1h 34min | Comedy, Musical | 21 July 1947
Director: Irving Pichel
Stars: Deanna Durbin, Donald O'Connor, John Dall, Charles Winninger.
Eugene Loring ... choreographer
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039847/
In the Tap! Appendix for Donald O'Connor. Not sure that he actually taps.
2nd of 8 films for John Dall; I own 5 of them, and rate all highly (7 or higher).
19th of 21 films for DD; the last 2 are released in '48.
Per the vintage featurette (10 min trailer), 1st film since returning from WW2 service for DO; 28th of 57 films for him. In his previous film, he was paired with Peggy Ryan. Here he's more adult, at least until the ballet in the finale.
For the Williams Brothers: 2nd of 2 film credits for them; they sound terrific. I don't understand how I know they existed; only Andy has a substantial filmography (180 Self:TV credits, and that's without episodes (427!).) The other 3 have only a handful of credits. I thought they guested on Andy's show at least every Christmas; perhaps the data hasn't been captured on IMDb (yet).
Songs performed (18 chapters with menu):
- ch1. The Turntable Song, Sung by Deanna Durbin
- ch5. Happy Go Lucky and Free, Sung by Deanna Durbin
- ch7. I Love a Mystery, Sung and danced by Donald O'Connor, all over a private library
- ch10. You Wanna Keep Your Baby Looking Right, Sung by Deanna Durbin
- ch12. The Turntable Song, sung by Donald O'Connor and the The Williams Brothers, who are hidden in the shadows!
- ch12. Something in the Wind, Sung by Deanna Durbin
- ch14. It's Only Love, Sung by Deanna Durbin
- ch16. Miserere from "Il Trovatore", Sung by Deanna Durbin and Jan Peercec
- ch18. ballet, then DO dances comic ballet, followed by reprise of Happy Go Lucky and Free, Sung by Donald O'Connor and Deanna Durbin
This would be an 8, but I don't like the plot. DD starts out strong (refusing the settlement of rich guy JD because she wasn't who he sought), but then decides to fleece the rich folks, then decides she loves JD... I don't get it. Of course, I find JD better suited to roles like his in Rope ('48) and the aristocrat in Spartacus ('60), which is more how his character begins here. But then he melts into DD's arms, changing personality altogether.
But musically this is a treat. DD ventures outside of the lyric soprano realm, and sings in a more popular style, but comes back to opera a couple of times too. The title song is very catchy.
The big highlight comes early, with DO dancing all around a lavishly furnished room, the mansion library. He does some pratfalls that look like a rehearsal for his Make 'Em Laugh number in Singin' in the Rain ('52), especially when he throws himself around behind the couch. I remember the number from however many years ago I watched this (bought the set in 2004).
Universal, dir. Pichel; 7+
