Wedding Present: Cary Grant Being a Total Jerk (But We Love It)

Look, Wedding Present is one of those movies you watch because you want to see Cary Grant play a guy who is, quite frankly, a massive pain in the neck. Is it worth your time today? If you enjoy 1930s newsroom banter and don't mind a lead character who treats his love life like a breaking news story, sure, dive in. If you get annoyed by men who think 'winning' a woman is just a matter of playing enough pranks on her, you’ll probably want to turn it off after twenty minutes.

The whole thing moves at a breakneck pace. It’s got that specific rhythm where everyone talks like they’ve had four espressos and haven't slept in a week. It’s not exactly realistic, but it’s fun to watch them sprint through the dialogue.

There’s this moment where Charlie starts pulling these wild stunts at the newspaper office. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this is romantic, but it’s mostly just… deeply chaotic. It’s like watching a train wreck where the passengers are all wearing tuxedos and yelling at each other.

The chemistry between Grant and Joan Bennett is weirdly prickly. It’s not the smooth romance you’d expect. Sometimes the bickering just feels like they’re trying to exhaust each other into submission. One reaction shot from Bennett lingers so long I actually laughed out loud because she just looks so done with him. She really sells it.

I couldn't help but think about how different this feels compared to something like Sündige Liebe. There, the tone is heavy and thick, whereas here, it’s all surface-level noise and frantic energy. Sometimes you need the noise, I guess.

The supporting cast is full of those classic grumpy editor types who basically spend the whole movie yelling at telephones. Edward Brophy shows up and does exactly what you expect him to do, which is be the guy who is constantly confused by the lead’s antics. It’s comfortable, like wearing old socks.

The ending is… well, it happens. It doesn't feel earned, but at this point in the movie, you’re kind of just ready for the credits to roll so you can go get a snack. It’s definitely not a perfect film, and it’s got some weird structural bumps that feel like someone edited it with a dull pair of scissors.

Random Notes:

• Grant’s suits are, as always, impeccable.
• The speed of the banter occasionally makes the plot holes look smaller than they actually are.
• That one scene with the hospital? Completely unnecessary.
• I think I counted four different people yelling 'Stop the presses!' which is just delightful overkill.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s just a solid, slightly messy, and very loud bit of fun. If you like the genre, you’ll be fine. If not, it’s not going to change your mind. 🍿