Alfred Hitchcock was the "Master of Suspense." Everyone knows that. You hear his name and you think of showers, birds, and Jimmy Stewart sweating in a bell tower. But then there is Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hitchcock, a weird, screwball anomaly from 1941 that makes almost no sense when you look at his resume.
It’s a romantic comedy. No murders. No spies. No MacGuffins. Just two people finding out their marriage isn't legal and then acting like absolute lunatics for ninety minutes.
Most people assume Hitchcock hated making it. They think he was forced into it by a studio or that he was just "experimenting." Honestly? That’s not quite right. Carole Lombard, who was a massive star and a close friend of Hitchcock’s, basically dared him to do it. She wanted him to prove he could handle a "normal" movie. Hitchcock, being Hitchcock, couldn't just play it straight. He brought a strange, almost clinical edge to the fluffiest genre in Hollywood history.
The Carole Lombard Connection
If Carole Lombard hadn't been involved, Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hitchcock wouldn't exist. Period.
Lombard was the queen of screwball. She was sharp, funny, and incredibly influential. She had worked with the director on a few things and they had a rapport built on pranks. On the first day of shooting, Lombard famously set up a small corral on the set with three cows inside, each wearing a tag with the name of one of the lead actors. This was a direct jab at Hitchcock’s infamous quote that "actors should be treated like cattle."
He loved it.
The story follows David and Ann Smith, played by Robert Montgomery and Lombard. They’ve been "married" for three years, but they have these insane rules. They can’t leave a room after an argument until it’s resolved. Sometimes they’re stuck for days. Then, a government official shows up and tells David that because of a jurisdictional mishap in Idaho, their marriage certificate is essentially trash.
What does David do? Does he tell his wife and take her to dinner to celebrate a "re-wedding"? No. He plays a prank. He lets her find out on her own. It’s mean-spirited in a way that only Hitchcock could pull off. It’s a battle of the sexes, but with the tension of a thriller.
A Thriller Director’s Guide to Romance
When you watch Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hitchcock, you notice things that shouldn't be in a comedy. The lighting is occasionally too moody. The way Hitchcock frames a door feels like someone should be standing there with a knife.
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He didn't change his visual language just because the script was funny.
Take the scene in the restaurant, Momma Lucy’s. David takes Ann back to the "shabby" place they went when they first met, hoping to be romantic. But the place has gone to seed. It’s filthy. The cat is on the counter. The soup is gray. Most directors would play this for a broad, slapstick laugh. Hitchcock films it with a sense of genuine dread. You feel the disappointment like it’s a physical weight. It’s uncomfortable.
That discomfort is why the movie is so interesting. It’s a screwball comedy filtered through a cynical lens. Norman Krasna wrote the script, and he was a master of the form, but Hitchcock’s direction adds a layer of "why are these people doing this to each other?" It’s a deconstruction of marriage.
Breaking the Hitchcock Rules
Usually, Hitchcock is the puppet master. Every frame is planned. Every shadow is deliberate. In Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hitchcock, he seems a bit more loose, though "loose" for Hitchcock is still tighter than most directors' best work.
- The Cameo: He’s there, obviously. About halfway through, he walks past Robert Montgomery on the street. It’s one of his more blink-and-you-miss-it appearances.
- The Apartment: Most of the film is set in their home. It feels claustrophobic. Instead of a cozy love nest, it feels like a cage where two people are trapped in a cycle of psychological warfare.
- The Gender Dynamics: Lombard’s character isn't a victim. When she finds out David has been lying about the marriage status, she kicks him out. She starts dating his business partner. She takes control. It’s remarkably modern for 1941.
Why Critics Often Ignore It
If you look at "The 100 Best Hitchcock Movies" lists, this one is usually near the bottom. Or omitted entirely.
Critics like Robin Wood or François Truffaut—who basically wrote the book on Hitchcock—didn't know what to do with it. Truffaut famously interviewed Hitchcock for fifty hours, and they barely touched on this film. Hitchcock himself dismissed it later in life, calling it a favor for Lombard.
