Too Young to Kiss

Fortunately the two stars make the derivative premise work pretty well. Seems concert pianist Cynthia (Allyson) can't get an audition with high-powered promoter Wainwright (Johnson). So she pretends to be Cynthia's 13-year old sister Molly. As an apparent child prodigy, she's a sensation as Wainwright takes over her career. Trouble is she has to keep impersonating an adolescent, which creates all kinds of amusing complications when Molly-Cynthia is attracted to the handsome promoter. If this sounds a lot like 1940's The Major And The Minor, that's because they share the same impersonation premise. Of course, that sort of suggestive material is tricky, especially for the airbrushed 1950's. But, on the whole, innuendo is played down in favor of personalities.

Except in height, the bubbly Allyson and Johnson are perfectly matched, so we know the outcome as soon as the credits-roll. And happily they don't disappoint. Though 33 at the time, the youthful Allyson still manages to bring off the age challenge pretty well. Of course, it'a real stretch at times, but wardrobe excels in outfitting Molly in adolescent clothes. On the other hand, poor Gig Young gets the thankless role of the extra man. But this is still early in his career. I don't know how they did it, but Allyson certainly looks like she's playing the concert piano, flying fingers and all. It's great too for us classical music fans hearing segments of Grieg's grandiose piano concerto. I do wish MGM had filmed in color, which better brings out the stars' sparkle. Nonetheless, the 90-minutes amounts to another happy pairing of the two stars, derivative material or not.

Hackett and Goodrich were some of the best screenwriters Hollywood ever produced and even when the movie isn't clicking on all cylinders, the dialogue usually is and when you listen to it, you notice the potential for a great movie is always there. Such is the case of Too young to kiss, a plot that had the necessary oomph but a director and stars that go for the easy. The pluses: Allyson is completely convincing in costume and makeup as the twelve year old she pretends to be. Van Johnson's droll and fatigued performance strikes the right pitch more often than not. The mistaken identity plot is handled here much better than it was in The Major and Minor, a movie to which comparisons have to be made, but is a better movie than that one. The ending feels rushed but that is because of the poor execution, in the hands of Billy Wilder who directed the other movie, it would have been gold as the love strokes and magic of the heart would conquer.

June Allyson's acting is really good in this film, I think its one of her best performances. Van Johnson gives a good performance but seems a bit uncomfortable in the role. Gig Young delivers his usual effortless and somewhat detached performance in a thankless supporting role.

My problem is that this story and whole film are contrived, being nonsense about a child pianist who is or is not a child, with one awkward set up after another revolving around this one idea. Its a deliberately contrived movie for its star. The whole idea is misguided as an overall movie, but ironically serves its one and only purpose- to be a starring vehicle for June Allyson and showcase her acting talents and charm.

This is a star who gives a fine performance, and this is a starring role custom written for her. It seems like she is in every scene, and she might be. So if you like June Allyson, you will like "Too Young to Kiss", if you don't like her, you won't.

This film is simply fun. You can't take it too seriously, the idea of a woman in her twenties posing as a twelve year old - this is not something that happens everyday. June Allyson is wonderful in the lead, and is practically playing two characters. She does manage to look very young, despite her being in her thirties at the time. Van Johnson is his usual lovable self, and this movie is just too cute at times. Poor Gig Young is barely seen, but he does what he can with his role. This movie is too cute!

While a cute and lighthearted movie, it's a little unsettling that the teacher almost instantly falls in love with Cynthia after he knows for sure she's not twelve...but I suppose I'm reading into this too deep. I got a dreadful feeling at the thought of myself in her shoes, being sentenced to stay inside and not be able to go anywhere, but, other than that, it's a nice film. I suppose.

6/10