Starring Deanna Durbin, Robert Stack, Eugene Pallatte, and Helen Parrish
Directed by Henry Koster
Music and Lyrics by various
This week, we're switching streams to the less flamboyant vehicles of a very different musical performer. Teen soprano Deanna Durbin's films were such major hits in the late 30's, they were credited with helping Universal through a very rough financial time. This began as a more traditional fantasy version of Cinderella in 1938, but Walt Disney already had a hold on that title and protested. They retooled it into a modern-day version, with the little cinder girl now replaced by a poor orphan who returns to an uncaring family and falls for a prince charming at a New York dance. How does this version look today? Let's begin on graduation day at Miss Wiggins' (Kathleen Howard) School for Girls and find out...
The Story: Constance "Connie" Harding's (Durbin) schooling has been paid for by her Uncle James Clinton (Eugene Pallatte), who didn't attend graduation and has never wanted anything to do with her. With no other home to go to, she has no choice but to move in with them. Uncle James and the servants like her, but his daughter Barbara (Parrish) is jealous of her sweet, innocent charm, son Walter (Lewis Howard) is too lazy to care about anyone, and his flaky wife Grace (Leatrice Joy) cares more about what her astrological charts say than anything going on with her family.
Spoiled Barbara sends Connie on an errand to stall her current crush Ted Drake (Stack) at the country club before he can ride off without here. She tries to lure his horse away, but only succeeds in embarrassing herself. Ted thinks she's adorable, but Barbara's livid and claims he hates her. Barbara is so jealous, she refuses to let Connie come to the Drake family's ball with them, despite her mother claiming she could. The servants find a way to let her come anyhow. She manages to sing for the crowds there, impressing Tom and his father (Thurston Hall). Barbara is so angry, she fires the servants and once again tells Connie Ted thinks nothing of her. Connie runs off..but she has help from Uncle James, who has had enough of his family's snobbish behavior, and Miss Wiggins, who wants to see her best student happy.
The Song and Dance: Durbin is adorable in this sweet modern fairy tale, and who knew later tough-guy Stack would make such a dashing prince charming? They're backed by a collection of Universal's best character actors. Pallatte is the stand-out as the stern father with a soft spot for Connie who would rather see her be happy than let his family get away with abusing her. There's also Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Treen as the housemaids who help transform Connie's graduation gown into a ball gown, Charles Coleman as the sensible butler, and Kathleen Howard as Connie's crusty but loving teacher. Gorgeous costumes, too, especially the gown for Connie that caused all the fuss before the ball.
And...kudos to Universal for letting Durbin realistically grow up onscreen (something 20th Century Fox never really managed with Shirley Temple). This role would lead her to do more mature films in the future, including two thrillers in the early 40's.
Favorite Number: We open with Durbin singing "Home Sweet Home" for her fellow finishing school graduates...but bursts into tears before the end because she's leaving for an uncertain future. She proves to the servants she has an opera-worthy voice by singing "Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)" for them just as her Uncle James walks in. She's delighted to have "Spring In My Heart" as she sings her heart out for everyone at the ball. Miss Wiggins insists she perform the difficult aria "Un Bel Di" from Madame Butterfly for her music teacher audition in front of the school. She thinks it's too sad, but Miss Wiggins has her reasons for choosing that song...
Trivia: First film for Robert Stack and Lewis Howard. Stack won a nation-wide search for a man to give Durbin her first onscreen kiss.
Silent screen actress Leatrice Joy's first movie since 1930.
What I Don't Like: Pallatte is such a scene stealer, he almost walks away with the movie, especially in the end when he lays into his obnoxious children and ditzy wife and shows them exactly what he thinks of their laziness and selfishness! This really isn't much of a musical. We just get a few songs for Durbin. It's more of a sweet romantic comedy, with all the inherent cliches of the genre. Parrish's Barbara was such a spiteful wench from the beginning, I'm amazed Connie believed what she said about Ted twice. Frankly, I wouldn't have believed a word that came out of her mouth from the get-go.
Even Universal had concerns about the abrupt ending. There's no New York-wide search for the girl with the shoe, and we never do find out how Miss Wiggins got the other slipper from Tom. They really could have done more with this, or at least showed Tom actively looking for her.
The Big Finale: One of Durbin's better early vehicles; highly recommended for fans of her, unique Cinderella stories, or those who are interested in a young Stack before his TV years.
Home Media: Currently DVD-only as part of the Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Collection.
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