But dismissing it is a mistake.
It shows a different side of his technical skill. Timing a joke is just as hard as timing a jump scare. The "shaving" scene, where David tries to get Ann’s attention while she’s ignoring him, is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Not a word is needed. You see the desperation in his eyes and the cold, calculated indifference in hers.
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It’s also a time capsule of a Hollywood that was about to change. World War II was looming. The lighthearted, "rich people having problems" movies were about to be replaced by grittier noir and patriotic dramas. This was one of the last gasps of the pure screwball era.
The Technical Weirdness of the 1940s
Hitchcock was working at RKO Radio Pictures for this one. He had just finished Rebecca, which won Best Picture. He was the hottest director in town. He could have done anything. Choosing a comedy was a power move.
The cinematography by Harry Stradling Sr. is gorgeous, but again, it’s almost too good. The blacks are very deep. The silhouettes are sharp. If you muted the sound, you’d swear someone was about to get poisoned. This "visual dissonance" is what makes Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hitchcock a cult favorite for film students. It’s a movie that is constantly at odds with its own genre.
Misconceptions About the "Only Comedy" Label
People often say this is Hitchcock’s only comedy.
That’s technically wrong. The Trouble with Harry (1955) is a dark comedy. Family Plot (1976) has huge comedic elements. Even North by Northwest is basically an action-comedy.
However, Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hitchcock is his only pure screwball comedy. It’s the only time he worked within the strict confines of the "Rom-Com" structure of the time. There is no mystery to solve. No one is wrongly accused of a crime (unless you count David’s crimes against fashion). It’s just human behavior.
And Hitchcock, as we know from his later films, found human behavior terrifying.
Actionable Insights for Film Buffs
If you’re going to watch it—and you should—don't go in expecting Psycho. You have to pivot your brain.
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Look for the "Power Shift"
Watch how the power moves between Ann and David. In the first act, David holds all the cards because he knows the secret. In the second act, Ann takes the power by refusing to play his game. By the third act, they are both reduced to childish behavior in a cabin in the woods. It’s a fascinating study of ego.
Spot the Hitchcockian Touches
Keep an eye on the windows. Hitchcock loved using windows as frames within frames. Even in this light comedy, he uses them to show characters being watched or feeling trapped.
Compare to the 2005 Version
Most people today hear the title and think of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Or the newer TV series. There is zero connection. The 2005 film is about assassins. The 1941 film is about a legal loophole. If you try to find a "spy" plot in the Hitchcock version, you’re going to be very disappointed.
The Legacy of a "Mistake"
Carole Lombard died in a plane crash just a year after this movie was released. That tragedy often casts a shadow over the film. It was one of her last great performances, showing off her incredible range.
For Hitchcock, it was a detour. He immediately went back to thrillers with Suspicion and Saboteur. He never really looked back. But Mr. and Mrs. Smith Hitchcock remains a fascinating piece of film history. It proves that even when a genius tries to be "normal," their unique, slightly twisted perspective still leaks through the cracks.
It’s a movie about the absurdity of rules and the chaos of love. It’s messy. It’s occasionally mean. It’s very 1941. And it’s the only time we got to see the world's greatest suspense director try to make us laugh without also making us scream.
Next Steps for the Hitchcock Enthusiast
- Watch the Momma Lucy’s Scene: Pay attention to the background extras. Hitchcock used specific lighting to make the environment feel decaying, contrasting with the "romantic" memory the characters have.
- Double Feature: Watch this back-to-back with The Trouble with Harry. You'll see how Hitchcock's sense of humor evolved from "screwball" to "macabre."
- Check the Credits: Look for the scriptwriter Norman Krasna’s other works like The Devil and Miss Jones. You’ll see the DNA of the plot and realize how much Hitchcock’s direction changed the "vibe" of Krasna’s usual writing style.