source: It Had to Be You

This wonderful film deserves more than 10 stars! "It Had To Be You" is a perfectly enjoyable movie with a fun story and excellent cast! Ginger Rogers and Cornel Wilde are perfect together! This film is interesting from beginning to end and moves quickly with a big surprise in the last few seconds! A perfect movie for anyone who enjoys a creative, light-hearted, romantic comedy with a superb cast!

IT HAD TO BE YOU is an imaginative fantasy/comedy, but by 1947 the era of screwball was pretty much finished. Its comedy is real but forced, not least in the hyperactive performance given by Ginger Rogers, almost as if she didn't have confidence that the material could play without a serious push. But fantasy requires a lighter touch than it got from Rogers in this movie. Cornel Wilde's performance isn't exactly understated either, but it remains controlled and effective, and surprisingly, he seems to have had more of a flair for farce than he had for the adventure flicks that filled his career. His George McKesson is certainly an unusual character. Something of a guardian angel for Ginger's Vicki, George appears not as a disembodied spirit but as a physical man, and in the image of her subconscious 'true love' who turns out to be a fireman, also played by Wilde. This is an angel who doesn't know exactly why he's been sent to earth (beyond helping Victoria, of course), and has to discover the secret right along with her. He isn't much of a help in this regard, merely serving as an embarrassment to her as he comes between Vicki and her latest false fiancée. Ultimately, George would seem to be more of a plot device than anything else, but that's fair enough, the movie has no pretension to being anything more than an amusement, and it amuses tolerably well. Did Wilde ever have another chance to do comedy? If not, it's a pity. As for Ginger, IT HAD TO BE YOU is something of a milestone in her career. This is the last time she played a character noticeably younger than her actual age (a common occurrence up to this point. MONKEY BUSINESS is kinda, sorta an exception). 1948 would be the first year since 1928 in which she would not make any films at all (an unfortunate contract signed with a fledgling studio would be the cause of that delay). When she returned in THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY she played a mature wife, and it would be mature characters for the rest of her career. And it would be a different Hollywood. The Classic Period was already slipping away, and it slipped away a lot faster for its aging female figures, particularly those who weren't the type to play human grotesques. Maybe that's the reason she seemed so uncharacteristically frantic in IT HAD TO BE YOU. She sensed that time was beginning to run out. Happily, she would have a long and graceful denouement.

I reviewed this around the Valentine's month for 2011. Notice it was coming on wee hours of the morning and set recorder to do so. I had never seen the movie – didn't know it existed, yet found it interesting after reviewing the recording. There was something about the write-up that made me think it would be interesting. I was thinking of Runaway Bride - but only thing they shares is that the bride did runaway. After that, the movies are different as it has fantasy and reality both in the plot. I think we need a tip for watching and enjoying the movie: The tip is to not to try to guess where the movie is going but relax and know it does have a happy ending. Enjoy how you get there. I did some Google's and research for what inspired the song to the title of the move: It Had to be You. I found it was inspired by song writer Gus Kahn's wife Grace. Also there is a movie slightly about their life story together in: I'll See You in My Dreams" Interesting points – Both of the movies were done after the death of Gus Kahn who passed in 1941. There are some interesting/clean dreams in the movie that add to the story. In It had to be You, I think they put some of Ginger Roger's life attributes in the movie - she fished and did sculpting/art though she never sold the art and kept for herself. Cornel Wilde was an acrobatic and plays dual role of both the as he calls himself in the movie Hot Indian and a fireman. Not sure if he did his own stunts, yet it sort of looked that way. He plays both roles differently too: the Indian is more outgoing and the fireman is a little reserved. I read Cornel's online biography and it seems he liked to see how he would play a character and he may have given those to interpretations/mindsets for the roles. After you get over where was the movie going and trying guess ahead based on prior movies you may have seen: the movie becomes interesting the way it came together. The ending appears as if they are out of time and need to end it. Even the music suggests such; but it's OK - as it's a happy ending!

Sweet comedy that can best be described as daffy. Ginger hadn't yet slipped into her grand lady mode and is a dizzy delight with an amazing wardrobe, the wedding dress with shimmering halo is something to behold! She's also at the peak of her personal beauty and looks stunning throughout, save one scene where she wears one of the ugliest hats ever. Cornel Wilde was always an agile, agreeable comedian and matches well with Ginger, handling his dual role with aplomb. Spring Byington and especially Percy Waram are delightful as the exasperated parents of the indecisive Miss Rogers. A minor comedy but anyone who enjoyed The Major and the Minor will like this.

It's a loss not to find this flick in video. It's a hoot with decent acting (well, for Ginger it's ok) by the cast and a humorous plot. If I could find it on some TV late show, like I did when I first saw it before there was VHS, I'd tape it myself.

