The Egg and I (1947)

My Review

Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert move from the big city to the country in “The Egg and I.” It tells the comedic story of a woman who reluctantly follows her husband in his dream to become a chicken farmer. The loads of trials and tribulations for the couple lead to loads of laughs for the audience.

The supporting cast includes Richard Long, Louise Allbritton, Esther Dale, Donald MacBride, Samuel S. Hinds, and introduced Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride as Ma and Pa Kettle. They were so popular that Universal gave them their own movie series that ran well into the 1950’s, nine sequel in total. Main was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Director Chester Erskine (“A Girl in Every Port” 1952), who also co-wrote the screenplay with Fred F. Finklehoffe, did a good job of adapting the 1945 novel of the same name by Betty MacDonald. “The Egg and I” was the second highest grossing film of 1947 for Universal Pictures. It was filmed at Universal Studios in Hollywood and in Santa Clarita for outdoor scenes.