Meet the Stewarts

A man (William Holden) marries a woman (Frances Dee) from a rich family, then discovers she can’t live within a budget.

Meet the Stewarts is a surprisingly funny film. Instead of trying for laughs through physical comedy or grating situations (both pretty standard for comedies of the time), Meet the Stewarts instead offers up a script with some pretty good lines.

It doesn’t hurt that Frances Dee has a faint echo of Rosalind Russell, in that she has a certain toughness about her that prevents her from seeming too coy, especially in her scenes opposite William Holden.

And it’s Holden that really anchors the film. He makes a fantastic straight man who comes across as both likable and relatable, and his character’s willingness to stand up (or at least try) to Frances Dee’s is a refreshing change.

Adding to this is the film’s brief 73 minute running time, which keeps it from wearing out its welcome.

While it’s no classic, Meet the Stewarts is funnier than it has any right to be.