Monkey Business (1952)

Intro.
Here is yet another film that is a must see simply because of the cast.  This film is a perfect way to round out Cary Grant month, as it pairs him with wonderful co-stars and a chance to show off his wonderful sense of humor.  This film, much like most of Hawks's comedies, is rather silly but still provides some depth to the story.  While it is a wild and entertaining romp about what can happen when adults are turned into children, it also touches upon the sadness of losing that innocence. As Cary Grant's character, Barnaby, muses: "I'm beginning to wonder if being young is all it's cracked up to be. We dream of youth. We remember it as a time of nightingales and Valentines. And what are the facts? Mal-adjustment, near idiocy and a series of low comedy disasters, that's what youth is."


Overview
Cary Grant plays Dr. Barnaby Fulton, a chemist who is hoping to discover a formula that will ease the aches and pains of age.  He has a laboratory of chimpanzees and one very funny boss who is more focused on profits (played by Charles Coburn).  Barnaby's wife Edwina (played by Ginger Rogers) supports him wholeheartedly and they have a wonderful marriage.  One day one of the chimps gets loose and concocts a formula, which she then dumps into the water cooler of the lab.  Barnaby tests his latest formula on himself and takes a drink of water to wash it down.  Almost instantly he begins acting like a 20 year old college boy - not only is he free of aches and pains and bad vision, he drives like a maniac and goes roller skating and swimming and such with his boss's beautiful secretary, Lois Laurel (Marilyn Monroe).  After a wild day, he sleeps it off, but as he attempts to try it again, Edwina instead takes the formula followed by a drink of the lab's water.  She begins to act like her 20 year old self, and as she convinces Barnaby to return to the hotel where they honeymooned, she then begins to re-enact all of the drama of their wedding night.  Poor Barnaby gets kicked out of their room and again a crazy night ensues.  Emotions settled the following morning, they make up and go back to the lab.  Edwina uses the lab water to make them some coffee while Barnaby resolves to destroy all his notes.  Meanwhile his boss has heard of the success and demands that Barnaby turn over the formula.  Both Edwina and Barnaby are taken back to their 8 year old selves and the chaos only increases!  At long last and many laughs later, the truth of the water is discovered and the chimp responsible is put to work to replicate it (which echoes the idea of monkeys writing Shakespeare).  

Highlights
The big draw today for this film is Marilyn Monroe's real break out role.  She is delightful as the dim-witted but beautiful Lois, and seems to have a good sense of comedic timing.  She's quite a supporting actress and holds her own with such established and talented co-stars.  You can tell that Hawks is really trying to figure her out, getting her ready for his next picture, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (also wonderful, by the way, as is How to Marry a Millionaire).

Not only is Marilyn wonderful, but so is Ginger Rogers!  It's easy to forget that Ginger appeared in films without Fred Astaire, but without his big shadow you can really see her shine.  She's just as funny as Cary Grant (even funnier at times) with impeccable timing.  It reminded me of her amazing comedic role in Stage Door (which, if you haven't seen, you should add to your list!!).  She's pure dynamite. 

I wondered in this film if any other two actors could carry a film about reverting to childhood so well.  Both Grant and Rogers make the effects of the formula apparent and believeable.  Together they make an endearing, fun-loving couple who discover that love only gets better with time and youth is not all it's cracked up to be.

Review and Recommendation
Instead of sounding like a broken record and saying that you should see this film because of the great cast, I'm only going to say that it is one of the best Hawks comedies I've seen.  And really, how can you resist Cary Grant playing with a chimpanzee named Ester?

Also, keep your eyes peeled for a great cameo by Harry Carey Jr!!  And as always, you can read more at IMDb.