La douce illusion

If you discover this film, as I did on rerun on a television station, you will first notice that it is a comedy with musical numbers. It is not a drama; it is not a lost opportunity for heavy-duty angst between a mother and daughter nor a passionate romantic triangle. I claim it is just what its producers set out to make it to be--an opportunity for young singing star Deanna Durbin to show her abilities, a nice part for Kay Francis who is young enough to play leads and mature enough to suggest that she may have to consider giving up impersonating ingenues on stage, and a chance for Walter Pidegon to play the fascinating man who falls in love with her. Francis underplays and is intelligent, I claim, and capable in the part of a Broadway luminary, a sort of part which has overtaxed many a Hollywood actress because it requires high intelligence, a trained voice AND a trained accent. Durbin is energetic, bubbly and believable as an inexperienced human being and as a potential major talent. Pigeon is award-caliber as the wise, understanding and romantic plantation owner who she has a crush on; he is the one who switches his attention to Francis at first sight and then has to deal with the misunderstanding. This is a breezy, genial comedy about three ethical and nice people who are caught in a misprision that can easily be solved in five minutes, but fortunately takes long enough to serve as the framework for an entertaining movie for adults, albeit of an ideationally low-grade level. That's all it is--a clever excuse for the songs, the three stellar performers and a logical script devoid of very much social importance. Norman Krasna, a gentle-minded and very talented screenwriter, has provided a superior script here, which is believable, full of smart dialogue and never forced as so many comedies were and are; Frederick Kohner of "Gidget" fame, Ralph Block and Jane Hall also contributed to the logical story-line. Gowns were designed here by Vera West; sets were decorated by Russell A Gausman. Art direction was provided by veteran Joseph Otterson, with fine cinematography by Joseph A. Valentine. William A Seiter directed the production. Make no mistake; this is a "B" film in its attempt-level, but with unusual musical and visual values throughout. Judge this film for yourself; I believe you will be as amused; and perhaps as delighted as I was to find a film written by adults and for adults, about sensitive topics such as an actress's pride, a mature male's admiration for a beautiful woman and a young girl's emotional vulnerability.

A mother and daughter vie for the affections of the same man and for a plum Broadway role. This could be the plot of a tragic drama or a steamy soap opera, but these women have a prodigious love for each other and this is a comedy, so the storyline revolves around the expected resolution of the amorous and artistic collisions.

Kay Francis plays the mother (Georgia) and Deanna Durbin plays the daughter (Pamela), which makes this film eminently watchable. Walter Pidgeon is the man in the middle. At the time of filming, Francis was about 35 and Durbin was about 19, but Deanna had top billing and the meatier role. If Durbin's role had more substance, the film would have been more balanced and more interesting. As it is, the two actresses convey a warmth that compensates for a paucity of laughs.

"Cuddles" Sakall makes his Hollywood debut as the playwright for the show the women covet.

The narrative allows Durbin to display her marvelous pipes, of course. Her vocal numbers are shoehorned into the action, but they don't distract. In fact, they are one of the film's best features.

IT'S A DATE (Universal, 1940), a Joe Pasternak production, directed by William A. Seiter, and starring Deanna Durbin, the studio's top box-office attraction, ranks another popular roaster to the Durbin movie lineup. Like many of her feature films (1936-1948), they were extremely popular, yet most have become forgotten through the passage of time. Not quite a movie about a dating service agency, IT's A DATE is one that tends to look like a best selling novel-type story told in chapter form with different backdrops. As with her earlier success of MAD ABOUT MUSIC (1938), Durbin once again plays the daughter of an actress, this time a theatrical one with whom she's inherited both talent for acting and singing ability, with her main ambition to carry on the family trait.

