Her Cardboard Lover (1942).

Her Cardboard Lover(1942). Comedy film directed by George Cukor. The film is the third screen adaptation of the play, following The Cardboard Lover in 1928 and The Passionate Plumber in 1932. Joan Crawford and Hedy Lamarr were each offered the part of "Consuela", but both turned it down.

Songwriter Terry Trindale, has fallen head over heals over Consuelo Croyden, a woman he has watched from a distance every night at a Palm Beach casino. Even though, he has gone out of his way to be seated at the gambling tables next to Consuelo, Terry has never spoke to her.

One night, he finally gets the courage to speak to her and lets it slips out, that he loves her and then he asks if she could ever fall in love with him. She says "absolutely not" and warns him not to be so "clingy", if he wants a woman to return his love.

Consuelo, then heads for the gambling tables, with a stuffy Tony Barling, not far behind, but.. because he is not dressed properly he cannot enter the casino. When, Terry learns that Tony wants to give a note to Consuelo, he volunteers to take it to her, but as soon as Tony leaves, he tears it up.

Terry, then watches from the side lines.. Consuelo, win at chemin de fer and yells out "Banco", to play against her. After, she wins again, he now owes her a great sum of money. He tells her that he does not have the money to pay her. At first, she feels a little sorry for him, but when he gives her the pieces of Tony's note, angrily she asks him what the letter said.

After, telling her what he remembered she then asks him to come to her house. She then comes up with the idea for him to work as her secretary to pay off his debt. Assuming the role of her "cardboard lover," she asks for a written contract to pretend to be her fiance. She then explains that Tony is her fiance, with who she broke off because of the "madness" of their on and off again relationship.

Just then Tony, arrives and Consuelo has Terry hide on the patio. Although, she tells Tony, that she is in love with someone else, he does not believe her. Terry, then comes waltzing in, acting very affectionate. Tony, recognizes him from the casino and is suspicious, and when Terry goes to get ice, Tony tells Consuelo that he knows this is an act and begs her to come to a friend's yacht before they sail in the morning.

After Tony leaves, Consuelo, quickly packs her bags to meet Tony. Terry, is waiting at her front door, to stop her.

Four weeks later, Terry is still working as Consuelo's "Cardboard Lover". Chappie Champagne, Terry's partner, cannot talk him into coming back with him to New York to sell their new song, "I Dare You," which they have been composing on Consuelo's piano.

Wanting to get rid of Terry, she pretends that she is cured of Tony, once and for all and offers to cancel the rest of Terry's debt. Terry then leaves, saying he is going to the airport. Consuelo, receives a call from Tony, saying that he is going away with another woman and she convinces him to stop by her house. Tony, asks her wear a negligee and unlatch the door for him. But... it is Terry who arrives, admitting that it was he who called, disguising his voice to sound like Tony.

When Tony really does arrive, she tells Terry hide and then explains to Tony that Terry, is not really her lover. At this moment Terry, comes out wearing pajamas and gets into her bed. Consuelo, tries to make Terry tell the truth, but he refuses and Tony leaves.

Consuelo, locks Terry in the bathroom, but he has already left and is waiting in the hall. She slaps him, but he again reminds her of his promise to keep her from Tony. Frustrated with him, Consuelo says that his songs are "tripe," but soon apologizes and admits that she is in love with Tony. She calls Tony and says she has kicked Terry out and is leaving to see him. Terry then threatens to jump out the window, but.. is unsuccessful.

Terry, goes back to his hotel, where Tony is also staying. After meeting in the elevator, the two men begin a wild fight.

During their hearing on charges of disturbing the peace and assaulting a police officer, Consuelo shows up angry with Terry, but when Chappie arrives with tickets to New York and money from the sale of their song to pay Terry's fine, she begins to realize her true feelings.

Norma Shearer, in her last film, wears gorgeous clothes and played her part perfectly. Robert Taylor, looks very young and handsome. There are some wonderful scenes: one where Taylor threatens to jump over a balcony and one when he is wearing her pajamas.

Elizabeth Patterson (November 22, 1874 – January 31, 1966), born in Savannah, Tennessee. Her father, who had been a Confederate soldier, was a judge in Hardin County. She was educated in the county's public schools and at colleges in Pulaski and Columbia, where her participation in college theatricals helped to form her interest in drama.

 Her parents sent her to Europe in the hope of discouraging her interest in the theater, but her determination to become an actress was only reinforced by her experiences attending productions at the Comédie Française. After returning from Europe, Patterson used a small inheritance to move to Chicago, where she joined a theatrical troupe, and subsequently toured with repertory companies.

In 1913, she made her Broadway debut in the play Everyman. She remained active in New York City theatre through 1954. In 1926, at the age of 51, Patterson was cast in her first movie, The Boy Friend. Additional screen credits include: A Bill of Divorcement; Tarnished Lady; Dinner at Eight; High, Wide, and Handsome; Intruder in the Dust; Remember the Night; No Man of Her Own; The Shocking Miss Pilgrim; Little Women; My Sister Eileen; and Pal Joey.

 In 1952, at the age of 77, Patterson made her first appearance on the hit CBS-TV sitcom I Love Lucy in the episode entitled "The Marriage License". In that installment, Patterson's character, Mrs. Willoughby, was the wife of the Greenwich, Connecticut justice of the peace (played by character actor Irving Bacon) who re-marries Lucy and Ricky Ricardo.

The following year she was cast in a featured guest role as Mrs. Matilda Trumbull in the episode "No Children Allowed". Patterson's character of Mrs. Trumbull was initially an ornery curmudgeon who also resided in the Ricardos' apartment building. In that installment, she threatened to make trouble for the Ricardos since the building did not allow children. At the end of the episode, however, her character softens as she holds the Ricardos' baby for the first time and, as a result, Mrs. Trumbull becomes friends with both the Ricardos and the Mertzes. In fact, Patterson's role was so popular (as well as useful to the writers of the series) that she continued in the role for three more years as the babysitter for "Little Ricky". In the fall of 1956, with I Love Lucy in its final season, Patterson made her last appearance as Mrs. Trumbull in the episode, "Little Ricky Learns To Play The Drums". Her character was mentioned one last time in the 1957 episode "Lucy Raises Chickens". In that installment, Fred and Ethel Mertz decide to follow the Ricardos and move to Connecticut to be near them and Mrs. Trumbull's sister moves into 623 East 68th Street to manage the apartment building for Fred.

Never married, Patterson lived alone at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during her thirty five-year motion picture career. She died in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia at the age of 91. She is buried in her hometown of Savannah.