the lie and that is that. I really like this film, it is funny and touching and we are wanting Ray to win her back. He is so good looking and when he realizes that she is all that matters, we see him wear his heart on his sleeve for her. In the end, love conquers all over the job and the dog food. Just as a note.....I just came across a Vanity Fair article about Claudette Colbert where she said that she and Milland had planned a tryst at her secretary's apartment. Both were married at the time. She got half way there and turned around and went home. No tryst but she admired him all thru her life. Milland was a big womanizer, and maybe she thought better of the situation. They are so good together that it does not surprise me.
skimari Although I saw this film in a copy of rather poor quality, I enjoyed it very much. The script was clever, very efficiently tackling a problem commonly faced by married couples: the husband is so devoted to his career that he neglects his wife without even understanding it and a third person is soon there to take advantage of the situation. We follow with interest the reactions of the heroes. At first, we completely justify the wife, but later on we take sides with the husband, and wish that true love wins. Both Ray Milland and Claudette Colbert deliver lessons in acting, they are simply magnificent. Brian Aherne and Walter Abel are also very good. In short, a very entertaining film, that leaves you with a sense of good feeling when it ends. I sincerely hope that it is soon available in an official DVD, it certainly deserves it much more than so many mediocre films that are currently in circulation.