Twice Blessed is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It stars Preston Foster, Gail Patrick, and Lee and Lyn Wilde, with the Wilde twins playing identical sisters separated after their parents divorce. The sisters switch places in an attempt to reunite their mother and father.
Plot Mary Hale, a child psychologist, returns home with her daughter Stephanie and visits her ex-husband, newspaper reporter Jeff Turner. Their identical twin daughters have lived separately since their parents divorced seven years earlier: the studious and reserved Stephanie lives with Mary, while the outgoing Terry lives with Jeff. Although Mary and Jeff still care for each other, they disagree over how the girls should be raised. When the sisters reunite, each becomes curious about the other's life and they secretly decide to exchange identities, with Terry returning with Mary and Stephanie remaining with Jeff.
The switch causes complications for both girls. Stephanie, posing as Terry, struggles among Terry's friends and is unexpectedly required to take part in a jitterbug contest with Terry's boyfriend Jimmy. Although she performs badly, the two become attracted to each other. Terry, meanwhile, shocks Stephanie's boyfriend Mickey with her more carefree behavior, and they also fall in love. The twins then use the deception to influence their parents: Stephanie enters a national knowledge contest as Terry, hoping that her success will convince Mary that Jeff has raised his daughter well. Stephanie wins the contest, while Terry attends a society dance as Stephanie.
Alice, Jeff's colleague and girlfriend, becomes jealous after Jeff neglects her to cover the knowledge contest. She photographs Terry, whom she believes to be Stephanie, dancing at the society event and becoming caught up in a fight. Knowing that the photographs could embarrass Mary and damage her reputation as a child psychologist, Alice blackmails Jeff into agreeing to marry her. After learning of the scheme, Terry and Stephanie reveal their identity switch to their friends and recover the photographs from Alice's apartment. At a political rally, where Mary is preparing to announce her engagement to Senator John Pringle, the twins produce the photographs and expose Alice's plan. Mary reunites with Jeff, while the twins acknowledge that they have fallen for each other's former boyfriends.
Cast Preston Foster as Jeff Turner Gail Patrick as Mary Hale Lee Wilde as Terry Turner Lyn Wilde as Stephanie Hale Richard Gaines as Senator John Pringle Jean Porter as Kitty Marshall Thompson as Jimmy Jimmy Lydon as Mickey Pringle Gloria Hope as Alice Douglas Cowan as Jake Warren Mills as Whitey Joel Friedkin as Mr. Winters Ralph Brooke as Chet Ralph Hoopes as Lionel Don Hayden as Alfi Tommy Bond as Horace Ethel Smith as herself at the organ
Production Production took place from late November to late December 1944. Although Lee and Lyn Wilde were billed onscreen as "presenting the Wilde Twins", they had been appearing in films since 1943. Contemporary Hollywood Reporter production charts initially listed James Craig in the cast, but he did not appear in the completed film. The American Film Institute notes that Craig may have been replaced by Preston Foster, whose name appeared in later production charts after Craig's had been removed.
Arthur L. Field produced the film, with Ethel Hill credited for the screenplay and Ray June serving as cinematographer. Cedric Gibbons and Hans Peters handled the art direction, while Edwin B. Willis was the set decorator. David Snell served as music director, and Arthur Walsh staged the dance routines. The film also features the song "Lero Lero", credited to Benedicto Lacerda and Frazao.
Release Twice Blessed received a limited United States release on 31 May 1945. The film opened in New York on 7 July 1945. Its copyright was registered to Loew's Inc. on 29 May 1945 under registration number LP13335.
Reception Variety gave the film a brief negative assessment, describing it as a "Lightweight B". In a retrospective assessment, AllMovie rated 2 out of 5 stars.
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References
External links
Twice Blessed at TCM