Year: 1945
Runtime: 90 mins
Language: English
Director: Sam Wood
Bank executive Christopher Price idolizes his childhood friend, famed war correspondent Joseph Jefferson Parker. Mary, Price’s weary wife, dislikes Joe. Before their second honeymoon in New York, Joe asks Mary to pose as his wife to fool his boss, who thinks Joe married abroad. Mary decides to teach the men a lesson by feigning attraction to Joe.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Guest Wife (1945), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Banker Christopher Price from the humdrum town of Keetoosen, Ohio, is happily married to Mary Price, and the couple are just about to leave for New York on a well-deserved second honeymoon. Yet their plans are upturned when his old childhood friend, Joe Parker, a globe-trotting newspaper reporter, arrives with a messy dilemma that could derail everything.
Joe explains that he has lied to his boss about being married to Mary in order to secure a longer vacation in the past, and now he needs to “borrow” Mary to pretend she is his wife so his career can be saved. Mary is reluctant and makes it clear she doesn’t want to be part of this deception, but Chris agrees to help, lending Joe his wife in a bid to protect his friend and their own quiet life.
As the trio heads to New York, Chris is held back by travel snafus—train seats fill up, and the delay means he arrives after Joe and Mary have already been thrust into the glare of the press. In the fast-paced city, a press conference unfolds, and their photo appears in every paper. The deceit grows more tangled when Arthur Truesdale Worth, the boss who monitors Joe’s story, discovers the forged letters Mary supposedly sent and used to back up Joe’s fake marriage.
Back home, Arnold—the wary house detective who keeps tabs on appearances—colors Chris’s hopes with tension, insisting that the scandal must be nipped in the bud, even if it means keeping Chris away from New York for a few days longer. Meanwhile, in Keetoosen, a local observer spots Mary in the city with Joe, raising questions about where Mary’s loyalties truly lie.
When Chris finally reaches New York, suspicion coils around his interest in “Mrs. Parker.” To muddy the waters further, Mary pretends to be in love with Joe and even confides in her friend Susy about the situation. Worth invites the trio to Long Island for a private visit, a setting ripe with romantic ambience and unseen prying eyes.
Crucially, Chris discovers where they are and sneaks into the Worth estate. On a balcony beneath a starry evening sky, he finds Mary and Joe in a tense, charged moment. Believing that Mary has fallen for the reporter, Chris moves to intervene, but the truth is more complicated: Mary had been acting under pressure, feigning romantic feelings to spur Joe into commitment. In a decisive turn, Chris knocks Joe out and drives Mary away in his car, stepping into a difficult moral ground to salvage his wife’s dignity and their family’s name.
Joe, meanwhile, plays the devastated husband who has just been left behind, winning sympathy from Worth and softening the blow of the scandal with a crafted performance. Yet the outcome of the night leans toward a quiet triumph for Christopher Price and Mary Price, as Mary reveals her gratitude that Chris stood up to his old friend and did what was necessary to protect their marriage.
In the end, the film folds these tangled emotions into a careful balance of trust, pride, and reconciliation. The couple’s bond endures the chaos stirred by loyalty and deception, with Mary recognizing the value of Chris’s steadfast protection, and Chris reaffirming his commitment to the marriage they planned to celebrate. The story moves with warmth and a steady comic rhythm, offering a window into how reputations and relationships collide when friendship, ambition, and love are tested on a crowded stage.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:31
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Playful deceptions and escalating social chaos in a whimsical world.If you enjoyed the playful ruse and charming chaos of Guest Wife, you'll love these other screwball comedies. This list features movies with similar lighthearted tones, steady pacing, and romantic plots built on deception and farcical misunderstandings.
The narrative typically begins with a small, harmless deception—like a fake marriage or mistaken identity—that rapidly escalates beyond the characters' control. The plot unfolds through a series of increasingly awkward and humorous confrontations, leading to a climax where the truth is revealed, resulting in comeuppance and a happy reconciliation.
These films are grouped together for their shared commitment to lighthearted, whimsical humor and a specific plot structure centered on deception. They offer a consistent vibe of playful anxiety and romantic charm, with a steady pace that builds comedic tension effectively.
Lighthearted stories where love is tested by a comedic ruse.Find more films like Guest Wife where a couple's bond is humorously challenged by a fake relationship or deceptive plot. These similar romantic comedies explore lighthearted jealousy and playful lessons, all leading to a happy and satisfying reaffirmation of love.
The story follows a settled couple whose routine is disrupted by an external force or an internal scheme, prompting one partner to feign interest in another to teach a lesson or solve a problem. This creates a blend of mild jealousy and comedic tension, ultimately leading to a realization of what they have and a stronger, happier union.
They share a core emotional journey: using light comedy to explore and ultimately strengthen a committed relationship. The vibe is consistently charming and reassuring, with moderate complexity from the ruse but low emotional weight, ensuring a feel-good experience.
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Track the full timeline of Guest Wife with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
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Discover movies like Guest Wife that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
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