I Love You Again (1940)

I Love You Again - 1940

The next Powell/Loy collaboration on our list is 1940's "I Love You Again".  The story is of a mild-mannered man who has suffered from amnesia suddenly remembers who he was (a tough conman).  He returns to the town where he lived, intending to swindle the townspeople.  He falls in love with his wife and has a change of heart.

The supporting cast includes Frank McHugh, Edmund Lowe, Donald Douglas, Nella Walker, and Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer.

The story opens on an ocean liner.  Larry Wilson (Powell) is traveling alone.  On board he's gained a reputation as a penny pincher and a generally un-fun individual.  He saves the life of "Doc" Ryan (McHugh) after he falls overboard, jumping in after him.  The ship's crew lowers a lifeboat to save them, knocking Larry in the head with an oar in the process.

When Larry awakens the next day, he's a seemingly different person.  He believes he is George Carey who's been knocked out on a train and someone has stolen ten thousand bucks from him.  Larry really is George, a big time conman, realizing he's been suffering from amnesia after being knocked in the head on the train.  The knock with the oar brought him to his rightful self.  George and Doc Ryan (also a conman) come up with a plan to find out all about "Larry Wilson" and see what kind of a con they can swing.

Waiting at the dock when the boat arrives is Kay (Loy), Larry's wife.  When he sees her, George can't believe how pretty she is, and can't believe his luck once he finds out he's married to her.  Unfortunately for him, Kay and "Larry" are headed for a divorce.  George wants to find a way to keep Kay and keep the swindle going at the same time.

He sets about trying to romance her.  Kay finds him a completely different person from the staid, un-suave character she married.  "Where did you learn to dance like this?" she asks.  "Oh, by mail," comes the reply.

George keeps at it in the romance department.  But Kay is having none of it.

George finds out that "Larry" is the manager of a large pottery works in town.  He's also the leader of the local boy scout troop.  It's fun watching George try to make sense of the things that "Larry" was so good at, particularly deer stalking.

George comes up with a plan (along with a big city gangster) to rig a parcel of land he owns with oil.  When the townspeople discover it, they want it and are willing to pay anything to own the land supposedly rich with oil.

Meanwhile, George keeps romancing Kay, and wears her down.  A funny scene occurs when they're nightgown shopping.  The owners of the shop don't believe he wants to buy something expensive as he's notoriously tightfisted.  Through it all, George finds he has a change of heart and wants to go straight and settle down with Kay.

Kay eventually learns the truth about George after hearing Doc on the phone.  George is on his way to stop the deal with the gangster.  The final scene is full of witty dialogue as Kay and the gangster go at it zinger for zinger.  "Don't you dare lay a hand on him, you overgrown bully!" she says.  "Shut your trap, madam," says the gangster.

George finds a humorous way out of the situation and he and Kay can begin their life together again (but for the first time as George and Kay).

Cast rundown:

   William Powell........................................George Carey

   Myrna Loy..............................................Kay Wilson

   Frank McHugh........................................Doc Ryan

   Edmund Lowe.........................................Duke Sheldon

   Donald Douglas......................................Herbert

   Nella Walker...........................................Kay's Mother

   Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer...............................Leonard Harkspur Jr.

That's all for I Love You Again, a delightful comedy that's sure to be a favorite in the Powell/Loy film collection.  It's full of laugh-out-loud moments.  This is the ninth film they made together, and the fifth with the same director.

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