Sunday, February 8, 2026

This Thing Called Love (1940)

Rosalind Russell • Melvyn Douglas

A screwball marriage experiment that scandalized the Legion of Decency

1. Plot Summary

Ann Winters (Rosalind Russell), a brilliant insurance statistician, has seen enough marital wreckage to convince herself that romance clouds judgment. So she proposes a radical idea to her fiancé, Tice Collins (Melvyn Douglas):
three months of celibacy after the wedding — a “trial period” to test compatibility before consummation.

Tice is horrified, then persuaded by his lawyer friend to play along and charm her out of the idea. What follows is a cascade of comic set‑pieces:

A honeymoon suite with a chastity clause
A husband trying every trick in the book to break the embargo
A wife determined to prove her theory with scientific rigor
A supporting cast of meddling friends, jealous rivals, and domestic chaos

The film’s frankness about marital intimacy was bold enough that the Catholic Legion of Decency condemned it as “contrary to the Christian concept of marriage.”

2. Themes & Moral Texture (Catholic‑friendly framing)

A. The Limits of Control

Ann tries to engineer marriage like an actuarial table. The film gently exposes the folly of believing we can manage love through rules.

Catholic resonance: Love is covenant, not contract; gift, not guarantee.

B. The Mystery of the Other

Tice’s frustration highlights a truth: intimacy isn’t a problem to be solved but a person to be received.

Catholic resonance: Marriage is mutual self‑gift, not a negotiation of terms.

C. Fear vs. Trust

Ann’s fear of divorce drives her experiment. The comedy reveals how fear distorts discernment.

Catholic resonance: Perfect love casts out fear; trust is the soil of communion.

D. The Comedy of Human Weakness

The film’s screwball energy comes from watching two intelligent adults outsmart themselves.

Catholic resonance: Grace works through our imperfections, not around them.

3. Hospitality Pairings (Your Twilight Companion Style)

You’ve been crafting monthly rituals that blend film, food, and virtue — here’s a pairing set tailored to this film’s tone.

A. Cocktail: “The Trial Period”

A playful, pre‑consummation drink with a wink.

Gin (clarity)
Elderflower (romance deferred)
Lemon twist (tension)
A single frozen grape (the “not yet”)

Serve in a chilled coupe — elegant, restrained, and slightly teasing.

B. Meal Pairing: “Two Plates, One Table”

A dinner that mirrors the film’s theme of closeness-with-boundaries:

Steak au poivre (heat held in check)
Haricots verts (order and precision)
Shared dessert: crème brûlée with two spoons — the flame is there, but the barrier remains until cracked.