Come Live with Me

Instead of eating breakfast this morning I watched a romantic, old movie. Come Live with Me was made in 1941 and stars James Stewart and Hedy Lamarr. (The Turner Classic Movies channel is playing Hedy Lamarr films in honor of it being her birthday today.)

Lamarr plays an immigrant whose temporary visa has expired and must either leave the country or marry an American citizen. Fortunately she finds Stewart. Stewart is a down-on-his-luck writer who's just lost his last dime. She quickly convinces him to marry her in exchange for just enough money for him to live on each week. He immediately sits down to write this story that is stranger than fiction... though he's not sure how to end it since she just visits once a week to drop off a check and doesn't seem the slightest bit interested in actually loving this man she's married. He is urged by the milk man to make the character get off his butt, or as he puts it "...get some pants", and get the girl because the story needs a happy ending. Stewart's character sends out the first couple chapters of his book to publishers, one of whom recognizes the story because he is Lamarr's older, rich, married boyfriend who is about to ask his wife for a divorce so he can marry Lamarr's character. The publisher's wife loves the story instantly and insists that he give Stewart an advance. Stewart uses the advance to whisk Lamarr off to the country to visit his wise grandmother. In the end Stewart recites some poetry to Lamarr and she falls for him and decides to staty with the writer in the country rather than go to a life of luxury with the publisher.

Moral of the story: pretty words always get the girl. It doesn't matter what you look like or how much money you make, if you write or recite poetry the girl is yours. (I believe Sherman Alexie said something to that effect when I saw him speak.)

Just beware of those other literate men.

Now, classic films are really no substitute for breakfast, so I am going to go get a bowl of cereal.