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Over 21

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When 39-year-old newspaper man Max Wharton (Alexander Knox) suddenly decides to leave his job as chief editor for the New York Bulletin and follow his patriotic calling to enlist in the army, newspaper owner Robert Drexel Gow (Charles Coburn) is beside himself. Max's novelist wife, Paula (Irene Dunne), is in Hollywood adapting a screenplay, but skips town and heads to a Florida military base to support Max during basic training. Together they adjust to the sporadic absurdities of military life.
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Over 21

Critics Reviews

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James Agee TIME Magazine Feb 22, 2018
[A] moderately successful comedy ... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve D @RT35616104 Aug 1, 2026 Well meaning but extremely thin. See more Aug 8, 2016 Pleasant wartime comedy is fast-moving but a bit stagy. See more Aug 6, 2014 An amusing film based on a play by Ruth Gordon. Alexander Knox stars as the editor of a major newspaper who resigns to join the army. Irenne Dunne plays his wife, a novelist and screenwriter, who moves to a small motel near the training camp. Charles Coburn plays his boss who desperately wants him back. An entertaining farce and a real mirror into the attitudes of American during WW II. See more Mar 27, 2012 some light hearted fare for WWII audiences weary of WWII See more Read all reviews
Over 21

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Cast & Crew

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Charles Vidor

Director

Irene Dunne

Paula "Polly" Wharton

Alexander Knox

Max W. Wharton

Charles Coburn

Robert Drexel Gow

Jeff Donnell

Jan Lupton

Loren Tindall

Lt. Roy Lupton
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Over 21

Over 21 (1945) Over 21 (1945) Over 21 (1945) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When 39-year-old newspaper man Max Wharton (Alexander Knox) suddenly decides to leave his job as chief editor for the New York Bulletin and follow his patriotic calling to enlist in the army, newspaper owner Robert Drexel Gow (Charles Coburn) is beside himself. Max's novelist wife, Paula (Irene Dunne), is in Hollywood adapting a screenplay, but skips town and heads to a Florida military base to support Max during basic training. Together they adjust to the sporadic absurdities of military life.
Director
Charles Vidor
Producer
Sidney Buchman
Screenwriter
Sidney Buchman
Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Runtime
1h 42m
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