Je vous adore

I was fortunate enough to purchase one of the special edition Blu Ray versions of April Love and I could not have been happier after watching this wonderfully pleasing film with its rich color, musical renditions by crooner Pat Boone and accompanied by a very young Shirley Jones.

I wish the current film producers would take a chance on bringing back some of the story lines from the 1950's films that carry such a simple enough plot and rely on well trained actors/singers/directors and cinematographers to bring their stories to life as does April Love. This is a charming film starring Pat Boone as a somewhat troubled young man named Nick Conover, who by court order has agreed to move from his hometown big city of Chicago to temporarily live with his mother's sister, his Aunt Henrietta Bruce (Jeanette Nolan) and his Uncle Jed Bruce (Arthur O'Connell) on their somewhat run down Kentucky horse farm. Both the Judge and Nick's mother felt he had too many bad influences around Chicago and a stay on his Uncle and Aunt's Kentucky horse farm may settle him down from getting into any more serious trouble with the law.

Uncle Jed and Aunt Henrietta have recently suffered a great loss of life of their own son in the war so their nephew's unexpected stay is met with mixed emotions. Uncle Jed lays down the law with his nephew Nick that his assigned chores have to be done first before any free time is spared. Nick is initially sombre about his surroundings until he spots a run down tractor and a run down car that he could tinker with to see if he could get them running. There is also one (1) ornery horse that Uncle Ned and Aunt Henrietta have out in the pasture that they just did not have the heart to get rid of. Little did they know that their nephew Nick has a natural talent to not only fix broken down machinery but as well race their trotter back on the Kentucky Fair track that brings back a lot of happy memories for Uncle Ned and Aunt Henrietta that had disappeared more recently with the tragic loss of their son.

Ahhhhh, what a wonderful way to pass an afternoon watching this classic film. I really enjoyed this 62 year old film. It is a classic that should be playing more often on television re-runs for fans of musicals, dramas as well as horse racing enthusiasts.

I give it a 9 out of 10 rating.

I have seen this film dozens of times ever since it was released when I was a kid. Of course I was, and still am a Pat Boone fan and I also like Shirley Jones. What you get is two very wholesome, attractive young people in a delightfully happy story which rekindles memories of an age of innocence and respect. Maybe that is why it is so refreshing in the 21st century The tunes especially the title track were recorded when Boone's voice was at its best. It is no major drama but the characters are likable and believable and its charm is in it's feel-good factor. I have met Pat Boone and he is a genuinely nice guy on and off the screen. This movie is one which will always rekindle fond memories.And for that, I will always be grateful.

This is the type of picture I still love.I saw this at the pictures when it came out in West London in 1957 and again fell in love with Shirley Jones. I loved this type of film, wonderful music as usual from the Fox studio,no violence. I just bought the DVD from Amazon and really enjoyed it. I would love to know if the houses uses in this picture and the track still exist. I would take this film with me when Icheck out to that great race track in the sky. Thank you residents of Kentucky for your input here especially about the trainer getting the job. I do hope that somebody reads this and thanks everybody there for the contribution to this picture.

Having ran across this film on the Fox movie channel on a lazy Friday afternoon, I can think of no better way to spend a lazy Friday evening then putting in my two cents worth. Especially when you consider the lack of user comments on it. Doesn't every movie, good or bad deserve more than four comments? And this movie isn't bad at all.

The first thing to keep in mind when watching a film like April Love is to remember the era from which it came, in this case the late fifties. Films were pretty much a happy medium back then. The cinemas were devoid of tragedy while the screens were filled with wide screen Technicolor films in order to pry people away from the gray glare of the evil medium in a box called television. I don't know how many people were pried away from the boob tube to see this one, but it managed to capture my attention for 97 minutes.

Teen Idol Pat Boone plays Nick Conover, a young teen sent to live with his Aunt Henrietta (Jeanette Nolan) and Uncle Jed (Arthur O'Connell) out in the country after being put on probation for stealing a car. It seems that his Aunt and Uncle have lost their own son (Jed Jr.)so Uncle Jed seems has lost his zest for living. Aunt Henrietta is hoping that Nick being on the farm will somehow bring Jed out of his doldrums. Story lines like this being what they are, Jed and Nick don't really care for each other too much of course. Nick then proceeds to meet up with the neighbors, Fran (Dolores Michaels)and Liz (Shirley Jones)Templeton. Immediately Nick develops a crush on Fran, and of course I don't have to tell you that Liz develops a crush on Nick. Then there's the matter of Uncle Jed's horse, a trotter who has turned wild and won't let anyone handle him since the death of Jed Jr. You could probably fill in everything that happens from that point on your own, seeing as how there are no real surprises. Doesn't matter though, you'll enjoy yourself anyway.

Once you get over the image of squeaky clean Pat Boone, as a supposedly bad boy, you'll have no trouble with the rest of the film. Considering that, Boone does turn in a surprisingly good performance as Nick. Certainly the role doesn't require much depth, but still it's a nicely done job when you would least expect it. As Jed, Arthur O'Connell is the perfect choice for the role. In the early going, he is unreachable and cold, but as he slowly warms up to Nick, we see that he's really a pretty good guy. Jeannette Nolan is a lot of fun as Henrietta, who is constantly playing the part of mediator between Jed and Nick. Shirley Jones takes a break from Rodgers And Hammerstein and gets a few opportunities to grace us with her singing talents. As Liz, she's gorgeous to look at, great to listen to, and quite funny at times. Dolores Michaels as Fran, who is a bit more on the wild side, is equally entertaining.

The best thing about April Love, is that there is not a true mean conniving character of any sort on the screen. Not one true villain in the whole thing. Everybody is so darn likable you can't help but enjoy the film. I truthfully find it quite refreshing, sort of like putting your troubles behind you and enjoying a summer picnic with friends. Think of it as the old Andy Griffith show with musical numbers, a little more plot, and wide screen Technicolor. The songs are a mixed bag, with the title song April Love being the best of them. Another thing I really liked is that they didn't fall back on using blue screen backdrops during the horse racing sequences, and they quite a bit more entertaining and exciting because of it. As a matter of fact, you'll find the whole film beautifully photographed and it was nice to see they didn't skimp in that department. The chemistry between Jones and Boone is good. Best of all is how the dislike between Nick and Jed is portrayed as each try in some way to gain the others respect.

This movie will never be confused with great cinema. Yet, sometimes instead of going to Disneyland, one just needs a nice outing in the park, and that's what April Love is.

My Grade: B+

I just read the plot summary and it is the worst one I have ever read. It does not do justice to this incredible movie. For an example of a good summary, read the listing at "Turner Classic Movies". Anyway, this was one of my favorite movies as a young child. My sister and I couldn't wait until every April when we could see it on T.V. It is one of the best horse movies of it's time. It is one of those great classics that the whole family can watch. The romance is clean and endearing. The story line is interesting and the songs are great. They don't make movies like this anymore. Good acting and not over the top. Pat Boone and Shirley Jones are at their best, along with many other great character actors.