We're Not Married! (1952)

Star of the Month... Marilyn Monroe

We're Not Married! is the hilarious comedy of five couples who are married by a confused Judge from 24 to 31 December, before his official appointment on 1 January. The error is identified 2 and a half years later, where one of the couples is with child, another is expecting and another is in the middle of a messy divorce.

The film is directed by Edmund Goulding and features a first rate all-star cast including Ginger Rogers, Fred Allen, Marilyn Monroe (in an early appearance), Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eve Arden, David Wayne, Mitzi Gaynor, Louis Calhern, Eddie Bracken, Paul Stewart, James Gleason, Jane Darwell, Victor Moore and Lee Marvin.


The film is funny, however it focuses far too much on the characters played by Ginger Rogers and Fred Allen. The first 30 mins are dedicated primarily to this couple, with the remaining 4 couples getting approx. 10-15 of storyline each. The five episodes are of varying quality, with some funnier and more entertaining than others.


Marilyn stars as a beauty pageant winner, Anabel Jones Norris, and is mainly shown wearing a bathing suite, both marketing her sex appeal, yet exploiting her at the same.


Although Ginger Rogers is one of my favourite stars, I would consider this to be one of her weaker performances, with the highlight performances in this film going to Zsa Zsa Gabor as a vindictive gold digger, and of course Marilyn as a beauty pageant winner.


Although the ending is predictable, the film is still fun to watch. This would have been yet another forgotten B-grade comedy of the early 50s had Marilyn Monroe not featured in the film.