The Lady Is Willing, from 1942, is a romantic comedy starring Marlene Dietrich and Fred MacMurray. While the film is primarily a light romantic comedy, it does have a few dramatic moments, and I even found myself getting slightly misty-eyed at one point.
Marlene Dietrich plays Elizabeth Madden, an unmarried stage actress with financial problems. As the film begins, Elizabeth arrives home at her posh apartment, a baby in her arms. The baby had been abandoned, so Elizabeth took her, fully intending to adopt her. When she calls in Dr. Corey McBain (Fred MacMurray) to examine the child, she discovers that the dressed-in-pink child isn't a girl after all. No matter, though...Elizabeth still wants the child and sets out to adopt him.
Adopting the little one isn't as easy as Elizabeth had hoped or expected, though. It seems that all her debt is working against her. According to the court, Elizabeth must either be solvent or married in order to make the baby hers. Since becoming solvent isn't easily accomplished, she must locate a husband...and Dr. McBain fits the bill nicely.
Elizabeth and Dr. McBain's marriage is supposed to be a marriage of convenience. Will it stay that way? What happens when Elizabeth's leading man kisses her? What happens when a couple shows up, claiming to be the baby's real parents? And what about the sudden presence of Dr. McBain's ex-wife? These are the questions that will play out in this delightful film.
The Lady Is Willing is totally predictable, but it's also completely sweet and adorable. I found myself smiling through the entire film and commenting over and over how much I was enjoying it. As a side note, I will mention that I'm not a huge Marlene Dietrich fan; while I don't hate her, I just don't consider myself a fan of hers. Despite that, though, I enjoyed this film immensely and really found Dietrich to be delightful in her role. This is a film I will watch over and over. Definitely, highly recommended!
While I don't believe the film is out on DVD, I know it is available through You Tube. Try to catch it there or on TCM. Happy viewing!