The plot summary revolves around Georgia Drake (Kay Francis), a successful Broadway actress just completing her 400th and final stage performance of "Gypsy Lullaby." In attendance are its producer, Sidney Simpson (Samuel S. Hinds) and his friend, Carl Ober (S.Z. Sakall), a playwright visiting from Vienna. In a separate balcony are Georgia's daughter, Pamela (Deanna Durbin), and her escort boyfriend, Freddie Miller (Lewis Howard). Ober is seeking for an particular leading lady for his upcoming production of "Saint Anne," and feels Georgia too old for the part. After meeting with Pamela, however, he finds she'll make the perfect Saint Anne. Awarded the title role, Pamela accepts, unaware that this is the role her mother is eager to play. With Georgia already vacationing in Honolulu, Pamela, knowing her mother to be her best acting coach, arranges to meet with her in Hawaii. While on board the ship, S.S. Honolulu, Pamela lives her part to the fullest by reading her script, thus, causing John Arlen (Walter Pidgeon), a businessman and fellow passenger, to mistake her for an extremely unhappy young girl. To keep her mind off her troubles, John pretends to be a stowaway hiding in a lifeboat and allowing her to assist him with food and water during the voyage. After the misunderstandings are resolved, situations occur as Pamela learns the truth about the Saint Anne play. To spare her mother's feelings, Pamela uses Mr. Arlen as the source to keep her mind off the play, followed by some unforeseen circumstances.

Other appearing in the cast include: Eugene Palette (Governor Allen); Henry Stephenson (Captain Andrews); Cecilia Loftus (Sara Frankenstein, Georgia's personal maid and no relation to the Mary Shelley novel character); along with the familiar faces of Charles Lane, John Arledge, Eddie Acuff, Fritz Feld and Virginia Brissac, among others. Because the Drake women are depicted as part of a generation of actresses, maybe Cecilia Loftus should have played the actress grandmother discussed in conversation rather than the personal maid to make this family generation of actresses more bonding and acceptable to the plot.

The musical program includes: "Gypsy Lullaby" (voice dubbed "sung" by Kay Francis); "Love is All"(sung by Deanna Durbin); Traditional Scottish song of "Loch Lamond," "It Happened in Kaola" (by Ralph Freed and Frank Skinner); "Hawaiian War Chant," "Rhythm of the Islands," "Musetta's Street Song" from the opera, LA BOHEME by Giacomo Puccini; and "Ave Maria" by Franz Schubert. Durbin's rendition to "Ave Maria" is beautiful, but her earlier effort, "Love is All" is one of nicest songs ever sung by her. Producer Joe Pasternak must have loved "Ave Maria" enough to use it again for Jane Powell's HOLIDAY IN Mexico (MGM, 1946), which also featured Walter Pidgeon, as well as the story for a remake, NANCY GOES TO RIO (MGM, 1950) with Jane Powell and Ann Sothern in the Durbin and Francis roles. Because of the Pasternak style and Pidgeon in the cast, IT'S A DATE could easily be mistaken for an MGM film rather than one by Universal.

Still a teenager of about 18 or 19, Durbin has developed into an attractive young lady. For the movie in general, 103 minutes is quite a drawn-out process in storytelling, thus, standing apart from Durbin's 87 to 95 minute feature film presentations. Yet, what makes it so watchable, other than Durbin's song interludes, are the veteran players as former Warner Brothers star, Kay Francis; the debonair Walter Pidgeon on loan-out assignment from MGM; and soon-to-be character actor for Warner Brothers, S.Z. Sakall. With this being Francis' only assignment opposite Durbin, she would later appear opposite Gloria Warren, a Deanna Durbin look-a-like songstress, in a Durbin-type musical drama, ALWAYS IN MY HEART (Warner Brothers, 1942). While Durbin's film career extended until her retirement by 1948, Miss Warren, following a few more screen roles for other movie studios, disappeared to obscurity by the end of the decade.

Due to the aforementioned MGM remake, the 1940 original was reportedly unavailable for viewing for many years until the wake of cable television where it turned up on cable networks as Showtime (1985), a decade later on Turner Classic Movies, and availability on video cassette in the 1990s. To the film's credit, IT'S A DATE offers more than its share with amusements, songs, and story in the finest Durbin-style tradition. (***1/2)

"It's a Date" is a pleasant little film with Deanna Durbin. I think the best part of this one is that although there is some singing, it's not jam-packed full of music and has a decent plot.

