Made for Each Other/James Stewart on Film DVD

Made for Each Other
James Stewart and Carole Lombard star in this comedy-drama about the struggles of a young married couple directed by John Cromwell. Stewart and Lombard play a recently married couple, Jane and John Mason. John works as an attorney for the law firm of skinflint Judge Doolittle (Charles Coburn). Doolittle calls John back to work immediately after the wedding ceremony, forcing the couple to abandon their honeymoon. But John is ready to do Doolittle's bidding, since he hopes to become a partner in the firm. Doolittle is openly disappointed at the marriage, hoping John would have instead married his daughter Eunice (Ruth Weston). Eunice eventually marries another lawyer in the firm, Carter (Donald Briggs). John and Jane try to make ends meet and invite Doolittle, Eunice, and Carter to dinner. The dinner turns into a disaster, climaxing with Doolittle informing John he has decided to make Carter a partner in the firm. Crushed, John and Jane work hard but to no avail, sinking deeper and deeper into debt. Jane has a baby, but when the child becomes seriously ill, the only way to save the baby is to have a special serum flown in through a blizzard from Salt Lake City. John needs $5000 to hire a pilot and get the medicine, and his only hope is to beg Judge Doolittle for the money. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Cast Carole Lombard as Jane Mason James Stewart as Johnny Mason Charles Coburn as Judge Joseph Doolittle Lucile Watson as Mrs. Mason Eddie Quillan as Conway Alma Kruger as Sister Madeline Ruth Weston as Eunice Doolittle Donald Briggs as Carter Harry Davenport as Dr. Healy Esther Dale as First Cook Russell Hopton as Collins Ward Bond as Jim Hatton Olin Howland as Farmer Fern Emmett as Farmer's Wife Louise Beavers as Third Cook Jackie Taylor as John, Jr., at Age 1

Crew Lyle Wheeler - Art Director Travis Banton - Costume Designer Eric Stacey - First Assistant Director John Cromwell - Director Hal Kern - Editor James Newcom - Editor Louis Forbes - Composer (Music Score) Louis Forbes - Musical Direction/Supervision William Cameron Menzies - Production Designer Leon Shamroy - Cinematographer David O. Selznick - Producer Edward Boyle - Set Designer Jack Cosgrove - Special Effects Jo Swerling - Screenwriter Frank Ryan - Screenwriter

Made for Each Other
Made for Each Other shouldn't really work as well as it does. There's a third act change-of-gears that is so wrenching that it should throw the whole film off course, and it's followed by some changes-of-heart that are pretty hard to take. Fortunately, before this happens, Made has built up such good will for the characters that most viewers will accept the abrupt melodrama. Before that point, writers Jo Swerling and Frank Ryan have done a wonderful job of pulling the viewer in to the lives of young marrieds James Stewart and Carole Lombard. Even though the situations the couple finds itself in are certainly familiar, they're well handled and given just enough individuality to seem fresh. There are marvelous little touches in the dialogue, nothing poetic or meaningful, but little turns of phrases that make the characters live and breathe. All this would mean little if the actors portraying the couple were not Stewart and Lombard, each of whom turns in a performance that is absolutely pitch perfect. More importantly, they share a palpable chemistry; one really does believe that these two characters were made for each other. The supporting cast is also first rate, and John Cromwell's direction is appropriately sensitive, helped enormously by Leon Shamroy's gorgeous but unobtrusive cinematography. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: Spanish, Japanese Sound Processing: Additional Features: Introduction by Tony Curtis Original theatrical trailer for James Stewart's Shop Around the Corner Digitally mastered from the best available sources for the highest quality possible DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: All Content Length: min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Opening Credits [2:09] 2. Surprise, Surprise [3:47] 3. Letter From Jane to Johnny [:50] 4. Johnny Asks for Vacation [5:50] 5. Leaving for Europe [3:03] 6. Vacation Cancelled [2:55] 7. At the New Apartment [5:15] 8. At Mason's for Dinner [4:48] 9. Jane at the Doctor Office [1:58] 10. Jane Tells the News [:55] 11. Manhattan Maternity Hospital [3:13] 12. Back at Home as a Family [4:44] 13. Johnny Back From the Reunion [3:18] 14. Jane Advises Johnny [4:37] 15. Johnny Back at the Office [3:48] 16. Bad News [6:17] 17. Jane Looks for a Job [2:00] 18. New Year's Eve [10:34] 19. Emergency [2:15] 20. Johnny Asks for Help [5:04] 21. Baby Is Getting Worse [4:14] 22. Lost Commuication With Pilot [6:35] 23. Johnny Informs Jane/Conclusion [2:17]