Young Ideas

"Young Ideas" is supposed to be a quirky comedy but it really annoyed me because so many people in the film were utterly selfish jerks. A comedy should NOT annoy the viewer.

The film begins with Jo Evans (Mary Astor) becoming a number one best selling author. Then, because she's fallen in love, she completely abandons her book tour--telling no one and simply not showing up for her book signings and lectures. Jerk.

You then meet Jo's kids--and they haven't fallen far from the proverbial tree. When these grown children learn that their mother has married and doesn't plan on writing any more, they are NOT happy for her and her new husband. Instead, they're only concerned that their free lunch (so to speak) might be coming to an end. So, they decide the best course of action is to try to destroy the marriage!

What is with these people and WHY is this considered funny? The only one I ended up caring about and feeling for was the man Jo married-- the Professor (Herbert Marshall). Again and again, her kids lie to him--telling him that the crazy characters in Jo's books are autobiographical AND contacting her old boyfriends and arranging for them to just 'drop by'.

Overall, this is a comedy with few laughs and is so mean-spirited and full of selfish people that it completely took me out of the story. I hated this film despite some good acting.