Nice Girl (B&W)

Buy This Item Nice Girl (B&W) by Universal Studios  Available from Amazon  $19.98  on 11-15-2008     This movie is full of good things: an escapist story line, a good supporting cast, lots of laughs, and six good songs. We get two helpings of "Beneath The Lights Of Home" a popular song at the time, and still popular with members of "The Deanna Durbin Society" today. The plot is uncomplicated: Robert Stack is Deanna's boy-friend, who shows more interest in his car than in her. Enter the older man Franchot Tone. He's a representative of a scientific organisation and has come to do business with Deanna's father. Deanna becomes attracted to him, and so on<p>The video ends with the song "There'll Always Be An England". This song was only added to the film on British release. Deanna sang it direct to the audience, and no doubt her English parents would be just as delighted as the British film-goers who went forth into the black-out feeling uplifted. Reader Reviews This warm and sweet film full of charm and the values once held dear in small towns across America is one of Deanna Durbin's finest. Based on a play by Phyllis Duganne, the screenplay by Richard Connell and Gladys Lehman captures the innocence of a time when going downtown for an ice cream soda and attending the town dance was a big deal. The music is beautiful this time out, with Deanna getting to sing everything from the sweet "Beneath the Lights of Home" to the lovely "Love at Last" with music and lyrics by Jacques Press and Eddie Cherkose. The songs never seem intrusive here but fit perfectly into the story. They are simply part of a mosaic painted here by director William A. Seiter and producer Joe Pasternak. Vera West dressed Deanna in this film and reminds the viewer that Durbin was everything a girl is supposed to be, and just a bit more. Deanna is Jane Dana, the quiet daughter of Professor Dana (Robert Benchley). His youngest daughter, Nancy, is boy crazy, and his other daughter, Sylvia, wants to be an actress and takes every opportunity to ham it up. Jane takes care of the rabbits and helps her dad out with his research. He is hoping for a fellowship that will let him expand his work. When a big university sends Richard Calvert (Franchot Tone) to Stillwater to interview Jane's dad for the grant, things will never be the same. Jane's boyfriend, Don (Robert Stack), is so crazy about his car he misses all her signals for romance. When the handsome Richard appears on the scene, all three sisters descend on him like bees to a pot of honey. Young Nancy's attempts to seem older are a hoot but Jane has the inside track when she borrows Don's car and sabotages it in order to play seductress. But Jane has a small-town heart, rather than a sophisticated one, and Richard has no designs on taking advantage of her; though those gowns by Vera West make it tempting. Tone is actually terrific here and has a repore with Durbin that is quite pleasing. Once Jane returns home and the whole town knows the 5 cent scandal, she tries to save face when Don just assumes that nothing could have happened. She becomes engaged to the absent Richard, who then shows up. A film that has had you smiling most of the time, then becomes hilarious, and there are some true belly laughs before Don wakes up and Jane discovers what kind of life she wants. This film is sweet and wonderful, and no description here could do justice to its warmth and charm. Durbin's voice is lovely here and so is she. This is not just a five star film for Deanna's fans, but a five star film classic, period. Walter Brennan shines as the town postman, Hector, trying to romance the Dana's maid. Helen Broderick, Anne Gwynne and Ann Gillis offer fine support to a film everyone in the family will enjoy. Deanna sings a patriotic "Thanks to America" at the end, just as her Don is joining the Army. The song, "They'll Always Be an England" which was shown in Europe, is included and reminds us of the era in which this beautifully realized motion picture was born. A fine Deanna Durbin film and lovely time capsule of the mores and values we once held dear. Don't miss it.

Nice Girl (B&W) Available from Amazon Price: $19.98 Updated on 11-15-2008.

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