Disappointingly lame comedy musical, despite the fact it was written by the normally reliable Norman Krasna and stars Deanna Durbin. Durbin was then in her on-the-cusp-of-womanhood phase – here she plays a breathy and excitable aspiring actor (although being Deanna Durbin she doesn’t come across painfully), who finds herself in competiton with her actress mother (Kay Francis) both for a part and a new man (Walter Pidgeon). The story (for which Krasna isn’t credited, although he’s the sole screenwriter listed) is incredibly lame and convoluted. Basically all that’s going on is Durbin is given a role which was meant for Francis and feels bad about it, and Durbin is convinced Pidgeon loves her even though he’s keen on Francis. It’s all false drama.
It might have been saved with say technicolour or location photography (the bulk of the action takes place in Hawaii) but it’s all black and white and studio bound. There’s not even a decent comic subplot. (It’s a rare Krasna script that doesn’t deal with impersonation or mistaken identity). There’s an okay support cast including Eugene Pallette, but it’s under-utilised (Durbin doesn’t have a decent love interest, for interest). The star does sing ‘Ave Maria’ (in a nun’s habit) and ‘Loch Lomond’, and there are some fun digs at young actors, including a scene set at a drama camp.
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