Move Over, Darling

Nicholas Arden is a fast-talking Los Angeles lawyer who wants to remarry after Ellen's disappearance but finds his plans tangled in a chaotic court case. He tends to act on impulse and charm, often mistaking confidence for competence. His stubbornness and quick wit drive much of the farce, even as he struggles with jealousy and loyalty to his family.

A wife who returns after five years, she is devoted to her children and torn between telling the truth and protecting them. She navigates the social world of Los Angeles with poise while masking her own history. Ellen's resilience and motherly instinct shape her decisions as she seeks to reunite with Nick without causing harm.

Ellen's mother-in-law and a social schemer who wields influence in Nick's life. She navigates etiquette and personal ambition to steer events, often pushing for convenient outcomes. Her meddling drives the plot's misunderstandings and forces Ellen to take drastic steps.

A glamorous psychoanalyst and Nick's fiancée who becomes entangled in Ellen's reappearance and the ensuing chaos. She relies on charm and social status, but faces vulnerability when pressed by Ellen's reveal. Her engagement is jeopardized by the deception and shifting loyalties around her.

The man Ellen spent five years with aboard a desert island, portrayed as athletic but nerdy in the ongoing ruse. His presence is used to heighten Nick's jealousy and test Ellen's honesty. He becomes a catalyst for the climactic revelations without playing a direct romantic role.

A cautious, sometimes confused judge who presides over Nick's bigamy case and the overlapping petitions. He becomes a comedic focal point as he attempts to untangle conflicting desires and lawfulness. His rulings drive the film's reversals, offering closure through orderly, if benevolent, authority.