Stellead Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

dougdoepke Slick romantic comedy that toys with tricky premise—unwed motherhood. Polly's a dutiful salesgirl in a big New York department store. Through a mix-up, she becomes the reluctant mother of a foundling infant. Trouble is nobody believes she's not the real mother, so complications ensue, particularly with her wealthy employer's son (Niven). After all, if she's the mother, then who's the father. So, can she keep her job, her reputation, and the baby since it's 1938 and times are tough. No doubt about it-- Polly's in a real pickle.Rogers handles her difficult role in expert style. The movie's humor comes mostly from touchy situations and character reactions, rather than bounce and gags. As Polly, Rogers is fairly low-key letting her facial expressions speak humorously for her. I love that packed jitterbug ballroom where, as expected, Rogers gets to show her fast-stepping chops. Niven's also good, in a more animated role than usual as he tries to figure out his feelings about Polly and the baby. But really, how did director Kanin get the perfect reactions from infant John who deserves a chubby Oscar for his charming performance. Also, I don't know how they got that massed New Year's Eve crowd, but I think they recruited all of New York City into one small space. Anyway, it's quite a visual effect.All in all, it's a beguiling movie, slickly done all around. And considering the touchy premise, that's a genuine Hollywood accomplishment.

utgard14 Department store clerk Polly (Ginger Rogers) is mistakenly believed to be the mother of an abandoned baby. She has to go along with it to keep her job. David Merlin (David Niven), the son of department store owner J.B. Merlin (Charles Coburn) takes a special interest in Polly's situation. Gradually the two fall in love but things are further complicated when J.B. is led to believe David is the father of Polly's baby.Delightful romantic comedy with wonderful performances from Ginger Rogers, David Niven, and Charles Coburn. Special mention for Frank Albertson in one of his better roles outside of playing Sam "Hee Haw" Wainwright in It's a Wonderful Life. Donald Duck also figures into things in an amusing way. I actually heard the radio version of this before I saw the movie. I heard it on satellite radio several years ago. It featured Ginger and David reprising their film roles. This is a fun, nicely-paced movie with an immensely likable cast that seems to be having a great time. Ginger fans certainly won't want to miss it as it's one of her best.

Robert J. Maxwell You might expect something different from a synopsis. A baby is left on shop girl Ginger Rogers' doorstep. Everyone assumes she is the mother, including her wealthy boss, David Niven. Rogers and Niven are at odds with each other but shortly the inevitable happens. In addition to everyone's mistaken assumption that Rogers has had a (gulp) illegitimate child, there are various schemes to align her status as mother with her actual pristine character.I had plenty of handkerchiefs handy for when the plot slowed down for the drama and sentiment -- the cute little baby doing cute things, Rogers sobbing over her undeserved shame, everyone hugging the tot and weeping with love. Actually, I don't own any handkerchiefs, so I had paper towels at the ready. I didn't need them anyway. It's pretty funny.There are amusing incidents (a disguised Niven trying to exchange a faulty toy duck at the store he owns)and comic plot twists that end up with several men claiming to be the father.But it's a quiet comedy -- the screenplay is by Norman Krasna and the direction by Garsin Kanin -- no pratfalls and very little shrieking. It's done in a lower key than, say, the Doris Day/ Rock Hudson comedies but it travels on the same track. Instead of an obvious wise crack, we get someone muttering an ironic, "Ha ha." Ginger Rogers is really an attractive woman. She has oversized blue eyes and she can get an emotion across with a muted moue or a flick of her gaze. Niven is good, better at comic roles than dramatic. The supporting cast is at par, with Ferike Boros great as a stereotypical cheerful and loving grandmother, nurse, or housekeeper.If you get into it, you'll probably enjoy it.

edwagreen I vividly remember the remake of this funny film with Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds entitled "Bundle of Joy."As was the case with the remake, the original "Bachelor Mother" is in fine form due to a great cast of characters.David Niven and Ginger Rogers were never better as two people-the son of a department store owner and a worker who are drawn to love by accident.Witnessing a baby being left at a home begins an odyssey of hilarity when no one will believe Rogers that she is not the mother of the baby. She takes the baby in and when the investigator (Ernest Truex) talks to the son of the boss (Niven), he gives her her job back.Frank Albertson is effective as the disgruntled employee who really sets things in motion by sending the boss (a wonderful Charles Coburn) a note stating that Niven (Coburn's son) fathered the child.This film is well paced and an absolute joy to watch.It just shows how two people from wealth and poverty can join forces.