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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/its_love_im_after.jpg]]
2''It's Love I'm After'' (1937) is a little gem of a ScrewballComedy / RomanticComedy starring Creator/LeslieHoward, Creator/BetteDavis, and Creator/OliviaDeHavilland. It was directed by Archie Mayo and was based on the story by Maurice Handline, ''Gentlemen After Midnight''.
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4A [[FanGirl fawning fan]], Marcia ([=DeHavilland=]), sets her eyes on Shakespearean actor, Basil Underwood (Howard), inducing him into in a series of disasters as he tries to keep various promises. First, to be faithful and marry his leading lady, Joyce (Davis), and second, to help Marcia’s fiancé, Henry (Patric Knowles), crush Marcia’s unstoppable infatuation by being a veritable cad. Of course, Basil can’t do this all alone, he needs his trusty valet, Digges (Erie Blore), to help him with this [[ZanyScheme zany scheme]].
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6This is the third pairing between Howard and Davis and a rare comedy for them both. Howard and [=DeHavilland=] would work together again two years later in ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', playing Ashley and Melanie Wilkes.
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8!!''It's Love I'm After'' shows the following tropes:
9* AllWomenAreLustful: Basil decides to put the moves on Marcia, feeling she would protect herself from his sexual advances, find him disgusting, and end her infatuation. So Basil sneaks into Marcia’s room, and he begins to “seduce” her. He’s frightened to find out that she has no qualms with having sex with him. Freaked out, Basil runs away, and Marcia says he was in the right to flee because she couldn’t control herself. But [[ButIWouldReallyEnjoyIt she knows she would’ve enjoyed it.]]
10* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Basil and Joyce really do love each other even if they constantly fight one another.
11* BelligerentSexualTension: Loads between Basil and Joyce.
12* BrainlessBeauty: Marcia is completely devoid of any useful thought. [[spoiler: Subverted as she finally figures things out and knows that she would forget Basil in two week's time.]]
13* BrattyHalfPint: Gracie, the little girl who loves peeping through keyholes.
14-->'''Gracie Kane''': Oh, Mr. Actor Man! Where're you going?
15-->'''Basil''': To someplace where there are no dear little children.
16* TheCasanova: Basil just can’t help himself.
17* DivorceIsTemporary: Although Basil and Joyce aren’t married, they are still a couple that go through various shenanigans that separate them and need to get back together.
18* EasilyForgiven: Marcia forgives and excuses every horrible thing Basil does to try and dissuade her from loving him.
19* FanGirl: Oh boy, when Marcia is in love, she goes crazy. TropeMaker?
20* GreenEyedMonster: Lampshaded by Basil to Joyce when she finds out Marcia was in his dressing room.
21-->'''Basil''': Darling, have you heard of the green-eyed monster?
22* HeterosexualLifePartners: Basil and Digges.
23* TheIngenue: Marcia is very innocent and sugary sweet to a disgusting extreme.
24* ItsAllAboutMe: Basil only helps Henry because he wants to restore himself in the eyes of Joyce and become a better man for rejecting Marcia’s advances.
25* TheJeeves: Digges does everything for Basil without question, but advises him not to follow Henry’s plan to stop Marcia’s obsession. Of course, Basil doesn’t listen.
26* LargeHam: InUniverse: Basil’s very unsubtle acting style.
27* LoveAtFirstSight: Marcia to the unsuspecting Basil.
28* LoveEpiphany: Near the end and after he thinks his chances with Joyce are ruined, Basil realizes that she’s the only woman for him.
29* LoveTriangle: Marcia, Basil, and Joyce.
30* MadLove: Marcia is absolutely nuts for Basil. He tries to push her away by being a horrible cad, but she only excuses his actions and thinks him even more irresistible.
31* RunningGag: Digges moving his toupee around.
32** Digges having to pack and unpack Basil’s suitcase.
33* SecondFaceSmoke: Joyce blows smoke into Basil’s face to make him shut up.
34* SlapSlapKiss: Basil both with Joyce and Marcia.
35** Lampshaded by Basil:
36-->'''Basil''': I say, Digges, you don't suppose I've aroused her [Marcia’s] slap-me-again-I-love-it complex?
37* SmallNameBigEgo: Basil to a T.
38-->'''Basil''': After all, what am I? Just the greatest actor in the world.
39* ShoutOut:
40-->'''Marcia''': You leave Henry out of this! If he'd had any sense he'd have realized I'd have forgotten all about you in two weeks. I was in love with Creator/ClarkGable last year, and if I can get over him, it's a cinch I can get over you.
41-->'''Basil''': Who's Creator/ClarkGable?
42-->'''Marcia''': ''[to Henry]'' He doesn't know who Clark Gable is.
43-->'''Henry''': Hmmm. I do.
44* ShowWithinAShow: The film begins with Basil and Joyce doing ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''.
45* {{Squee}}: When Marcia gets the chance to meet her idol, Basil, she gets very fangirly.
46* WorldOfHam: How the theatre and its actors are portrayed.
47* ZanyScheme: Henry tells Basil that he must go to Marcia and be the most horrible, conceited man he can be to end her infatuation. HilarityEnsues when Marcia finds everything that Basil does irresistible.

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