Socialite Candy Goodwin (Frances Dee) yearns for her hardworking, yet minimally paid, boyfriend, Mike Stewart (William Holden), to propose to her. Much as Mike loves Candy, however, he refuses to pop the question, sure that his salary wouldn't be sufficient to keep her living in the style to which she's accustomed. Additionally, he doesn't want to be seen as the fortune hunter Candy's dad thinks he is, so until such time as he can afford to support a wife on his own, he will not marry her.
Determined to snag her man, Candy promises Mike that she will live on a budget, while her father insists that there will be no financial help from him if the two do get married...that Candy will go to the marriage with nothing more than a few personal belongings. Of course, those are exactly the words Mike wants to hear, so he and Candy tie the knot.
Returning from their honeymoon, the couple discovers that they are over-budget on the furniture for their house. Determined to live within their means, they realize they will have to return some of their purchases...but just what they'll return remains to be seen, as everything is a "must have" for Candy. Also, although Candy is used to a maid and a cook, those things are not in the Stewart's budget, so she will have to learn to get along without them. The film chronicles the couple's attempts to live within their modest means.
Meet the Stewarts is not a terrific movie, but it's clean, fun, and enjoyable...a solid 3 stars. It's very dated (with such cringe-inducing lines as "All wives have to be smacked around a little.") and there are a few slapstick moments, but overall it's very sweet, with some lessons about debt and spending that our current "have to have it now, so I'll buy it on credit" society would do well to put into practice.
Out on DVD, this film is available through Classic Flix. It is also available in its entirety on YouTube. HERE is the link to part 1. I hope you get a chance to see it.
Happy viewing!!
