Let's Make It Legal

Let's Make It Legal
Original film poster
Directed by	Richard Sale
Screenplay by	F. Hugh Herbert I.A.L. Diamond
Story by	Mortimer Braus
Produced by	Robert Bassler
Starring	Claudette Colbert Macdonald Carey Zachary Scott Barbara Bates Robert Wagner Marilyn Monroe
Cinematography	Lucien Ballard
Edited by	Robert Fritch
Music by	Cyril J. Mockridge
Production company	20th Century-Fox
Distributed by	20th Century-Fox
Release date	November 6, 1951 (1951-11-06)
Running time	77 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.25 million (US rentals)

Let's Make It Legal is a 1951 American comedy film made by 20th Century-Fox, directed by Richard Sale and produced by Robert Bassler from a screenplay by I.A.L. Diamond and F. Hugh Herbert, based on a story by Mortimer Braus entitled "My Mother-in-Law, Miriam". The music was by Cyril J. Mockridge, and the cinematography by Lucien Ballard. The film stars Claudette Colbert, Macdonald Carey, Zachary Scott, Barbara Bates, Robert Wagner, and Marilyn Monroe.

Plot

Miriam and Hugh Halsworth are in the final stages of their divorce, which she initiated because he is an inveterate—though not unlucky—gambler. Their adult daughter, Barbara, is living in the family home with Miriam, along with Barbara's husband, Jerry Denham, and Barbara and Jerry's baby daughter, Annabelle, while Hugh is living at the Hotel Miramar in Santa Monica, where he works as head of publicity. Jerry, who works for Hugh, would like to move out so Barbara will stop relying on her mother so much, but Barbara says she does not want to leave Miriam alone.

Victor Macfarland, a self-made millionaire financier who is rumored to be under consideration to be the next American representative to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stays at the Miramar during a rare visit home. Hugh is not happy to see Victor, as the two men were rivals for Miriam's hand in high school, and Miriam expresses no interest in seeing Victor, as she has not heard from him since he abruptly left town 20 years earlier.

Much to Miriam's annoyance, Hugh still spends a lot of time at their house to care for his prized rose bushes. When he is over the last day before their divorce is finalized, he says he has quit gambling and gets Miriam to agree to go out to dinner with him, but his progress is reversed when his bookie calls to say he won a bet. Just then, Victor knocks at the door, and Miriam, frustrated by Hugh, invites Victor to stay for dinner. Hugh ends up sulking alone on the patio, while Miriam and Victor dance inside, until they have a champagne toast at midnight to the official end of Miriam and Hugh's marriage.

Hugh cannot avoid Miriam and Victor's renewed courtship, as it takes place largely at the Miramar. He tries to throw a wrench in the works by introducing Victor to Joyce Mannering, but Victor hardly even looks at the attractive young beauty contest winner and model. Victor invites Miriam to come travel with him, but she reminds him that she has responsibilities as a mother and grandmother and says that maybe they should not see each other anymore. He stops her from leaving his hotel room, however, and, when she gets back home, she shows Barbara and Jerry her enormous engagement ring and announces she is getting married in three days.

The day before the wedding, Victor tells Barbara that he has to go to Washington, D.C., that evening for a hearing on his appointment to the IMF, and he gets her to agree to follow him the next day so they can still get married. Just before he steps on his plane, Miriam insists that he tell her why he abandoned her 20 years ago, and he finally admits that he and Hugh played craps for her, and he lost.

A furious Miriam calls Hugh to tell him off. She threatens to tear out his rose bushes, and he is a bit drunk, so he goes by the house after dark to transplant the roses. He enlists Jerry to help him, and the pair end up getting arrested by some passing police officers. Jerry calls Miriam to come identify him and Hugh, and, in the morning, it is national news—complete with pictures—that Victor Macfarland's fiancée was seen leaving a police station with her ex-husband.

The story proves awkward for Victor, and he calls Miriam to tell her to stay home until it blows over and he is confirmed. Their conversation becomes increasingly heated, and she ends up calling off their engagement. When Hugh comes by to pick up the last of his things, Miriam tells him that she cannot forgive him for gambling over her, as it proves he did not really love her. He says he always carries the pair of dice he used in his pocket, and asks Miriam to roll them. Confused, she complies, and discovers that they always come up three and four. Hugh says he cheated because the stakes were so high, and he and Miriam kiss.

Cast

• Claudette Colbert as Miriam Halsworth
• Macdonald Carey as Hugh Halsworth, Miriam's ex-husband, who handles publicity for the Hotel Miramar
• Zachary Scott as Victor Macfarland, a wealthy financier who was Miriam's high school sweetheart
• Barbara Bates as Barbara Denham, Miriam and Hugh's adult daughter
• Robert Wagner as Jerry Denham, Barbara's husband, who works for Hugh
• Marilyn Monroe as Joyce Mannering, a beauty contest winner and model staying at the Hotel Miramar
• Frank Cady as Ferguson, Victor's head secretary

Uncredited

• Jim Hayward as Pete, Miriam's gardener
• Joan Fisher as Annabella, Barbara and Jerry's baby daughter
• Carol Savage as Miss Jessup, Victor's assistant secretary
• Kathleen Freeman as a reporter
• Michael Ross as one of the policeman who arrests Hugh and Jerry
• Jack Mather as one of the policeman who arrests Hugh and Jerry
• Ralph Sanford as the police lieutenant interested in roses

Critical response

The New York Daily Mirror said of the film:

"Claudette Colbert is a capable farceur, but she cannot make Let's Make It Legal as merry as it was hoped. While she is on the Roxy screen the comedy skips along, but when her co-stars take over the plot labors. ... It suffers from a weak script and incredible characterizations by Macdonald Carey and Zachary Scott... Marilyn Monroe parades her shapely chassis for incidental excitement. ... Let's Make It Legal is a valiant effort by Claudette Colbert, who cannot overcome the handicaps."

The New York Daily News stated:

"The Roxy's Let's Make It Legal is an inconsistent farce that luckily has sufficient saving graces, the predominating benefit being performances by the popular and comedy-wise co-stars, Claudette Colbert and Macdonald Carey. Their presences and a satisfactory amount of bright dialogue counteract strained farcial situations and indifferent story... Marilyn Monroe is amusing in a brief role as a beautiful shapely blonde who has her eye on Zachary Scott and his millions."

External links

• Let's Make It Legal at IMDb
• Let's Make It Legal at the TCM Movie Database
• Let's Make It Legal at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
• Let's Make It Legal at Rotten Tomatoes