If You Could Only Cook

A struggling food chemist, whose experimental soup formula is stolen by a rival, finds his fortunes reversed when he's hired by a wealthy socialite. She has a secret: she's actually broke and needs his culinary skills to maintain appearances. As they pretend to be a happy couple, their fake romance begins to turn real, complicated by the return of the rival who still wants the soup formula.

If You Could Only Cook was a modest success, praised for its charming performances and lighthearted comedic tone. While not a major critical darling of its time, it was generally well-received by audiences for its escapist entertainment value.

• Praised for its witty dialogue and charming leads.
• An enjoyable, light screwball comedy of the era.
• The premise is charmingly absurd and executed with flair.

Google audience: Audience reception for this film is not widely documented through aggregated Google user reviews.

Jean Arthur and Herbert Marshall would go on to star together again in the critically acclaimed Frank Capra film 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' (1939).