Listen, Darling

Judy Garland is concerned that mom Mary Astor might be marrying prim and proper banker Gene Lockhart for all the wrong reasons. She concocts a scheme with friend Freddie Bartholomew to kidnap mom and little brother Scotty Beckett in a motor home and head for the open road so she can see what's out there.

I know it sounds like a crazy plot, but it actually is both funny and charming. Judy gets to introduce one of her standards, Zing When the Strings of My Heart and later on during a thunderstorm she comforts Scotty Beckett with the song It's Raining Ten Pins in the Sky. Of course that is a total ripoff of what Bing Crosby sang in the exact same situation in Pennies from Heaven, but who cares.

On the road the family meets both Walter Pigeon and Alan Hale, both more acceptable choices for the widow Astor. Who does she choose. You'll have to sit through Judy Garland singing some really nice songs in her inimitable style to find out.

Not a bad trade, not a bad trade at all.

At a school ceremony, plucky Judy Garland (as "Pinkie" Wingate) sings after boyfriend Freddie Bartholomew (as Herbert "Buzz" Mitchell) delivers a speech. The teenagers fret about Ms. Garland's widowed mother Mary Astor (as Dorothy "Dottie" Wingate) deciding to marry a stuffy banker Gene Lockhart (as Arthur Drubbs), for financial security. To prevent the wedding, Mr. Bartholomew conspires with Garland to "kidnap" Ms. Astor and cute little Scotty Becket (as Billie Wingate).

The quartet ride around in a trailer. They meet distinguished Walter Pidgeon (as Richard Thurlow) and wealthy Alan Hale (as J.J. Slattery), both prospective husbands for mother Astor. An excellent studio version of Garland's "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" was recorded for Decca in 1939; for some reason, it was unreleased as a hit single until 1943. The tune is a highlight. The songs in "Listen, Darling" have more "Zing" than the script, but the young co-stars are engaging.

***** Listen, Darling (10/18/38) Edwin L. Marin ~ Judy Garland, Freddie Bartholomew, Mary Astor, Walter Pidgeon

Yes, it's predictable and far-fetched, but utterly charming. What a pleasant way to while away an hour or so. It's my first time seeing Mary Astor in one of her mum roles & she radiated so much warmth. Walter Pidgeon is also very charming. Lovely to see a young Judy Garland - that voice - and an older Freddie Bartholomew. The low point was the youngest kid who was a real brat. Like a number of films of that era, the ending felt a bit rushed. It's almost as if they said: Oops, we've hit the hour mark. Let's wrap this up. I definitely recommend it. 😀

Judy and Freddie team up and kidnap Judy's mom ( Mary Astor ) in a trailer in an effort to prevent her mother from marrying the town banker , which the mother does not love. In route they meet a photographer ( Walter Pigeon ) who falls in love with Judy's Mom. The scenes with her little brother are really funny coupled with Judy singing "Zing, Went the Strings of my Heart" made this a treat for my daughter and myself to watch. A great movie to watch on a quiet afternoon or late at night.

"Listen, Darling" is a very good comedy drama and family picture, with a wonderful cast of known adult and child actors of the day. The plot is about a plot by Pinkie Wingate and her good friend, Buzz Mitchell, to kidnap Mrs. Wingate. They want to get her away from home for awhile where local banker, Mr. Drubbs, is about to pop the question to Dottie. She is a widow raising Pinkie and her young brother, Billie. Buzz came up with idea of tricking Dottie and Billie into the family's small trailer, locking the door on them and then he and Pinkie driving out of town and to a distant camp ground. They figure that once out in the wilds for a few days, they would be able to look around for other eligible males for Dottie.

Well, obviously, such a silly plot leads to a fun and sometimes very funny escapade. And do they ever meet some eligible men for Dottie. All of the characters in this film are worth smiles.

Judy Garland is Pinkie, and is 16 and not quite yet the star she would be within a year. She was on her way though, having made the first of the Andy Hardy films with Micky Rooney just before this one. "The Wizard of Oz" was just around the corner. Judy sings two tunes here. And, joining Judy as Buzz is Freddie Bartholomew. He was just 14 at the time, but a good size for his age and a perfect teen friend for Pinky. Even little Scotty Beckett is more cute than annoying as Pinkie's brother, Billie - at around 8 or 9 years of age - his real age at the time.

Mary Astor plays the mom, Dottie Wingate. She hasn't had a lot to smile about since her husband's death some years before. She struggles to make ends meet, which is why she's inclined to say "yes" to Mr. Drubbs if he asks her hand in marriage. But Pinkie knows she doesn't love the man, and she wants her mother to be happy.

Well, the men they meet camping out include Walter Pidgeon as Richard Thurlow, Alan Hale as J.J. Slattery, and Barnett Parker as Abercrombie.

This is a warm, funny and entertaining comedy. It is a good family film that most older movie buffs, especially, should enjoy.

Here are a couple of favorite lines from the film.

Buzz Mitchell, "Ah, I might as well try to reason with a piece of cheese as women."

Dottie Wingate, "Buzz, I think the two of you are mad - absolutely mad. It's the craziest, silliest, most ridiculous senseless thing I've ever heard of in my life. But I love you for it."