The Sunday Salon: Watching Wallflower (1948)

I recently watched Wallflower a black and white romantic comedy from 1948. At first I feared this might be more of a drama since it is about two sisters who fall in love with the same man. I shouldn't have been worried. For both sisters truly didn't "love" the same man. One sister, the oh-so-beautiful, oh-so-charming, could-flirt-with-any-man-any-time-any-place named Joy doesn't truly love Warren James (Robert Hutton). The supposed-to-be-plain sister, Jackie, is anything but plain. For Jackie it's all a matter of choice. Do I want to act like a brainless fool in order to catch a guy's notice or do I want to be myself? When Jackie starts mimicking her sister's ridiculous dialogues, the men flock to her. Jackie's performance seems a bit over-the-top perhaps, but I think that's because viewers know there is so much more to her. Joy, well, if it is an act with Joy, then it's a more convincing act. Not that Joy is always, always, always annoying. There are a few scenes with her acting truly sincere and concerned. Which was nice. If these two sisters hadn't loved each other, well, then they'd have been some drama! The question may remain which sister does Warren James really "love"? His eye is caught first by Jackie--he even asks her to the dance first, well, he gets 90% of his question out. Her sister, Joy, walks in the room in a bathing suit and keeps him from finishing the question completely. So if Joy hadn't walked in right then...if she'd walked in fully dressed--modestly dressed--OR if Joy had known that Warren was showing interest in her sister...then Warren might have been with Jackie all along. As it is, he proposes to both sisters--on the same night!!! So Jackie has every reason to be suspicious. Does it really matter? In the movies, maybe not so much...not if you're looking for a light romance with an emphasis on comedy (the swimming scene, for example). 

Watch Wallflower

• If you're fortunate enough to see it on TV (again, this one isn't available on DVD)
• If you like black and white romantic comedies
• If you like family dramas with step families

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews