mark.waltz Question: How does a New York City gal fit in out in the country as a new bride? Response: I don't know. Is this Barbara Stanwyck in "The Purchase Price", Merle Oberon in "The Cowboy and the Lady", Claudette Colbert in "The Egg and I" or Eva Gabor on "Green Acres"? Real Answer: Well, in this case, it's Irene Dunne in "Never a Dull Moment" where she is ironically wed to Fred MacMurray who did basically the same thin in "The Egg and I". Instead of a chicken farmer here, though, he is a rodeo performer, and she is a Broadway songwriter. The predicament is pretty much the same for Dunne as it was for Colbert, except for the fact that MacMurray has two young daughters (Gigi Perreau and Natalie Wood) who are at first suspicious of her but are won over when she gives them designer watches as "Hi, I'm your new step-mommy dearest" presents. Then, there's the gossipy neighbors on party lines, an overweight Indian cook who practically drowns herself in Dunne's perfume while trying to fit into Dunne's dresses, and the grouchy rancher (William Demarest) keeping his water supply all to himself and anxious to buy MacMurray's property himself. When he is humiliated at Dunne's opening night party, you know he's going to be doing all he can to get them out, but Dunne has a trick or two up her gingham sleeve.One very funny scene has Dunne fighting practically every kind of disaster (including the wind which threatens to tear down the house) all at once. MacMurray is pretty much overshadowed by Dunne who dominates pretty much the entire movie. She is still youthful enough here to do pratfalls, sing a square dance and remain glamorous as she figures out how to close a swinging gate surrounded by mud without getting filthy herself. To think the same year she played Queen Victoria in "The Mudlark" shows her versatility, but unfortunately, she was on the verge of permanently ending her film career. Perreau and Wood start off in dangerous territory as they appear to be hateful brats, but fortunately, the writers changed course quickly. The results of all of this is a watchable but formula comedy that has some unique moments but basically suffers from familiarity.

fineincarolina This movie featured Irenne Dunne city slicking wife who marries a widower rancher. She and her husband (Fred McMurray)are just a fun couple who have many funny incidents that happen as a married couple. This movie is reminiscent of The Egg and I that Dunne is featured in during the 1940s. Although some say this movie is not very good for Dunne and that it is predictable-- it is funny, innocent, and a great movie for a Sunday afternoon with the family. My family and I have watched copies of this on VHS for years and I even bought another copy off ebay hoping to get a better copy (but it happened to be a copy recorded from TV--BOO ebay!). Anyway my aunt asked me to borrow my copy just the other day and I couldn't help but to watch it again. It requires little though some good laughs and a love of classic films as a prerequisite to watch this one.

jotix100 Irene Dunne, one of the best comediennes in the history of the movies, retired from acting after completing this comedy that was not up to her best work. Ms. Dunne was seen in great films during her Hollywood career that were made better by her style, sophistication and beauty. Alas, in this one, her character, Kay Kingsley is swept off her feet to a rancher who lives out west.Kay Kingsley is part of a composing team based in Manhattan. Kay is elegant, smart, and it's hard to imagine she would fall in a short period of time for Chris, who is way out of her league, and who comes with some baggage, as he is a widower with two young daughters back home. This is a big proposition because it involves leaving behind modern plumbing and heat. Accepting that premise, Kay transplants herself to the ranch that is falling apart because of neglect and lack of money to improve it.Things go from bad to worst. The two girls, Nan, and Tina, give Kay a guarded welcome, but they come around when they see she is a good person who has had no experience with her present situation. With the help of her neighbor Jean, Kay gets a handle on things, not before running away to Manhattan to try to see if she still wants her old life back.The film was directed by George Marshall, a veteran of the movies, who tried to give the comedy some pacing, but doesn't succeed well. The problem with the film is Fred MacMurray, an otherwise perfect actor, who shows no chemistry with Ms. Dunne. Irene Dunne tries her best to make her Kay a wife and step-mother. William Demarest, Andie Devine, Ann Doran and Philip Ober are seen in supporting roles. Gigi Perreau, a child actress of the time, plays Tina, and Natalie Wood, who, as Neil Doyle points out, was probably having problems at the time and is not her usual self as Nan. See the film as a curiosity and because this was Irene Dunne's swan song at the movies.

Neil Doyle IRENE DUNNE, for some strange reason, is called "Buckshot" by her cowboy husband FRED MacMURRAY. That alone is supposed to be funny and endearing. Not.Too bad that after the smash success of films like LIFE WITH FATHER, Irene Dunne was so desperate for good parts that she agreed to settle for a film like this--tedious, predictable, banal sort of comedy that struggles manfully to be funny by putting her through some slapstick paces that are about as funny as a stubbed toe.Occasionally there's a lull in the proceedings that gives Dunne and MacMurray a chance to remind us that they're still the same old likable stars. But then the script takes over again and forces them to play a series of unlikely scenes.For good measure, they have two obnoxious girls (played by a plain looking Natalie Wood who clearly did have an awkward stage, and Gigi Perreau). They add nothing to the charm or situations which strain for laughs. One of the comedic highlights is supposedly when Dunne shoots a neighbor's pet bull. You get my drift.You can skip this one. Even the presence of two top-flight stars can't save it from being the most inappropriately titled comedy of the decade.