The More the Merrier. 1943. USA. Directed by George Stevens. Screenplay by Richard Flournoy, Lewis R. Foster, Frank Ross, Robert Russell. With Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn, Richard Gaines. 104 min.
George Stevens' delightful World War II comedy addresses the Washington, D.C. housing shortage with a brilliantly orchestrated farce of cohabitation and matchmaking. Jean Arthur stars as Connie Milligan, a government worker whose patriotic decision to share her apartment leads her to reluctantly accept two male tenants: elderly millionaire Benjamin Dingle (Charles Coburn, who won an Oscar for his performance) and handsome sergeant Joe Carter (Joel McCrea).
The film's sophisticated comic technique reflects Stevens' apprenticeship under Leo McCarey at Hal Roach Studios, where he absorbed McCarey's character-centered approach and impeccable timing. This influence is particularly evident in the now-legendary front stoop sequence between Arthur and McCrea---a slow-burn courtship captured in extended takes that allow the actors' chemistry to develop naturally through minute gestures and glances.