First Love

1939

Technical Information:

Studio:  Universal 
Running Time:  1 hour, 24 minutes
Black and White
Video Availability:  Available on MCA/Universal home video

Cast:

Deanna Durbin...Constance Harding
Robert Stack...Ted Drake
Eugene Pallette...James Clinton
Helen Parrish...Barbara Clinton
Lewis Howard...Walter Clinton
Leatrice Joy...Grace Clinton
June Storey...Wilma van Everett
Frank Jenks...Mike
Kathleen Howard...Miss Wiggins
Thurston Hall...Mr. Drake
Marcia Mae Jones...Marcia Parker
Samuel S. Hinds...Mr. Parker
Doris Lloyd...Mrs. Parker
Charles Coleman...George
Jack Mulhall...Chauffeur
Mary Treen...Barbara's maid
Dorothy Vaughan...Mrs. Clinton's maid
Lucille Ward...Cook

Credits:

Screenplay...Bruce Manning, Lionel Houser
Director of Photography...Joseph Valentine, A.S.C.
Art Director...Jack Otterson
Associate...Martin Obzina
Film Editor...Bernard W. Burton
Set Decorations...R.A. Gausman
Gowns...Vera West
Assistant Director...Frank Shaw
Musical Director...Charles Previn
Vocal Instructor...Andres de Segurola
Orchestrations...Frank Skinner
Sound Supervisor...Bernard B. Brown
Technician...Joseph Lapis
Directed by...Henry Koster
Produced by...Joseph Pasternak



    It is graduation day at a girls school and most everyone is happy.  Everyone that is, except for Connie Harding (Deanna Durbin).  Her parents are dead, and unlike all of her classmates and friends, she doesn't have a home to go back to.
    Her teacher Mrs. Wiggins (Kathleen Howard) tells her to stop feeling sorry for herself and make the best of things.  She declines an invitation from her friend Marcia (Marcia Mae Jones) to stay with her family for the summer, since it has been arranged for Connie to live with her uncle, the wealthy James Clinton (Eugene Pallette).  She is expecting them to come and pick her up, and is saddened when only the family butler (Charles Coleman) shows up.
    He takes her to the family's home where everyone is preparing for a big party.  Her cousin Barbara (Helen Parrish), a snooty debutante, aunt Grace (Leatrice Joy), an astrology obsessed nutcase and extremely lazy cousin Walter (Lewis Howard) are rather rude to her upon her arrival since they don't want to be late for their big event.  So, Connie sits alone on her first day at the Clinton home, but resolves herself to like the family, no matter how they act.  She also charms the serving staff when she sings them a song.
    The next afternoon, Barbara is outraged when her maid (Mary Treen) wakes her up late.  She wants to go horseback riding with Ted Drake (Robert Stack) the catch of the season.  Barbara orders her cousin Connie to go down to the stables and try to stall Ted so that he won't go without her.  She obliges and manages to get the task done by leading Ted's horse away with some sugar cubes.  Connie accidentally trips over some bushes and almost gets trampled by horses, though Ted helps her.  He is helping her off the ground after she "faints" just as Barbara pulls up in her car.  Now that she is arrived she orders Connie to leave.  Connie wants to thank Ted for helping her, but Barbara refuses.
    When Barbara returns from horseback riding, she is upset.  Her friend Wilma (June Storey) told everyone that she was in love with Ted, which makes Barbara jealous.  Barbara states that Ted is havng a huge ball, and that "everyone" is going to attend.  Walter then asks Connie what she is going to wear, since, after all, Connie is part of "everyone."  Connie is surprised by the invitation and decides to redesign the white gown she wore at her graduation.  She asks the cook (Lucille Ward) for help, but she and the rest of the service staff decide to chip in and buy her a brand new dress, a new pair of shoes and also to rent a beautiful white fur coat.
    Connie is pleased with what she believes is the redesigned dress, and is all set to go to the ball when Barbara announces that Uncle Jason will be coming into town.  Since the entire family will be going to the ball (except James, who is always at home when his family is not, and gone when they are at home), someone must wait at home for him.  They tell Connie to stay at home and wait, which makes her very sad.  The servants can't bear to see Connie crushed, and decide to stall the Clinton family by having the cook's brother, a police officer (Frank Jenks) pull the family over and haul them to jail.
    Connie is thus whisked away to the ball, but must leave before midnight when the Clintons will arrive.  She sings at the ball and Ted becomes smitten with her, though he doesn't recognize her at first.  They dance all night long and even share a kiss on the balcony!  However, the clock strikes midnight and Connie must go.  As she is running down the stairs towards the exit, she loses a shoe, but can't goback to get it since the Clintons are just walking in the entrance!  She hides but not quick enough.  Barbara sees her and immediately heads back home.
    Connie tells the servants what a grand time she has when Barbara pulls up in the drive.  Connie races to her room and pretends like she is asleep, but Barbara isn't fooled.  She sees the other shoe lying on the floor and asks Connie why she went to the party.  Connie is defensive so Barbara quickly whips up a lie about how Ted was making fun of her at the party.
    Saddened by this, Connie leaves and the entire service staff follows suit.  Uncle James is outraged when he hears what happened, and punishes his entire family by destroying all of his Grace's astrology books, spanking Barbara with a hairbrush and kicking Walter out a window!  He then resolves to find Connie.
    Meanwhile, Connie is on a train back to her school where she hopes to get a scholarship for the Teacher's Conservatory of Music and become an old maid.  Mrs. Wiggins tries to talk her out of it, but arranges an audition for the people at the Conservatory.  Connie sings "One Fine Day," and just as she reaches the end, Ted enters.  He had been looking for her, and now that he's found her is extremely happy.  They walk off, hand in hand and live "happily ever after."


Songs:

[Songs performed by Deanna Durbin in boldface]
"Home, Sweet Home" (Payne, Bishop)
"Amapola" (LaCalle, Gamse)
"Spring in my Heart" (Strauss, Salter, Freed)
"One Fine Day" (Puccini)

Academy Awards and Nominations:

Best Art Direction (Jack Otterson, Martin Obzina - nominees)
Best Music, Scoring (Charles Previn - nominee)
Best Cinematography, Black and White (Joseph Valentine - nominee)

Reviews:

"Under skillful guidance from Joseph Pasternak, Deanna Durbin successfully hurdles the jump from adolescence to sub-deb age."
    - The Hollywood Reporter

My Review:

    First Love is a happy mixture of music, romance, comedy and drama.  Deanna Durbin gets to play some of her most dramatic scenes to date in this thinly disguised version of the fairy tale "Cinderella."  There is not much to the plot, but there really doesn't need to be.  It is pure fluff, but it comes off just fine.  Helen Parrish does a fantastic job in her third (and final) Deanna film, while Lewis Howard adds a touch of comedy to the goings-on.

Notes:

Deanna Durbin received her first screen kiss in this film.



Picture credits:
1.  Video cover scanned by webmaster.
2.  Movie still scanned by webmaster.
3. Photo courtesy of Darlene Harris.


First Love Continued...

 Filmography |  Home |  Next Film

This page hosted by GeoCities Get your own Free Home Page
1