Love Nest (1951)

A post-war comedy about a serviceman (William Lundigan) who thinks he's returning home for a blissful reunion with his wife (June Haver). Instead he finds that she has bought a run-down apartment building, and along with it, a long list of expensive repairs and crazy tenants. Complicating matters, the husband wants his "old army buddy" to move into one of the apartments - but neglects to tell his wife that the "buddy" is a seductive ex-WAC plyed by none other than Marilyn Monroe! Then, a con-man who's wanted by the FBI moves into the building, ensuring that there isn't a moment of peace and quiet for anyone who lives there. When a series of hilarious domestic fights result over the unwelcome residents, there's absolutely no place like this home!

A fifty cent haircut for a dollar twenty five??

Love Nest is a good little comedy that probably would have been long forgotten if Marilyn Monroe fans did not buy it. The cover is misleading because Marilyn never appears in uniform in the movie. Her part is small, but like all her early roles, she used every second of her camera time to make herself known, thus becoming the star we all love.

Mr. Scott is a vet returning from World War II. His wife has purchased a tenant house in the city, a fixer upper. The rent from the tenants will permit Mr. Scott to pursue his writing. Among the tenants are Edie the widow and her daughter, Marilyn who is a returning WAC, causing some jealousy from Mrs. Scott, a con man, and the "Mm-Hmm Man". The only two lines the guy has in the movie is "Mm-Hmm".

The con man goes after old widows and scams them out of their money. He claims he is doing it for all men, because the men worked themselves into an early grave, leaving their wives with money they did not earn or deserve. He begins his scam on Edie, but after realizing she is poor, he ends up falling in love with her an eventually marries her.

Meanwhile poor Mr. Scott has his hands full with the house. The plumbing is bad, the coal is delivered in through the bedroom window, and the place is about to be condemned because of bad wiring. His writing isn't going so well either. His first story has been rejected. He and his wife begin fighting and he leaves to sleep outside in his hammock. Unfortunately, Suds the cat decides to wreck havoc on him. Mr. Scott ends up sleeping in Marilyn's apartment while she is away for the weekend. He gets caught by his wife, but she has bigger news. She has caught on to the con man's game. Seems the feds have too and shortly after he and Edie marry, the police arrest him. All seems lost, but it works out well in the end.

Mr. Scott writes the con man's story and it turns into a national bestseller. They have plenty of money to fix up the tenant house and everyone lives happily ever after. The con man and Edie are seen walking down the street with their newborn twins.

Marilyn looks great as always. She only appears in this movie for a total of maybe ten minutes, but for Marilyn fans who love to see her in her early work like I do, this is a great addition to your collection.
June 2, 2006

not enough of monroe

as a younger viewer (not born until the 1970's) I am just discovering Monroes films. I like "7 year itch", "Niagra" and "dont bother to knock", but this film doesn't have enough Monroe. If they didnt put her on the cover and pretend it was a Monroe film Im sure alot less people would have purhchased it. She isnt even well casted for the role. She doesn't look like she would have been a WAC.

The film is okay, but its nothing worth owning. The plot is really stupid and the jokes aren't that great. All the actors did a great job, but there is only so much you can do with a silly premise like this... May 18, 2006

The Boy With The Golden Arm

Its the start of spring training and Dallas is missing its rookie quarterback. An irate Coach Salinas has scoured the locker room, the weight room and the scorching playing field; but the man is drawing a blank. The kid with the million dollar arm is nowhere to be found.
Cut to: Exterior of a silver 1950s era trailer in the middle of nowhere. Driving guitar music on the soundtrack now. Cut to: Interior of the trailer. Our quarterback (Mark Wahlberg) is popping the cork off a bottle of champagne, spraying it all over a nameless floozie in a pink string bikini, laughing uproariously. The floozie hoses Wahlberg down with a bottle of her own. Why the string bikini? Come on, folks. This is a Disney picture, after all. May 8, 2004

Alright

it was a great movie but i just wish Marilyn was in the movie more August 21, 2003

Adorable

Some films aren't really 5 stars, but because of their charm and actors, you make an exception. Monroe shines in this cute little movie. I would say you need to be a true Monroe fan to really appreciate this one. It has a simple somewhat slow plot, but gee who can resist a black and white with her in it? November 7, 2001

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