(95 min) Released 1938-10-07
Director: Edward Ludwig
Stars: Deanna Durbin, Melvyn Douglas, Jackie Cooper
Genres: Comedy | Musical
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030854/
The dvd included an introduction by Robert Osborne, who said that this, or perhaps all, DD movies can stand alone without the songs. He intended it as a compliment, that the story is strong enough to not need musical support. I see it as a negative, that the songs do not pertain to the plot, much less illuminate the character's thoughts and feelings, and they interrupt the flow of the story. Fortunately they are very pleasant interruptions, and not all so irrelevant as RO's remark implies.
Perhaps RO wants to watch a teen girl coming of age romantically, and how the teen boy gets (unintentionally) tortured in the process, but I really don't. Especially not when the boy is Jackie Cooper, whom I only like in a '73 episode of Columbo (he was the murderer). Melvyn Douglas (b.1901) looks even older than his number (although people look younger now than those of comparable age in the 1960's and earlier; I think until the late 1960's, being a grownup was valued), and I've never understood his appeal as a leading man. So her crush is bizarre to me.
If you crave more DD singing and have run out of other options, maybe try this again. I don't have the desire to map out where the songs are, but here are the Soundtracks:
- My Own, Performed by Deanna Durbin (uncredited)
- That Certain Age
- Be a Good Scout
- You're as Pretty as a Picture
- Daisy Bell
- Les Filles de Cadiz, Performed by Deanna Durbin
- Aria from 'Romeo et Juliette', Performed by Deanna Durbin
Universal, dir. Ludwig; 5+