Deanna plays Pamela Drake and Kay Francis plays her mother, Georgia. Georgia is already a famous and accomplished actress and Pamela dreams of becoming one herself. Well, it soon looks like Pamela's dreams will come true when she reads for a relatively small part--but they offer her the lead! However, she needs to cram and learn the part and goes on a cruise. During this trip, she stays to herself and works on her lines but the Captain and a guest, John Arlen (Walter Pidgen) see her talking to herself and don't know she's rehearsing! They think, incorrectly, that she's really depressed--and John decides to use a scheme to get her to focus on him and his supposed problems. He hasn't got any problems and soon she sees through his ruse--but they become good friends.

When they land, Pamela introduces John to her mother--and tells her that she is in love with John, although he's twice her age. However, over time you aren't certain WHICH lady John is smitten with but things get worse. Soon Pamela realizes that her mother ALSO thinks she's getting the same part that Pamela is rehearsing for--and she doesn't want to disappoint her mother. So what's going to happen? See this cute little family comedy.

As far as Deanna Durbin films go, it's a bit better than average due to a nice cast. In particular, although it's a relatively small role, it's also the first for S. Z. 'Cuddles' Sakall---one of the most likable supporting actors in history. This alone make it a must-see!

By the way, I would love to know what audiences of the day thought about their sweetheart, Miss Durbin, falling for an old guy like Pidgeon. I know that a similar May-December pairing in "That Hagen Girl" was NOT good and audiences hated the film. I think seeing a young lady who everyone adored as a child now with a much older man was just too much-- and this might have also been a problem with Durbin.

This is a fine Deanna Durbin vehicle, but an uneven film. There are plenty of chances for Deanna to sing and be bubbly, enough to satisfy most fans, but the stars have to work overtime to keep what little drama exists moving until the inevitable resolution.

Deanna is fledgling actress Pamela Drake, daughter of major Broadway star Georgia (Kay Francis). She works in a small regional theater but unexpectedly gets the chance to star on Broadway herself. Seeking seclusion in order to prepare for her big break, she heads home to Hawaii to spend some time with her mother. On the ship, she meets pineapple tycoon John Arlen (Walter Pidgeon), who first woos her but then also becomes interested in mama. It turns out that Georgia also expects to get the part already offered to Pamela and also wants John. Who gets the part? More importantly for these types of films, who gets the man?

Durbin is amazing, as always, and really gets the chance to show what a child prodigy she was (though clearly becoming a young woman here). She sings several standards such as "Loch Lomond" and "Ave Maria" with her fine soprano voice, and shows maturity far, far beyond her years. If you aren't familiar with Durbin, be prepared to be dazzled by her talent. There's one fine bit where Deanna, trying to convince the big-time producers (including S.Z. Sakall doing his usual hammy bit) to hire her for their show, does several wildly different characterizations in rapid-fire succession which are all excellent. Great acting talent, great singing voice, prettier in a classic sense than Judy Garland, Deanna was the complete package.

Pidgeon is great also, but he is up against formidable competition in the acting department here. He exudes his usual avuncular charm, and actually has some dashing moments on the ship to Hawaii as he tries to woo Pamela. Later, though, he appears bewildered at times, despite supposedly being the one in charge. Kay Francis is the clear loser. She is completely outclassed by Durbin, and is clad in weird fashions such as turbans that make her look dowdy and out of place, especially in a Hawaiian setting. It is difficult to believe that Arlen would choose her over Pamela. Plus, she is given almost no chance to do anything but sit and wait for John and Pamela to decide things for her, so her character and motivations are murky.

Durbin gets to sing several times with her beautiful operatic voice, and she gets to emote repeatedly both as her own character and as the character she is playing within the story. Plus, she has several supremely Diva moments ("I am through with men!"), culminating in the glorious opportunity to stalk off in a huff, the battle won but the war lost. The reality, though, is that she is still just a kid playing in a grown-up world, a fight the real Deanna would be waging until she finally gave it all up and left films altogether later in that decade, hopefully for a happier life without the strain of constantly meeting her own and others' extraordinary expectations for herself.

Ignore the story, but don't ignore Deanna, a true star.