Tonight's Movie: Confidentially Connie (1953)

CONFIDENTIALLY CONNIE reunited Van Johnson and Janet Leigh, who had costarred in her first movie, THE ROMANCE OF ROSY RIDGE, half a dozen years earlier.

The somewhat peculiar plot, which concerns Van's salary as a professor being insufficient to put meat on the table (literally) for his expectant wife Janet, is about on the level of a '50s family sitcom. However, it's executed by a solid cast, which includes Louis Calhern as Van's cattle rancher father; Gene and Kathleen Lockhart as the university president and his wife; Walter Slezak as a butcher; Hayden Rorke and Arthur Space as professors; and Barbara Ruick as a college student.

The storyline left me wondering who on earth came up with a script about meat-obsessed professors and their wives -- incredibly, novelist Herman Wouk (THE WINDS OF WAR) is one of those credited with the story -- but despite that I enjoyed the movie, which runs a fairly fast-paced 74 minutes.

A couple of movies ago I mentioned that films sometimes present an interesting peek at how times have changed. In the case of the previous movie, THE SECRET BRIDE, it was furs; watching this film I couldn't help being shocked by the opening scene, which finds pregnant Janet Leigh puffing away on a cigarette -- in her obstetrician's waiting room, no less! I know times have changed, but...wow. Times really have changed.

The movie was directed by Edward Buzzell.

It can be seen on cable as part of the library on Turner Classic Movies.

Update: For more thoughts on movies and changing times, here's Jacqueline's post at Another Old Movie Blog.

Update: This film is now available on DVD from the Warner Archive.