On paper, Norman Forster’s Tell It to the Judge sounds like a great idea for a drama. Woman awaiting confirmation on her appointment to be a federal judge in the ‘40s worries that her recent divorce might be held against her. That’s a film that could easily get made today.
It’s not a bad basis for a comedy, either. The problem with Tell It to the Judge (or the part that’s disappointing) is the film isn’t remotely interested in Marsha’s career. If Marsha (Rosalind Russell) wasn’t equally uninterested it would be a real mess, but it’s like how Woman of the Year ends with Katherine Hepburn’s character deciding to be a homemaker full time. At least she loved her job once. Tell It to the Judge makes out like Marsha was only trying to be a federal judge to please her grandfather (Harry Davenport). She doesn’t want the job, but she’s going to lie to get it.
Instead of building a comedy around courtroom antics, Nat Perrin’s screenplay is only interested in screwball comedy. The law is window dressing for Pete (Robert Cummings) and Marsha’s on-again off-again romance, as they make one rash decision after another.
Is all of this to say that Tell It to the Judge isn’t funny? Not at all. In real life Pete and Marsha would be arrested – you can’t give people sleeping pills without their knowledge – but in the context of this movie they’re usually hilarious. Both Russell and Cummings are great physical comedians, who will throw themselves around for a laugh, and it helps that their efforts are fully supported by Jean Louis‘ costumes.
At one point Marsha and Pete have to escape a police raid and Marsha’s dress ends up being completely inappropriate, but it’s the perfect agitator for a couple who are supposed to be bickering anyway. There’s also a great sequence where Marsha and Pete get stranded on an island with a lighthouse keeper (Clem Bevans) and Marsha borrows a set of clothes to wear. Not only are the clothes oversized but Louis makes sure it looks like an outfit Marsha cobbled together out of what was on hand, including a rope to keep her pants up.
Sure, Perrin’s screenplay relies on the characters acting irrationally. Here are two characters who are supposed to be professionals and they jump to conclusions all the time. There are also a ton of coincidences involving Gig Young’s character, Alexander, who magically shows up whenever Marsha needs a beard. Like, it’s one thing to run into a person while they’re staying at the same hotel, but they don’t show up at a friend’s house who’s not a mutual friend. Plus, who says a woman can’t be funny and a career woman? Yet, for all of Tell It to the Judge’s misjudgments, it’s still an amusing movie.
Umbrella Entertainment’s DVD is very barebones. No subtitles. Not even a main menu, but the good news is that, while it’s listed as region 4, it will play on a region 1 player.
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