mark.waltz Even though this is Lynnsburg Connecticut and not River City Iowa, you'll be tempted to break into a chorus of "Pick a Little, Talk a Little" every time the old biddies of the town's literary committee pick up their party lines either to gossip or listen. You see, one of their own is the author of a scandalous novel that they've been trying to get condemned, and once she has enough of them running her life with their babbity provinciality, she tells them off, leaves for New York, and really gives them something to gossip about."She" is Theodora Lynn (Irene Dunne), the seemingly sweet church organist who is followed by one of the representatives (Melvyn Douglas) of the publishing firm her book was released through, threatening to blow her goody two-shoes image out of the water for good. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, and she turns the tables on him and his upper-crust family. Once Dunne comes out of her shell, she dresses up in outrageous feathered outfits, is named in divorce suits and shows up for a town function with a baby. You really want to see these clucking hens choke on their metamusil once they find out a thing or two or get caught in a vindictive spread of mostly unsubstantiated rumors.Dunne is the whole show and her transition to comedy after musical dramas (like "Sweet Adeline" and "Show Boat") and weepers is the surprise of 1936. She's got a good sparring partner in the whistling Melvyn Douglas. Elisabeth Risdon and Margaret McWade display overly proper dignity with authoritative superiority with Spring Byington the town's big gossip, a flibbertigibbet that is delightfully hypocritical, one of those "church lady" types that needs more time in confession than on the phone. A superb screenplay burlesques the ridiculousness of both small town societies of the 1930's and church lady community groups altogether, reminding audiences comically about the viciousness and destructiveness of "the tongue" and the wages of sin that go with it.

whpratt1 This film surprised me with how well produced it was and what a great comedy it turned out to be. Irene Dunne, (Theodora Lynn) played the role of a small town gal living in Lynnfield where everyone was very religious and lived life straight as an arrow. One day the newspaper man in Lynnfield, Jed Waterbury, (Thomas Mitchell) posted a notice of a new book that he was going to feature in his daily newspaper called, "Sinner" by Adams. The people in town were outraged, however, they liked reading the articles in the paper and soon the people decided to tell Jed Waterbury to remove the book and the feature in his paper. It just so happens that the author of this book comes from Lynnfield and no one would ever expect just who it could be. Melvyn Douglas plays the role as Michael Grant who is linked romantically with Theodora and he gave a great supporting role. This is lots of fun to watch and enjoy this great classic from 1936.

historyhawk52 Irene Dunne carries the whole film on her back and is wonderful. She lights up the screen and is very believable. Melvyn Douglas does well with his role until the script paints him into a corner as a tongue tied whiner after Irene turns the tables on him. Frankly, there are too many contrived plot points in this film for me: the hallway scene with the drunken publisher, the governor's ball, and lastly stepping off the train platform with another person's baby just to shock the home crowd. The plot just gives under the strain. Bringing Up Baby, with similarly contrived events strung together from beginning to madcap end is a far more believable and funnier film even with a far wackier premise.

manxman-1 As a fan of Irene Dunne's, and not having managed to catch up with Theodora Goes Wild, I was looking forward to finally getting to see this movie after having read the lavish praise heaped on it on this site. Having said that, I have to admit that while, yes, it was amusing, it was very much of a one-note idea that was stretched very thin. Dunne, as always, was at the top of her form and her talents in all departments were very much on display. What did let the movie down was a weak script and an irritatingly hammy performance by the usually reliable Melvyn Douglas. One only has to look at Ninotchka to see how good he can be when his comedy acting has a serious side to it. His character in Theodora Goes Wild was just too silly to be believable. The smalltown sequences were charming in their way but after a while became tedious with repetition. Thomas Mitchell's scenes (as editor of the local newspaper) were rip-roaring first class, which made one want for more. Would I recommend this movie? Yes, if you're a fan of Irene Dunne's and want to watch her comedic talents at work. Several postings on this site have recommended The Awful Truth as a must-see. Well, yes, if you're a Dunne fan but here again there are moments when the script sags and both Dunne and Cary Grant, both consummate professionals, are skating on very thin ice, pulling the movie onward through sheer force of personality. If you really want to see Irene Dunne at her very, very best then you should catch her in the much better written My Favorite Wife, or Love Affair, both infinitely superior to their later remakes. In these two movies her talents REALLY soar!