Twice Blessed

It cannot be denied, our grandparents were way cooler than we are now.

Another reviewer found something offensive in this movie. I have no idea what that might be, I guess I'm just not woke enough.

Identical twin sisters, raised separately, switch places and help reunite their divorced parents. Sounds like THE PARENT TRAP (1961), right? It turns out MGM used a rather similar plot in TWICE BLESSED, an engaging "B" film of the mid '40s. Unlike the Disney film, no special effects were required, thanks to identical twin actresses Lyn and Lee Wilde.

The Wilde Twins are real talents, adept comediennes who are also skilled dancers. The Wilde Twins married brothers who were musicians.

Today, most people just sit in front of there iPhone for entertainment, not in 1945. People went places, and did things. What a fun and entertaining movie this is.

This is a delightful little movie with a terrific cast. Those girls sure had energy! Loved the 40s slang and that malt shop.

Happy to have this DVD in my 3000 DVD/Blu-ray collection where I know it cannot be banned or censored.

Arriving via American Airlines in Florida, child psychologist Gail Patrick (as Mary Hale) has a frosty meeting with local feature editor Preston Foster (as Jeff Turner). It turns out they divorced seven years ago. Strangely, the court divided the pair's twin girls. Mother received the cultured Lyn Wilde (as Stephanie Hale) and father brought up jitterbugging Lee Wilde (as Terry Turner). Intrigued by their opposite lifestyles, the young women change identities. This means fooling boyfriends Marshall Thompson (as Jimmy) and Jimmy Lydon (as Mickey). Wondering if the parents get back together is unexciting, but the dance sequences are fun. Near the end, the Wilde twins appear as "black-faced" hotel maids...

***** Twice Blessed (5/31/45) Harry Beaumont ~ Lee Wilde, Lyn Wilde, Marshall Thompson, Jimmy Lydon

Fun film a la THE PARENT TRAP.

It's strong point is that it features 3 or more excellent Lindy Hop aka Jitterbug dance sequences done to big band Swing music by some of the best dancers around at the time.

Jean Porter, alive and reasonable still at this writing, also had a nice Lindy sequence in TIL THE END OF TIME with Guy Madison.

The Wilde Twins had a short career over at Metro.

Jimmy Lydon was starring in the HENRY ALDRITCH series over at Paramount.

Nice little MGM 'B" picture.

The director, Harry Beaumont, had been directing MGM films since the silent era.

This is one of my favorite movies! The cast, plot and the dancing (especially the dance contest scene), are all wonderful! The twins are so cute! I hope it is released on video sometime in the near future. My grandma is another fan of "Twice Blessed". She saw it in the theater in 1945, but that was 34 years before I was born.

There are several sequences that are offensive to the 21st century viewer, but remember the era and remember all of this was normal, and, at least, no group was ridiculed or put down.

The dance sequences alone are so "precious" (meaning unique and interesting) that to have them on film is a joy. The teenage language and the parents' fight against juvenile delinquency shows this started in the mid-40s and not in the 50s as is common belief. James Dean, the "bad" boy, is considered a juvenile delinquent, and we've all seen the anti-reefer films that promised communism if we inhaled.

But this is the swinging 40s, an era our parents said was tame and in which there was no such thing as juvenile delinquency. The 40s. to them, was nirvana. It was Elvis and the evil 50s that brought in juvenile delinquency and the society-rotting influence of the communist-inspired rock and roll. How many of us were punished for listening to Bobby Vee and Lesley Gore?

The 40s youth culture is a sight to behold and this film plants it into its eternal position. There are a multitude of adult swing movies from this era, but few teenage movies. This one is a "gas", pardon my euphemism, as is worth seeing.