the assured hand of master filmmaker george stevens make the third and final pairing of cary grant and irene dunne more than an emotionally satisfying experience . unlike the first two film leo mccarey the awful truth ( 1937 ) and garson kanin my favorite wife ( 1940 ) this wholly sentimental 1941 tearjerker be not remotely a screwball comedy . that not to say grant and dunne do not exude their customary charm and grace in their role . they do in spade and continue to show the easy rapport that make them so compatible in all their film together . the film be also an early and uncommonly mature look at the challenge that arise with marriage and adoption and a precursor to later accomplish film like 1967 two for the road . write by morrie ryskind ( who write the classic and my man godfrey and stage door ) and the time span story of julie and roger adam be tell in flashback a julie play her collection of 78 on an old victrola . just a she be about to leave roger and the song spark memory of define episode from their courtship and marriage . the early part of their relationship be play out fully with the star wit and charm a roger attempt to pick up julie by buy a pile of record at the store in which she work ( even though he doesn not have a record player ) . they marry and and when he get a career break a a reporter in japan and she join him and announce her pregnancy . this brief interlude be most amusing in hindsight a it show a very stereotypical view of pre wwii japan right out of madame butterfly ( the film be release a mere eight month before pearl harbor ) . in an intriguing display of early special effect and the 1923 tokyo earthquake destroy their home and and she lose her baby and any chance of future conception . this intractable loss become the impetus for the rest of the story and a they come back to california and attempt to adopt while run a local newspaper . they eventually adopt and raise a daughter from infancy and trina and but further tragedy ensues to a palpable breaking point . a the classic film star that they truly be and grant and dunne show how skillfully they can balance drama and comedy with a heavy emphasis on the humanism of the character . grant and in particular and have a heartbreaking scene where roger beg a judge to allow julie and him to keep their baby daughter despite their dwindling economic circumstance . edgar buchanan ( long before his lazy uncle joe on tv petticoat junction ) and beulah bondi provide able support a their devote friend applejack and miss oliver and the compassionate adoption agency worker and respectively . with no extra and the 2002 dvd have a decent enough print and though the film be in need of a more through restoration .