i love you, again

This is one of my all-time favorites (and my favorite Powell/Loy film), and since it isn't readily available on DVD, I thought you might enjoy you a more detailed summary.



While on a vacation cruise, the sanctimonious Larry Wilson is knocked unconscious by an oar (while trying to rescue a man) and awakens to find that he has been suffering from amnesia for nine years and that he is really George Carey, a slick confidence man.



As luck would have it, the man whose life he saved is con man "Doc" Ryan. After a peek at his alter ego's bank balance, George decides to return as Larry to Habersville, Pennsylvania, in order to liquidate his bank accounts. When the ship docks in NYC - much to George's delight - they are met by Larry's wife, Kay.




Everything's hunky-dory until George learns that Kay wants to divorce Larry on grounds of boredom and that she's dating a guy nameed Herbert. To make things worse, after meeting with a representative from the Habbersville National Bank, George learns that Larry's funds are under the control of the Community Chest and Anti-Vice crusade.



Refusing to let Kay get away, George gets Herbert and Kay to agree that Kay will stay with Larry for 5 more weeks - at which time he'll give Kay the divorce she seeks.


[Kay: Where did you learn to dance like this? / George: By mail.]




Once at home, George begins to court Kay, who is stunned at the change in her husband.



[George: You be careful, madam, or you'll turn my pretty head with your flattery. / Kay: I often wished I could turn your head - on a spit, over a slow fire.]


My favorite scene is when George takes Kay shopping (hoping to win some points) and has a bit of trouble because the sales team in the store is VERY familiar with what Larry Wilson would/would not approve of. Exasperated in his attempts to buy Kay a more daring negligee, he uses the store mannequin to explain.


[George: This is Mrs. Albermarrough - one of the Pittsburg Albermarrough's? You know, coal and iron? Well, Mrs. Albermarrough wants to buy a new nightgown and HANG the expense! / Kay: Larry, let's forget it. I don't really need a new nightgown. / George: You're going to get a new nightgown if I have to buy two silkworms and start from scratch! (turning to the salesclerk) Look. Mrs. Albermarrough has been very patient up to now, but she's getting just a little tired of this pup tent she's wearing. Look at that - sailcloth. (he removes the nightgown from the mannequin) She's positively ashamed to be seen in it! / Kay: She's probably more ashamed to be seen without it. / George: Well, you don't know Mrs. Albermarrough.]



George decides to switch tactics and run an oil scam on a vacant lot owned by Larry. He sends for his old partner in crime, Duke Sheldon, to "salt" the land.



Meantime, George is finally starting to make some progress with Kay. Coooo-roo! (Another great scene, but this one is better seen than explained.)



After setting the bait for his trap, George sends his patrol of boy rangers to discover the oil (Harkspur's deer tracking certification is my 2nd favorite scene)...




...and soon the boys's fathers are knocking on Larry's door with offers to buy his land. However, George's plans go awry when Kay jumps in to protect him.




George realizes that Kay loves him, that he loves her, and that he wants to settle down permanently as Larry Wilson.



"Ever since you got off that boat you've been chasing me like an amorous goat. You've tried your darnedest to make me fall in love with you and now you have. So from now on I'm going to do the chasing, and believe me, brother, you're going to know you've been chased."


**If you don't want to know the ending, stop reading here.**




Larry explains to Doc that he wants to settle down with Kay and they have to call off the scam. Doc doesn't have quite as much luck explaining it to Duke. [Doc: "Duke - oh, Duke! Was you ever in love? You know, a nice little home, with a couple-a kids and a porch and not having to duck a cop each time you see a cellar. And look, Duke - if it's a boy you can teach him to play baseball and if it's a bicycle? Oh, Duke. You can put hair ribbons on her and go walking on Sundays.]


After overhearing Doc explain to Duke about George/Larry's amnesia, Kay and Doc sit down for a little chat.


Duke refuses to call off the scam, and in the ensuing mayhem, George gets hit over the head and awakens as Larry (the upstanding/teetotalling citizen). But things have a way of working out and Duke ends up (very fittingly) leading Herbert off because the greedy gus has brought his own check for the "oil-rich" land.



Heartbroken that George has turned back into Larry, Kay consideres taking things into her own hands until George lets her know that he's happy to begin life over as Larry - and, of course, they all live happily after. Coooo-roo!