one of my absolute favorites!

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

I adore this nutty little film. I love Garson, Pidgeon, Taylor, and Lawford in almost any movie and particularly teamed together. Cesar Romero also adds flavor in a comedic supporting role. I enjoy classic and screwball comedies and have a long list made of those (this one is on it). Is this the best of the best? No, but it's fun and well made. That's a prerequisite for my list. I own it and still watch it each time it comes on TCM. Elizabeth Taylor, as the mutual daughter and young bride, is so young and lovely. She still has an innocence to her performance at this stage that I enjoy. Peter Lawford is young, suave, and cocky. Walter Pidgeon is typical Walter Pidgeon. But it's Greer Garson's movie and in it she shines. She produces screwball romantic comedy antics worthy of Irene Dunne or Jean Arthur. This is a must see for Garson fans. I highly recommend it to fans of any of the cast or of the genre. It's not perfect, but it sure entertains. And isn't that the point?

For their first film after World War II Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon were teamed for the fifth time in Julia Misbehaves. It is the story of an estranged married couple who meet for the first time in years for their daughter's wedding. From that meeting a whole lot changes in everyone's lives.Garson and Pidgeon did such classics as Blossoms In The Dust, Mrs. Miniver, Madame Curie and Mrs. Parkington. Julia Misbehaves while funny is just not in their league.It seems that Pidgeon in a moment of weakness married showgirl Greer Garson and they never quite divorced, but his harridan of a mother Lucille Watson did her best to split them up and she succeeded admirably. Watson wanted to present her granddaughter who grows up to be Elizabeth Taylor in proper society and she feels Greer's background is not fit. But now that she's getting married Taylor wants her mother at her wedding and when Garson comes she and Taylor hit it off. And Pidgeon is also rekindling some long burned out flames. However one problem Greer has is that she's kindled a flame or two in acrobat Cesar Romero. The best scenes in Julia Misbehaves involve Greer doing some singing very much like she did in Random Harvest and also a hilarious sequence with Romero's acrobatic family.Cesar Romero was a good and distinguished looking man, but he never sported a set of muscles as he's shown here. You never see him closeup during the acrobatic scenes and when he's dressed the padding in his shoulders is terribly obvious. Mary Boland plays his mother and she's her usual confused self.According to the Citadel series film book The Films Of Elizabeth Taylor, MGM was very concerned about Greer Garson after having come off two films that were not anything close to her work in the films I cited above. Adventure with Clark Gable did not ignite demand for a new screen team and Desire Me was one of the worst films MGM did during the Forties, maybe the worst in Garson's career. So they put her back with Walter Pidgeon and also deliberately cast an up and coming Elizabeth Taylor as the daughter to help boost box office. Peter Lawford appears opposite Taylor, but he's not the guy she's going to marry at that wedding she invites Garson to. Nevertheless he's a lot better than the society drip Watson has picked out for her.Julia Misbehaves is a pleasant enough film, but hardly up to the standards set by Garson and Pidgeon. Nor is it a great film for Elizabeth Taylor. But for fans of all three, they should be satisfied.

I will not give away the plot, but will give my own run down on the characters. Walter Pigeon-he is good, but stuffy in his role-his best part is with the Seal. Greer Garson-L.B. Mayer must have wanted to punish her with this wacky role. Elizabeth Taylor-her first grown up role, I cannot believe MGM wanted her in grown up roles so soon. She is pretty, but seriously folks-she looks more like she is about to attend a sock hop. Peter Lawford-has an odd role, but not too bad. I think he was overall film wise the best human part. Nigel Bruce-as a dirty old man friend of Walter's. Reginald Owen-he was in it for just a bit and this was sad-he was a good actor and added much to films. Cesar Romero-talk about a challenging role, he plays a cockney speaking Englishman! Corny, but not bad. The Seal-this animal and his antics with the stuffy Walter Pigeon are priceless-the very best thing about the movie. Forget Elizabeth Taylor-the Seal acts and looks better in this film than she does. Sorry Liz.

Now, you may say to yourself "Greer Garson **gasp** comedy?!" But this is actually a lovely movie about an actress who is attending her daughter's wedding. She hasn't seen her daughter in many years, since her husband, after "one year and two months (of marriage)... said 'Julia, I don't love you anymore. I think it's better if we separate.'" Julia was only invited by "accident", but one certain daughter insists that she stay, contrary to her grandmother's opinion. The film is very fun, if you don't have one of those minds that have type casted Greer Garson, and can't accept that she has a wider range than "Mrs. Miniver" type roles. She proves very adept at comedy, and also look for what seem to be "inside jokes" in some scenes.