MovieChat Forums > To Be or Not to Be (1942) Discussion > Carole Lombard is so wonderful in this f...

Carole Lombard is so wonderful in this film

posted 21 years ago by willowz_girl
14 replies | jump to latest

I was just watching it again and I just LOVE her performance. She's as mad as a hatter (as usual), but so charming and adorable. And her dialogue delivery and comic timing is amazing. Truly the greatest screen comedianne I've ever seen.

And she looks amazingly beautiful in the movie too - I was wondering if that was her actual hair or a wig, anyone know? Cause I thought it was gorgeous. But watching this film, despite all the laughts, always makes me a little sad too, thinking about everything that happened afterwards. It's hard to believe - looking at her here, more beautiful than ever and so full of life.

[–] 21 years ago

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[–] harleydd 19 years ago

MY ALL-TIME FAV FILM OF CAROLE'S IS: MR. AND MRS. SMITH! I'VE WATCHED IT OVER AND OVER - AND I STILL LOVE IT!

HOW TRAGIC FOR MS. LOMBARD TO DIE AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE.

[–] jg67 19 years ago

I agree. Gorgeous and funny. Her timing and delivery were top notch. So was everyone elses. Just finished watching it for the first time. Great movie.

"My left hand hasn't seen my right in twenty years." JJHunsecker

[–] monthofthellama 19 years ago

Same i just saw to be or not to be and i thought she was wonderful in it. I saw my man godfrey and didnt think it was as good as everyone says it is, but now thinking about it and carole lombard i should have watched it again. Usually i find classic films are a lot funnier the second time and i thought she was quite funny in it. Her comic timing is perfet in the films ive seen with her (NOT MANY) and she looks stunning. Now i wanna see all her films.

[–] Don_Juan_de_Berlin 19 years ago

She IS amazing.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] rainbird131162 18 years ago

Carole Lombard is quite wonderful & has such a great way with a line. She's the kind of actress you could give a bad line of dialogue to & she could make it acceptable. Give her a good line & she could make it great. But give her a great line &, wow, watch out. Fortunately To Be Or Not To Be has quite a few of those.

[–] zurichpoet 15 years ago

Her line readings were true. But so much of what she said was said with her true and innate sexy sashay.
As in: how she approached and left a conversation. Amazing.

[–] newt_jorden 14 years ago

Carole was absolutely wonderful in this movie

[–] franzkabuki 12 years ago

Nope. She´s okay enough to look at, but generally a bland and unremarkable presence. Was somewhat better in My Man Godfrey, but still... a mediocre actress.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] lolarites-894-174248 11 years ago

She was such a sweetheart and loved by all. I think she looked so good in this because she was so happy with Gable. She and William Powell were already divorced when they did Godfrey, but they were so good together in that too.

[–] ABetterDay 11 years ago

My Man Godfrey was her best effort as an actress.

The most interesting aspect of the course of human events is that we will never know "what might have been." A good guess, however, regarding Gable and Lombard, is that it wouldn't have lasted very long and for mostly the same reasons she was not compatible with Powell. This same notion is why I am glad that Powell (my favorite actor) did not marry Jean Harlow. It would have ended rather quickly. Powell did eventually get the love interest correct and was happily married for many years.

Remember When Movies Didn't Have To Be Politically Correct?

[–] kenny-164 11 years ago

I also thought Lombard was excellent in this film. Beautiful, quite evidently smart (which assisted in her comic timing, I think), and of course combines sensual with funny. No wonder Gable adored her, and apparently found no one to replace her after her death, despite living nearly another twenty years.

[–] PretoriaDZ 10 years ago

Your last sentence took the words right out of my own mouth. I know by now, Carole Lombard would have died of old age and yet I can't help but mourn for her audience that we don't have more movies from her and mourn for the heartbreak that Clark Gable suffered, losing his "Ma".

This positively infantile preoccupation with bosoms!Terry-Thomas about US 1963.Hasnt changed much!