Bachelor Mother (1939) is an American romantic comedy film directed by Garson Kanin, and starring Ginger Rogers, David Niven, and Charles Coburn.

With a plot full of mistaken identities, Bachelor Mother is a light-hearted treatment of the otherwise serious issues of child abandonment.

It was remade in 1956 as Bundle of Joy, starring Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, and inspired the Bollywood film Kunwara Baap.

Polly Parrish moved to New York City to seek more opportunities and works as seasonal temporary help in a large department store, Merlin's.

Polly's delight at keeping her job turns to baffled confusion when the orphanage attendants deliver the baby to her as part of her position.

In the height of fury over what he believes is a mother abandoning her baby to have fun in night clubs, David threatens Polly that she must take care of the child properly, or find herself fired, denied a recommendation, and blacklisted by every employer in the city.

Unable to convince anyone that she is not the mother, and threatened by David with persecution if she does not assume that role, Polly gives up, invents an abusive past lover, names the baby "John", and starts raising him.

He orders luxurious clothes and mink furs to be sent from the store and takes Polly to the party, playing a prank on the other guests that she cannot speak English and David must act as her interpreter.

The pair leave and have a romantic evening, dampened only by the recollection of John, whose existence makes David hesitate.

David rushes to warn Polly about the threat and insist that she produce John's real father (of whom he is jealous) so J.B. can understand what is going on.

[8] In January 1939 RKO announced Garson Kanin, who had impressed with A Man to Remember, would direct and Norman Krasna was writing the script.

Garson Kanin wanted to call it Baby Makes Three but producer Buddy De Sylva overruled him.