Name: Theodora Goes Wild
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 1936-11-12
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 7.1
Cast: Irene Dunne, Melvyn Douglas, Thomas Mitchell, Thurston Hall, Elisabeth Risdon

1936·Comedy·1h 34m

7.1

★

The small-town prudes of Lynnfield are up in arms over 'The Sinner,' a sexy best-seller. They little suspect that author 'Caroline Adams' is really Theodora Lynn, scion of the town's leading family. Michael Grant, devil-may-care book jacket illustrator, penetrates Theodora's incognito and sets out to 'free her' from Lynnfield against her will. But Michael has a secret too, and gets a taste of his own medicine.

Directed by Richard Boleslawski

small town

connecticut

bestseller

screwball comedy

Trailer

IMDB

N/A

Cast

Irene Dunne

Theodora Lynn

Melvyn Douglas

Michael Grant

Thomas Mitchell

Jed Waterbury

Thurston Hall

Arthur Stevenson

Elisabeth Risdon

Aunt Mary

Margaret McWade

Aunt Elsie

Spring Byington

Rebecca Perry

Nana Bryant

Ethel Stevenson

Henry Kolker

Jonathan Grant

Leona Maricle

Agnes Grant

Robert Greig

Uncle John

Stella Adams

Townswoman (uncredited)

Crew

Morris Stoloff

Music Director

Popular Reviews

13 reviews

Luz

9.0★ · 04/29/26

"I have this to say to the modern young girls, gentlemen - Be free, express yourselves! Take your life in your own hands and mold it. The world will try to rob you of your freedom, but fight for it! It's all you have to live for! That's all for the modern girl"

ChaiclassicsPRO

9.0★ · 03/08/26

First half was strong, admittedly by the second half it falls off. But very interesting story about censorship and stuff like idk I feel like it reflects how censorship affected Hollywood and stuff but great comedy. Funny moments! Also love Irene Dunne and Melvyn Douglas' chemistry!

va24mar

7.0★ · 09/17/25

1936

Irene Dunne is marvelous in this and yet again delivers such an endlessly and effortlessly charming performance that I can’t but absolutely admire her. She’s just got some kind of aura around her that draws you to the characters she plays. And Melvyn Douglas is magnificent and incredibly funny too. In combination, the two of them work perfectly.

And I really enjoyed premise and story. It’s a neat ideas and mostly well executed, although I think the film loses itself a bit too much in farcical drama in the last third. I would’ve rated it four stars had it developed slightly different, although the ending is very good again.

meowpants

7.0★ · 08/31/25

Gaslight gatekeep girlboss

Maranda

8.0★ · 05/26/25

I am a simple woman. Give me Melvyn Douglas in a weird v neck tank and I am in. Add him getting humbled by a cool girl and I am SEATED