The Lady Says No (1952)

So much average

Overrated

A Disappointing Continuation

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The Lady Says No is the type of post World War II film that tackled issues the movies would not focus on. In this case, it's feminism. Beautiful Joan Caulfield (Blue Skies, The Unsuspected) was directed by her husband, Frank Ross, to play a man-hating writer of a book telling women to be cautious of a man's desires. David Niven is a photographer for a magazine who tries to do a story on her, but romance steps in...with complications. He gets embarrassed for whistling at her, she takes the heat for her book causing a marital break-up. But, ultimately, things turn around, as a sergeant reunites with his wife and writer and photographer get back together, as well.Also in the cast are Francis Bavier (Aunt Bee-The Andy Griffith Show), James Robertson Justice, Henry Jones, Lenore Lonergan, and Peggy Malley, with Bavier and Justice as Caulfield's aunt and uncle, Jones and Lonergan as a military couple, and Malley as a friend of the military couple.Mostly hilarious and predictable (Caulfield's dream of her fighting off jungle women to get to Niven), but stoic in some areas (Niven's lack of comic response), the film was written as a showpiece for Caulfield, who carried the movie. Wouldn't mind seeing it again. In other words, I would love to see Caulfield flaunt her style in Orry-Kelly fashions, while she defends her position of feminism, while a different actor could have been used as a comic foil, maybe Fred MacMurray. A film slightly ahead of its time.

Slight romcom set in around 1950s Carmel, California, where suave bachelor globe-trotting photographer David Niven is assigned to shoot a best-selling feminist author, who turns out to be the virginal, cool and very smartly turned out blonde Joan Caulfield. At his first tired ploy of getting her to remove more and more clothes, she ends the shoot by walking out. Each further advance on his part is met by more rebuffs, following which she allures him into yet more humiliation. Even her dreams show attraction competing with repulsion. Restless, she starts interfering in the romances and marriages of his blue-collar friends as well. It has to end, as we know it will, with her growing up. The little girl who keeps saying no must become a woman and learn to say yes. Good support from, among others, James Robertson Justice as her errant Irish uncle, Henry Jones as an amazingly unwarlike army sergeant and Lenore Lonergan as his battleaxe wife.

Joan Caulfield and the cocksure, conceited Niven made the funny snappy screwball LADY SAYS NO, directed by Frank Ross; Niven is a photographer, Shelby, attracted to a young feminist authoress who turns into a willful woman and husband—snatcher—and then, the transformation of this babe as she opens herself to love. The womanizer Shelby sets himself up to conquering the blonde writer. The comic is often very unsubtle, but after seeing ETERNALLY YOURS—with the same Niven--, LADY SAYS NO looked like a marvel of fun (--that was a romance while this is a malicious sex comedy--). Basically well—paced, LADY SAYS NO is a watchable screwball and an anti—feminist satire, though quite witless ; it's better directed than written, the blonde does an average role. Niven, a meager but funnier Rathbone, has some brio as the sardonic seducer; but, even for himself, he looks awfully old and ugly, and with a rather constipated humor. The leading actress could be a bit uninspiring. Not more than 6/10.

I thought this was a really good love story! Joan Caulfield and David Niven were awesome and perfect together! A woman named Dorinda Hatch writes a book about her hatred toward men. A photographer named Bill Shelby meets to do a story on her, and he automatically falls in love with her, but the feeling isn't mutual for Dorinda. She embarrasses him in front of other women by showing what would happen if a man whistles to her. After she makes a fool of him, she starts to feel sorry for him and slowly falls in love with him. Her book ruins the marriage of a couple, so Dorinda tries to help make it right. She eventually regrets that she ever wrote the book, and shows the love. If you love classic romantic comedies, you'll love THE LADY SAYS NO!!!