Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1939)

Plot: Based on a French Play.  A much-married millionaire meets his match in his latest wife.
Stars:  Gary Cooper, Claudette Colbert, Everett Sloan, David Niven
Best Quote: Don't forget, Pepinard & Pepinard is a first class firm. You will find that out when you get our bill.

Comedy is hard. Despite being directed by Lubistch, written by Brackett & Wilder, and having an excellent cast, Bluebeard is still nothing more than a C+ Rom-Com - that seems longer than its 80 minute run-time.  It starts out well, with a witty scene about buying pajamas*, but once Colbert and Cooper get married halfway-through - and start a "Battle of the Sexes"  - it goes flat. The supporting characters are given little to do. Adding to the misery, Colbert and  a miscast** Cooper play two unsympathetic characters who have little chemistry. Added: Cooper isn't believable as an international businessman and he lacks the necessary comedic acting chops.***

Summary:  Given the talent involved a disappointment. Not bad, and funny at first, its let down by a miscast Gary Cooper and an overall lack of energy and wit. Its too bad, because the story idea is a good one. Its just not executed properly. Rating **1/2 of 4

Notes
* - The stripped pajama bottoms bought by Colbert are later used by her father, which allows Cooper to realize the two are related. Wilder would use the same gag - this time a broken cigarette case - in The Apartment to show Jack Lemmon that MacLaine and Fred McMurray are having an affair.
** - Leaving aside the usual suspects - William Powell and Cary Grant - Clark Gable, Joel McCrea or John Barrymore would've been better. Even Jimmy Cagney could've brought some life to the role. The problem is the role isn't really romantic, its comedic. And ol' Coop isn't funny.
*** This must be where Wilder got the bad idea of casting Cooper in the Rom-Com Love in the Afternoon. It must have felt like a great fit to Wilder, since Cooper once again plays an International businessman/playboy. But he's bad in that movie too. In my opinion, Cooper was too reserved to be a good Rom-Com star. He could do comedy - if he played a comic cowboy or a goofy introvert like Mr. Deeds or the Professor in Balls of Fire.