government girl

the year: 1943

the genre: comedy

the cast: Oliva de Havilland (Elizabeth "Smokey" Allard; Sonny Tufts (E. H. "Ed" Browne); Anne Shirley (May Harness Blake); Jess Barker (Dana McGuire); James Dunn (Sgt. Joe Blake); Paul Stewart (Branch Owens); Agnes Moorehead (Mrs. Delancey Wright); Harry Davenport (Senator MacVickers)  

the plot: Set in Washington, the film tells the story of Elizabeth "Smokey" Allard, a take-charge secretary who has to help a volunteer businessman named Ed Browne deal with the mire and muck in D.C. He's trying to set up factories that will produce the planes that will be key in winning the war in Europe and in the Pacific. Of course, he's not used to dealing with the politics of D.C. and Smokey has to show him the ropes. They must contend with government sanctions, greedy investors, and a snobbish Washington matron.

you'll enjoy: Smokey and May's attempt to trap a spy for the feds.  Turns out the champagne isn't cider after all.

a fun meet cute: Smokey crawling under the couch in the lobby of the hotel looking for May's lost wedding ring (May and her beau had to get married behind the palms in the lobby because Ed, unbeknownst to them, was given the hotel room where they had planned to hold the wedding).  Ed, of course, is sitting on the couch waiting for his room to be ready - and with the female to male ratio during wartime at 10 to 1 - thinks she is crawling under the couch trying to get his attention. 

my favorite scene: is when Smokey has to find a way to get Sgt. Blake's motorcycle back to the base and is forced to ask Ed (who she does not realize is her new boss) to drop it off.  He agrees to do so, but only if she will hop on and give him directions.  He forgets to mention that he doesn't really know how to drive a motorcycle and is completely unfamilair with the streets in Washington.  

don't miss: Agnes Moorehead as Mrs. Wright - see the clip below.