GOVERNMENT GIRL (1943)

Inconsequential romantic-comedy, set in overcrowded WWII Washington, proved to be highly consequential; not as film, but in film business.  How’d that happen?  First the film.  In this directing debut, serious writer Dudley Nichols (writing with Budd Schulberg from an Adela Rogers St. Johns story) tries on a MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON template as sharp government secretary Olivia de Havilland teaches the Washington anagram playbook to hard-charging Detroit auto exec Sonny Tufts (charm-free), brought in to ramp up airplane production.  Two other guys also playing for de Havilland: reporter Paul Stewart and Congressional Aide Jess Barker.  Meanwhile, newlywed friends James Dunn and Anne Shirley (dreadful) hunt the No Vacancy town for ‘sleeping’ accommodations.   Presumably, Nichols thought a fast paced little comedy would make his move into directing simple.  Sorry, Dudley, comedy three times harder than drama.  Talk Loud/Talk Fast; cover with ‘funny’ music about all he’s got.  (Nichols proved no better in his two tries at drama.)  So, what makes the film consequential, a Hollywood turning point?  De Havilland, who started in 1935 at 19, was in the eighth year of her seven-year contract; and not even working for home studio Warners, but on loan out to David O. Selznick who in turn loaned her out to R.K.O. for a film she didn’t want to make.  She’d finally had enough and went to court hoping to win the same case Bette Davis had lost a few yeas back,  Basically, it stopped studios from adding time on to your contract if you refused an assignment.  Off screen for three years, de Havilland won the case, finished her Warners commitment with two films in 1946 and was free to work elsewhere.  What Curt Flood was to free-agency in the MLB (losing his case, but winning the battle),, de Havilland won decades earlier in Hollywood.

WATCH THIS, NOT THAT/LINK: Earlier in ‘43, de Havilland nailed this sort of WWII Washington rom-com: winning, spirited, funny, romantic, wistful and lovely in PRINCESS O’ROURKE/’43.  Inconsequential, but good inconsequential.  https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2010/06/princess-orourke-1943.html