Loretta Young is June Cameron, author of the new best-seller, Spinsters Aren't Spinach. June is a feminist who believes that women don't need men for fulfillment; her book, which is currently all the rage, encourages women to throw off the shackles of marriage. While on vacation, June meets Tim Sterling (Ray Milland), a teacher of neuro-psychiatry, who is the polar opposite of her in his beliefs. Telling June that "women are not equipped to take their place in a man's world," he belittles the teachings of Spinsters Aren't Spinach.
Since she needs a ride back to New York, June is forced to travel with Tim, and they find themselves bickering almost the entire way. However, while in Greenwich, Connecticut, June asks Tim to stop at the telegraph office so she can send a wire. As it happens, the telegraph office is adjacent to the Justice of the Peace office, and while June and Tim are both absent from the car, a boy from the JP's office accidentally places a "Just Married" banner on the wrong car...instead of the car belonging to the couple just married, the banner is put on Tim's car. Unbeknownst to Tim or June, they travel the remainder of the way to New York in a car announcing them as newlyweds.
Upon dropping June off at her apartment, Tim realizes that she has accidentally taken one of his pieces of luggage from the car and so, leaving the "just married" car in front of the apartment building, he races after her. However, they were spotted, and, in short order, the newspaper has given first page coverage to the marriage of the famous author and the doctor.
Sure that the press coverage of June's "marriage" will be good for her career, June's agent (Reginald Gardiner) convinces her to keep up the charade. Tim, who is engaged to be married (to Gail Patrick), has no intention of going along with the charade...until, simply because of his new marital status, he receives a long-hoped-for promotion. Suddenly, Tim needs to keep up the masquerade, even though his doing so greatly upsets his fiancee.
The movie chronicles Tim and June's attempts to look married without actually being married. It's quite funny and sweet. And, of course, as noted, it's very predictable. Then again, most movies---especially screwball comedy---are. I own this movie, having recorded it from TCM a few years ago. I watch it a couple times a year, and it never ceases to make me laugh. No, it's not the best movie ever made and it's no thought-provoking message movie. It's just good, clean, entertaining fun.
The film is out on DVD, as part of the Icons of Screwball Comedy collection, so it should be relatively easy to track down.
Happy viewing!!