Tonight's Movie: That Uncertain Feeling (1941)

THAT UNCERTAIN FEELING is a tepid marital comedy starring Merle Oberon, Melvyn Douglas, and Burgess Meredith. Although it's directed by the great Ernst Lubitsch and has some amusing moments, the film drifts aimlessly along and was a disappointment considering the director and cast.

Oberon and Douglas play a happily married couple whose relationship is disrupted when she becomes infatuated with a boorish pianist (Meredith). Can this marriage be saved?

Douglas has some funny scenes, particularly when he confronts the other man with a gun, and Oberon is charming as always, but I don't have much liking for Meredith, and he's frankly quite tiresome in this. The audience never understands why Oberon would leave Douglas for a drip like Meredith, even if her marriage has become a bit routine. The film does build to an amusing climax, but is not on a par with the director's best work.

The movie's brightest moments are provided by Harry Davenport and Eve Arden, two comedy pros who never disappoint. Arden's scenes in particular are the best in the film.

The supporting cast includes Sig Ruman and Alan Mowbray. It's a black and white film which runs 84 minutes.

THAT UNCERTAIN FEELING is available on DVD and video. The VHS print I watched was a 1997 Alpha Video release which was quite faded, but watchable.

This movie is shown from time to time on Turner Classic Movies.