Par sa faute

I enjoyed the movie apart from Tone's character (he was annoying and super cheesy) the rest was great. Laughton is as always the best part about the picture.

As a previous reviewer remarked regarding this fine film obviously has no knowledge of what a legend Deanna Durbin is with her singing voice she literally saved Universal studios from bankruptcy with her very first film at about the age of 14. With that first film Three Smart Girls she went on to have a very successful career till the age of about 27 when she retired and now lives happily in seclusion in France. Because of Him is the story of an ambitious waitress who dreams of being on the stage and with a little trickery on her side achieves her dream with the starring role of her first play much to the chagrin of the plays writer who thinks she is totally wrong for the part, but as with most of her films it comes right at the end.

Kim Walker (Deanna Durbin) wants to be a stage actress in the worst possible way. So, Kim decides that no matter how much hard work other actresses go through to get to Broadway, she'll take a shortcut. Her shortcut involves lying her head off...again and again and again. She has everyone convinced that the great actor, John Sheridan (Charles Laughton), adores her and wants her to co-star with him in her next play. Then when he learns about her ruse, she and her friend concoct and even crazier scheme...for her to do a fake suicide attempt for publicity sake. What's she going to do next? Kidnap all the other actors?? Nope...she now decides to stalk the playwright!!

I am sure this sort of script scares many actors to death...the pushy ingénue who forces her way to the top. Why? Because some not so well balanced acting wannabes might just decide to do the same...and expecting the same results! Believe me, there are many creepy stalkers out there chasing celebrities...and they DON'T need encouragement!!

So, despite this, is the film worth seeing? Well, it does end very well. Overall, though, the message it presents is creepy and the film has one too many songs for Durbin. I really think the movie SHOULD contain the following statement before it's shown: "If you act like Deanna Durbin in real life the way she acts in this one, you'll likely be arrested or blackballed for life"!

Deanna Durbin has perhaps the most beautiful singing voice in the history of this planet. I never leave reviews but had to say something upon reading the review of the ignoramus who spoke of her singing in--to put it politely--disparaging terms. To you, sir, madam, or whatever else you could possibly be, do the human race a favor and please resign from it. That act alone would probably bring peace and sanity to a world sadly in need of it.

There's a reason she alone saved Universal Studios from bankruptcy. Because 60 years ago, people actually had ears, eyes, and brains. God save us all.

"The film is only let down by Durban's (sic) terrible singing." . . . Now that's a good one! Deanna Durbin was catapulted to national prominence in her first appearance on the Eddie Cantor radio hour - at the age of 14 - as a singer. That program elicited 4,000 letters of praise, and off she took like a rocket. Her films were enormously popular, and she sang in every one. She changed the course of operatic singing and single-handedly inspired a whole new generation of opera singers. The list of her professional musical admirers is as long as your arm and includes Lily Pons, Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland, who said,"I wish I knew how she did it." Rostropovich, the great Russian cellist, said he was inspired to capture with his cello the same purity and clarity that he found in Durbin's singing. Mel Torme said Durbin was "phenomenal." He said she could sing anything you put in front of her and do it to perfection. I am rarely able to endure operatic singing, but Durbin is so good at everything, I'd rush to listen to her call hogs if given the chance.