You Came Along (working title Don't Ever Grieve Me) is a 1945 romantic comedy-drama film set in World War II, directed by John Farrow.

[1] The plot involves a US Army Air Forces (USAAF) officer who tries to hide his terminal medical condition from a U.S. Treasury Department public relations staff member, whom he just met before a war bond drive.

[3] You Came Along opens with a stanza from the poem "The Sermon of St. Francis" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: During World War II, three highly decorated USAAF officers return to Washington, D.C. after a combat tour in Europe:Major Robert "Bob" Collins (Robert Cummings), Captain W. "Shakespeare" Anders (Don DeFore) and Lieutenant R. "Handsome" Janoschek (Charles Drake).

The airport manager warns that her charges have the appearance of being "wolves," but Ivy replies "But I don't happen to be Little Red Riding Hood."

Returning to the room, Ivy breaks up the kissing session between the officers and their girlfriends, dragging the unwilling men to the aircraft.

In Boston, the three officers slip away from the bond drive, forcing Ivy to bring them back from a local nightclub, partying with showgirls in a dressing room.

In Riverside, California, at the Mission Inn Fliers' Chapel, Bob attends the wedding of Ivy's sister Frances (Kim Hunter), who marries a naval aviator named Bill Allen (Robert Sully), despite having to leave overseas for combat duty.

The first version of the screenplay was written by Robert Smith, based on his short story, Don't Ever Grieve Me, which became the working title for the film.

Originally conceived as a Barbara Stanwyck vehicle, producer Hal Wallis hired Ayn Rand to rewrite the script.

Much concern was shown for the "immoral" heterosexual behavior of the three Air Force officers, as well as the alleged homosexuality of the Franklin Pangborn character.

[14] "To remind audiences that You Came Along heralded an actress's debut, Wallis added a separate credit to the main title: Introducing Lizabeth Scott.

"[7] At the age of 22 in her film debut, Lizabeth Scott was already an experienced stage actress, but was met with skepticism by the production crew.

"Robert Cummings was on leave from the Army Air Corps as a civilian flight instructor to make the film.

Director John Farrow, who was sent home wounded in 1941 with the rank of commander in the Royal Canadian Navy, was recalled to service after the completion of this film.

[22] A recording sung by Helen Forrest and sheet music were released by Paramount in 1945, both renamed in movie tie-ins, You Came Along (Out of Nowhere).

The most prominent critic of the era, Bosley Crowther of The New York Times, in his review, was not favourably impressed: "To a new and quite clearly inexperienced little actress named Lizabeth Scott is given the job of making the girl in the story seem real.

Robert Cummings is glibly mechanical as the hero who is tragically doomed, and Don DeFore and Charles Drake are average cut-ups as his Rover Boyish wolfing-drinking pals.

"[27][28] [29] During the shooting of You Came Along, Hal Wallis showed Scott's screen test to Hollywood columnist Bob Thomas.

"[30] Wallis told Thomas: "Notice how her eyes are alive and sparkling ... Once in a while she reads a line too fast, but direction will cure that.

[33][34][35] Despite the negative reviews by Crowther and Thomas, most critics of the period were positive, praising the film, Robert Cummings' performance and welcoming Hal Wallis' new discovery, Lizabeth Scott.