"I doubt that you played Russian Roulette all the time with your father!"

Preston Sturges wrote and directed a pitch-black screwball comedy, which was his first film for 20th Century Fox: UNFAITHFULLY YOURS (1948). Though it recieved rave reviews, it was no box office hit.

In a nutshell:

With assistance of his brother in law, August (Rudy Vallee), the famous conductor Sir Alfred de Carter (Sir Rex Harrison) comes to the conclusion that his wife Daphne (Linda Darnell) commits adultery with his secretary Tony (Kurt Kreuger).

While conducting a concert, Sir Alfred imagines how he could satisfy his thirst for revenge by a) killing his wife b) forgiving her in a noble way and become the moral winner or c) playing russian roulette with Tony.

After the concert he tries to put his ideas in action but fails in every way. Finally he recognizes that his wife is faithful to him and he is coming down with a heavy cold, which will not prevent him from going dancing with his wife.

Schmooze:

• Lionel Stander, who plays Sir Alfred's manager, is known as Max in the TV-series HART TO HART (1979-1984) and as Cornelius Cobb in MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN(1936).
• Barbara Lawrence, who plays Daphne's sister, is a distant cousin to Nelson Eddy and has also played Linda Darnell's little sister in A LETTER TO THREE WIVES (1949). She is still alive.

Sight-read:

• In this movie you can hear Rossini's "William Tell Overture" and "Semiramide", Wagner's "Tannhäuser Overture" and "Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32" by Tchaikovsky. You can also hear parts of "Jingle Bells" - played by a musical box.

Murphy's law:

• At the rehearsal you can hear the orchester laughing but you don't see any laughing face. Rather disciplined!
  

My favourite feature:

The internal door of Sir Alfred's closet - mighty practical! I like that there's a mirror inside in height of the head. And all this little panels! Handy, indeed!

Scene to see:

Sir Alfred commits the perfect murder! You've got to see that! It is as cross as two sticks and really amazing! (who said I am a good girl??)

Wishlist:
Linda Darnell's evening gown and "the purple one" but without "the plumes on the hips".

Quotes Corner:

"You handle Händel like nobody handles Händel. And your Delius - delirious!"

Though I don't allways get along with slapstick, I enormously enjoy this comedy:

The finale is quite hilarious! I am also no fan of Sir Rex Harrison, but I love his perfomance in this film: He is pretty darn funny! I adore Linda Darnell pretty much, so she was the main cause for me to watch this movie for the first time. - Beside the fact, that this is a Preston Sturges flick! - Since then I saw it several times and still like it. And that Charles LeMaire was in authority for the wardrobe is also a bonus. There's only one thing that causes trouble at my home, when I turn on this film: that home recorder makes a sound that makes my cats flip out and run like smoke.. :")

Goodbye! I'll go and watch another movie..

Keep in mind: "So simple it operates itself!"