By 1947 the screwball comedies of the Thirties had run their cycle as people wanted a bit more realism. In It Had To Be You, Ginger Rogers plays another dizzy rich heiress who gets cold feet every time she comes up for the moment of truth before the 'I Dos' are said. Well at least she's saving those four prospective husbands a lot of potential alimony. In this case it's hapless heir Ron Randell she's made number four. And this marriage is important to Randell's father, Thurston Hall who wants the millions of Rogers's parents Percy Waram and Spring Byington for his own business. Her ideal man who she conceptualizes is Cornel Wilde and he appears to her in her sleeper car stateroom on a train and springs to life, in an Indian suit. And he won't leave her until she realizes what she subconsciously wants. Later on Wilde appears to her as a blue collar fireman and it's a whirlwind courtship indeed. It Had To Be You seems to be based on taking the performance of Ginger Rogers as Liza Elliott in Lady in the Dark which she had done for Paramount a few years earlier. That one also of course involved dream sequences and fantasies. But the idea really went off the track in this film. I'm sure the fact that the Isham Jones-Gus Kahn song from the Twenties, It Had To Be You was enjoying a revival at the time via a hit record made by Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest certainly inspired the title of this film. The song is heard throughout the film. Cornel Wilde showed a certain flair for comedy and he certainly didn't get parts like these too often in his career. Sad to say though that the film while funny in spots seems to run out of gas well before the finish.

Warning to guys - you will probably hate this movie. But I think most women, judging from the user comments, will love it. This is a quintessential chick flick. It shouldn't be taken too seriously as it is a fantasy piece. You will have to suspend your sense of reality to enjoy this. But that's the point. At the heart of this story is the idea that we all have one true love we are destined to be with. Call it Fate, Destiny, or even God-ordained - but it's the notion that forces will conspire to put us in touch with our one and only soul-mate. This movie reminds me of another one of my favorite contemporary movies, Serendipity(2001), in the sense of being destined to find our soul-mate (although it is not a fantasy piece). I think guys probably find the fantasy, imaginary friend notion of IHTBY a little too corny for their tastes. But if you like a good, cheesy romance story, then you should like this picture. I've notice several reviewers criticize Rogers for her little girl, squeaky voice. But I think in this role, it enhances the story. If you look at it from the idea that she is like a little girl who has never really grown up - but is somewhat frozen in time to back when she was 6 years old, when she first meets her "soul-mate". I know this is a stretch, but that is how I interpreted it and it worked for me. I love the sets and costumes in this movie. It makes for a visual feast. Rogers' gowns are unbelievably gorgeous, especially the wedding gown at the very end. But even her dressing gowns were quite elaborate, adding to the notion of just how wealthy her family is. I find it hard to believe women actually wore these - they look incredibly uncomfortable! If the beautiful mansion set with the incredible staircase looks familiar, you may recognize it from Holiday (1938), the George Cukor film starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. That staircase is just amazing - the most beautiful I have ever seen. There is one thing I did find hard to swallow, and I didn't notice it until Rogers and Wilde are in the car and he finally decides to marry her. How did he not notice the huge, honking diamond engagement ring on her finger and not know she was already engaged? Also, look closely at Wilde's left ring finger in this scene as well. He looks like he is wearing a ring on that finger that is being disguised so as to not be noticeable. What is that about?

I remember this movie from tv when I was a kid. Terrific music, "My Ship Has Sails". I believe written by Kurt Weill. Would love to see this again and definitely own on VHS or DVD. Would put it right next to my copy of "One Touch of Venus". They don't make movies like this anymore unfortunately.

As a single 20-something I've had to watch seemingly hundreds of romantic comedies with girlfriends. "It Had to Be You" is probably the only one I would consider watching again. I was half asleep when this movie came on Turner Classic Movies this afternoon. I've been trashcan-by-the-couch sick all week, so what's been on the TV is a complete blur. Before I could cycle through what was on the DVR, the movie had gotten its hooks in me. When I got up and ran urgently to the bathroom I did something I never do: I hit 'pause.' I'm probably a dream subject for people marketing to the 21- to 35-year-old bracket. I like violence, video games, electric guitars and scantily-clad women. None of these things are in "It Had to Be You," but it kept me entertained anyway. It's not a classic by any means, but this movie is solid. Its humor carries through 60 years later and the actors felt right for their roles. Also, the story is believable in its unbelievability - I still like to think my kindergarten-crush will pop up and be right for me. The movie also has that post-war wholesomeness that's hard to describe. There are a lot things left unsaid in the film that would be brought up in a modernized version, mainly about a live-in male friend who is not the fiancé. As it stands it feels fresh compared to the last half-dozen romantic-comedies I begrudgingly saw in theaters. If you want to see a quality, lighthearted, funny and fantastic 40s-era movie, then check this one out next time it's on TCM.