La hermanita de su criado

As someone who's not a fan of opera, I actually find Deanna Durbin enjoyable having liked her previously in Can't Help Singing among a few of her other movies I can't remember by title right now and in her debut with Judy Garland in the short Every Sunday. In addition to her singing voice on many tunes like "Nessun Dorma" at the end, Ms. Durbin also displays some wonderful humorous touches that matches the veteran comic supporting cast of male butlers that follow her around. I was even enjoying the not-too-compelling-story at least until Franchot Tone-whose character was seeing another woman-seemed to be starting an affair with Deanna. Ms. Durbin isn't the only one who performs, however, since in the beginning when we first see Tone's songwriter character, a couple of women who call themselves the Sunshine Twins (one of whom is Iris Adrian who I knew as the landlady in That Darn Cat-Hayley Mills version) do a funny number called "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?" in front of him. So musically and comically, His Butler's Sister was a mostly enjoyable Durbin vehicle.

This is my favorite Deanna Durbin movie. She just glows in her role as Ann Carter. Her singing is gorgeous, move over Pavarotti! I couldn't disagree more with the reviewer who states it is an example of "script by committee". It's a moot point, ALL scripts were "made by committee" in the Golden Days of Hollywood, and sometimes other people's input can be invaluable to add spice to a script that would otherwise be lackluster.

There is lots of everything a lover of old time musicals would enjoy in this film: comedy bits by the "Sunshine twins" (singing "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?"), and the chemistry between "The Boys" (the other butlers of different nationalities who are all in love with Ann), beautiful music, including the original "In The Spirit Of The Moonlight" and the classics "When You're Away" (Victor Herbert), a rousing number of Russian folk songs including "Two Guitars" that Deanna sings beautifully in Russian, and an English version of "None Must Sleep" (Nessun Dorma). Music to melt you. And very nice chemistry between Deanna and Franchot.

If there hadn't been a Judy Garland, Deanna Durbin would be much better remembered today, and this film is one of her finest vehicles. Believe me, you can purchase a lot of videos of old movies based on "script by committee" that do not compare to the pleasure that this one provides.

"His Butler's Sister" is a frustrating story. Much of the story is very good, there is an excellent supporting cast and Deanna Durbin sings an amazingly different version of "Nessun Dorma"...but the writing is confusing and uneven. It's a shame, as the film easily could have been so much better.

Ann (Durbin) is headed to New York City to see her brother, Martin (Pat O'Brien). She is surprised when she sees him, as it's been many years* and he's NOT the successful man she thought he'd be. Instead, he's a butler for a successful song writer/producer....just the man Ann wants to meet because she has ambitions of being a professional singer. But Martin convinces her NOT to try auditioning for his boss (Franchot Tone), as MANY women try this and he is the gate keeper. But Martin's behaviors are very inconsistent...especially after Ann and his boss fall in love. At this point, the film is terribly confusing, though thankfully it soon ends on a high note.

Hearing Durbin sing "Nessun Dorma" from "Turandot" by Puccini is a treat. It's a song written for tenors and I have never heard a woman singing it...let alone a soprano. But with Durbin's powerful voice, she manages to hit all the notes and this piece alone make the film worth your time. As for the story, well, it's weak and confusing...but the actors make it pleasant regardless.





*Casting O'Brien as Durbin's brother was a poor choice. He was 22 years older than her...and he definitely looked this much older...perhaps more.

This film is really lovely.

Deanna is in top form, so pretty too here!

The ending always makes me cry no matter how many times I've watched the film!

How nice now to be able to watch it on DVD sixty-four years after it came out and be captivated all over again just like all the butlers in the film were! Everything about it seems just right with lots of nice touches.

I recently bought the DVD Collection of all Deanna's movies but I have only ever seen two others. One of the others is "Can't Help Singing!"

Another very happy experience (in colour!)

Thank you glorious Deanna! Victor (London) 15-5-2007

Coming after the grave "stage door canteen" ,which ,in spite of funny scenes ,dealt about soldiers about to go to war,"his butler's sister" is some kind of comic relief.Deanna Durbin is a very good-looking actress and songstress -even if ,like me,her style is not your cup of tea-and watching Franchot Tone at work is always a joy to me.Anyway they do not appear in what is for me the funniest of the whole movie :girls mistaking a salesman for a composer and discovering that what he sells is not what they were expecting.

The movie features several songs ,the last one being some kind of communication as it was the case in other Borzage works such as "I'll always love you" or " smiling through" ,though in a lighter way.