Hers to Hold

As has been said by others, Hers To Hold, is not the greatest movie ever made story wise. But there have been much worse. I personally adore those black and white wartime romances.

The main purpose though of watching this movie is to see Deanna Durbin at her most beautiful. Rarely have I seen any actress of any period look so lovely as she does here. Without her the movie would be nothing. But with her it becomes compulsive viewing for any Durbin fan.

Joseph Cotten is excellent as the love interest. And the rest of the cast do what they had to competently. As always Deanna is very engaging in her part. She had great talent as an actress. She also had that wonderful voice, that is on display here. What a delight to hear her sing.

Third and last in the series that started with Three Smart Girls Deanna returns as Little Miss Fix-It Penny Craig all grown up and faced with a problem she can't fix, her love interest is headed off to war, and she has to face the situation like an adult. Deanna is full of her usual snap and vigor and by this point had become a very beautiful woman who had matured in her reactions so she doesn't come across as quite such an eager beaver.

As with all her films this provides several opportunities for her to sing which she does with angelic clarity and grace.

If Hers to Hold had been the first Joseph Cotten movie I'd seen, I'd love him. He's so adorable in this movie, and the role is unlike any other of his career. He's spunky, charming, quick, and - believe it or not - a ladies' man! You might have to see it to believe it, and you won't be sorry. This movie is delightful, romantic, inspiring, and has that fantastic Americana feeling of films made during the heart of WWII. Filmed and released in 1943, America was still unsure of whether or not we were going to win the war, and Hollywood told audiences, "even if we lose, we'll go down swinging!"

This is the third part of the Three Smart Girls trilogy but it doesn't really tie in with the other two movies; it just has the same cast. Deanna Durbin is all grown up and the only remaining sister who still lives at home and is unmarried. Her doddering, nearly dementia-ridden father is Charles Winninger, who is put up with by his wife Alice Brady. They're wealthy, want for nothing, and Deanna is a famous singer. At the start of the movie, she donates a pint of blood as a Good Samaritan. Joseph Cotten impersonates a doctor to get her phone number and address, and the fun begins! He's extremely charming and smooth, but that's just part of his routine. He's a total playboy who has as much fun as he can without getting hooked. Deanna's a nice girl, so when he's had his fun with her, he fully intends to move on. Those who have seen the other two movies know that Deanna's also a smart girl, so she just might beat him at his own game.

Where does the patriotism come in? Joe works in an airplane factory, and Deanna learns to serve her country as well by literally becoming Rosie the Riveter. The lovely and touching song "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There" was written for this movie, and even eighty years later, it still can bring a lump to audience's throats. I highly recommend this wartime romance. Joe is extremely cute - who would have thought he had it in him?

HERS TO HOLD (Universal, 1943), directed by Frank Ryan, is a delightful comedy/drama with limited song interludes. It stars Deanna Durbin, the studio's top singer, who reprises her Penny Craig role originated from both THREE SMART GIRLS (1936) and THREE SMART GIRLS GROW UP (1939). While the earlier editions of the Craig family featured Durbin as the youngest of three sisters with a talent for singing, for HERS TO HOLD, the older sisters of Joan and Kay have married, leaving Durbin the sole focus. Charles Winninger and Nella Walker return for the third and final time as Durbin's high society parents. The only change is the casting of Ludwig Stossel stepping in for the role originated by Ernest Cossart as Binns, the family butler. With the story brought up to date to World War II setting, the formula remains basically the same, only better. Whether Durbin resumes her Penny Craig role or enacts a different character really doesn't matter for her popularity and first-rate story certainly assures its great box-office success for 1943.

The story begins at the American National Red Cross where William Morley (Joseph Cotten), a bomber pilot, and his pal, Rosey Blake (Gus Schilling) are both resting after giving blood. The resting is cut short when Penelopie Craig (Deanna Durbin), daughter of a Wall Street business tycoon now living in Sycamore, California, enters to donate blood, with her legs only visible viewing for Bill and Rosey. Bill intends on getting Penny's name and address written in his little phone book of female listings by pretending to be a doctor. After examining her and getting the information needed, Bill kisses her, leaving Penny both stunned and angry. Returning home in time for her parents (Charles Winninger and Nella Walker) wedding anniversary, Penny is told by her butler, Binns (Ludwig Stossel) that she has received numerous phone calls from William Morley, and tells him the next time he calls, to simply hang up. Morley and Rosey invite themselves to the Craig gathering. Though Penny intends on making a fool of Bill with her guests, Bill is not only step ahead of her plot but gives Penny a public kiss before leaving. Feeling she might be in love, Penny traces down this fresh guy to the Vega Aircraft Factory where she obtains a job as a riveter with the married Hannah Gordon (Fay Helm), unaware that Bill might be receiving orders for active service overseas.

Other members in the cast include Samuel S. Hinds, Evelyn Ankers, Fay Helm, Iris Adrian, Irving Bacon and Nydia Westman. Songs include: "Seguidilla" from George Bizet's CARMEN; Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine," "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There," "The Kashmiri Song" and "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There" (reprise). Though Durbin's rendition of "Begin the Beguine" is excellent, "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There" got the nomination for the Academy Award as Best Song. With Winninger's Judson Craig being somewhat absent-minded this time around, his serious father and daughter talk highlight the proceedings as well as he watching home movies of Penny's teenage years with scenes lifted from Durbin's earlier editions of THREE SMART GIRLS and THREE SMART GIRLS GROW UP, MAD ABOUT MUSIC (1938) and FIRST LOVE (1939) adding that nostalgic feel to it. With Joseph Cotten a dramatic actor by profession, he shows his flare for light comedy as Durbin showing her ability in handling drama. Though a search for a note left inside a sandwich might be overlong, it adds to the purpose of suspense to the story.

HERS TO HOLD, clocked at 91 minutes, though available on home video and DVD, is one of those once popular movies that has become ignored for television broadcasts over the years. With the exception of limited public television showings in the 1980s, thus far it has never played on any major cable channel. A reflection of the times, on a personal level, HERS TO HOLD still holds up very well and worth the time seeing whenever available. (***1.2)

This was Deanna Durbin's third take on Penny Craig, who by now has grown into a beautiful young woman featuring in the gossip columns with tit-bits about her love life. She falls in love with dashing young pilot Bill, even volunteers for work at the aircraft factory where he works, but Bill is afraid to commit to her, and when he learns that he is about to go overseas and join the armed forces, he dumps her. But Penny is nothing if not resourceful ...

This is not among the handful of really wonderful Deanna Durbin vehicles, although sworn fans won't be disappointed. Her character here is a gutsy, no-nonsense go-getter, and it is quite a moving experience to watch and hear her, as she takes the podium in the factory canteen, singing first 'Begin the Beguine', this most glamorous of show smoochers, in her assembly-line outfit, no MGM glitzy witzy style her, and then when she touches everyone's heart with the languid and heartfelt 'Say a Pray'r for the Boys Over There', one of the great Durbin moments.

Joseph Cotten certainly never looked handsomer, oozing charming insolence, as aviator Bill.