The More the Merrier

Released Mar 26, 1943

1h 44m

Comedy

List

100%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Due to a housing shortage in Washington, D.C., during World War II, Connie Milligan (Jean Arthur) agrees to rent part of her apartment to wealthy retiree Benjamin Dingle (Charles Coburn) and soldier Joe Carter (Joel McCrea). Although Connie is engaged to the unexciting Charles Pendergast (Richard Gaines), she becomes fond of Joe. When Dingle notices their interests in each other, he attempts to play matchmaker -- but instead causes problems for the entire apartment.

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Empire Magazine

Hilarious screwball comedy.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 10, 2012

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

A sparkling and effervescing piece of entertainment.

Mar 26, 2009

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Time Out

Despite a belated drift towards sentimentality, this remains a refreshingly intimate movie.

Jun 24, 2006

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Sean Burns

WBUR’s Arts & Culture

A farce that’s funny and sometimes startlingly hot. (McCrea otherwise only had this kind of chemistry with Randolph Scott.)

Feb 4, 2024

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

This romantic comedy, the last one directed by George Stevens for Columbia Pictures after 'Penny Serenade' and 'The Talk of the Town', seems to me charming and highly entertaining. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Jul 24, 2020

Full Review

Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

A gossamer-weight, charming film about how very awful it is to have the war fill every minute of your waking world - I don't know how that alchemy works, but it's sublime.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 16, 2018

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nick s

The acting is great, but not a lot really happens. If you watch for a short while at any point in the movie it is quite charming. Just not much in the way of a story. I think you have to be in the right mood for it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/22/23

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ed m

Likable comedy. Lightweight.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Enjoyable comedy with Jean Arther looking very 30-ish at 43. Charles Coburn's likable too, as always.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

martin b

The good: -A real lead part for the perpetual supporting actor Coburn and he turned in a beauty. His character critical and he executed perfectly. -War time housing conditions. -Jean Arthur first half of the movie. Effervescent, vivacious and trim. The bad -Joel McCrea no Cary Grant who should have played the part. Not humorous enough, comes off most of the movie as a condescending jerk. -Jean Arthur who whined through the last part of the movie -The script technique of feeling one way but behaving in another taken way too far for the purpose of filling time right up to the end.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

john g

terrifically entertaining plot and script. McCrea, Arthur and Coburn are perfect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

william d

Two men living with one woman must have been pretty risque in 1943. While the plot hasn't aged well there is some clever and amusing dialogue here. Jean Arthur is her usual wonderful self, Joel McCrea is his usual dull self, and Charles Coburn does a fine job.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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George Stevens

Director

Jean Arthur

Connie Milligan

Joel McCrea

Joe Carter

Charles Coburn

Benjamin Dingle

Richard Gaines

Charles J. Pendergast

Bruce Bennett

Evans

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Synopsis

Due to a housing shortage in Washington, D.C., during World War II, Connie Milligan (Jean Arthur) agrees to rent part of her apartment to wealthy retiree Benjamin Dingle (Charles Coburn) and soldier Joe Carter (Joel McCrea). Although Connie is engaged to the unexciting Charles Pendergast (Richard Gaines), she becomes fond of Joe. When Dingle notices their interests in each other, he attempts to play matchmaker -- but instead causes problems for the entire apartment.

Director: George Stevens
Producer: Fred Guiol, George Stevens
Screenwriter: Richard Flournoy, Lewis R. Foster, Garson Kanin, Frank Ross, Robert Russell
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 26, 1943, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2014
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Mono

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