On E List of Movie Reviews

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The Egg and I (1947)

Rate: 6
Viewed: 5/25

EggI
5/25: The Egg and I is scattered.

I give credit to Claudette Colbert for keeping it together as much as possible. Whenever she isn't on screen, the movie doesn't have the same energy. Otherwise, she's fun to watch. As for Fred MacMurray, he may look perfectly cast, but his character is extremely self-absorbed. Moreover, it's hard to see him and Claudette Colbert as husband and wife. Then again, they starred in seven pictures together.

Oddly, Marjorie Main ended up being Oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actress as Ma Kettle, setting off a franchise that saw ten films in total. I failed to discern any potential in her family to make that happen, so my judgment will have to be reserved until I go through the next few sequels.

The Egg and I is advertised as a comedy, but there isn't much of it. On top of Betty being left alone by Bob for over nine months, I've had to suspend my disbelief given that it costs a lot of money to get started as chicken farmers, especially when the extensive amount of repairs are accounted for. After his property was burned down, Bob was able to upgrade to a long-established business that's probably worth millions today. Only in Hollywood.

All in all, if you liked Funny Farm, you might want to check out The Egg and I.