Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Includes six films from the beloved star of the '30s and '40s: Three Smart Girls (1936/85 min.), First Love (1939/85 min.), It Started with Eve (1941/91 min.), Can't Help Singing (1944/91 min.), Lady on a Train (1945/94 min.) and Something in the Wind (1947/89 min.). 2 DVDs. B&w/NR/fullscreen.

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 2
• Screen: Black and White
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard)
• Audio: PCM Stereo

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Won Best Score - 1937 (Charles Previn)
•     Nominated Best Score - Musical - 1945 (Jerome Kern, Hans Salter)
•     Nominated Best Song - 1945 (Jerome Kern, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg)
•     Nominated Best Sound - 1945 (Bernard B. Brown)
•     Nominated Best Score - Musical - 1942 (Hans Salter, Charles Previn)
•     Nominated Best Art Direction - 1939 (Martin Obzina, Jack Otterson)
•     Nominated Best Black and White Cinematography - 1939 (Joseph A. Valentine)
•     Nominated Best Score - 1939 (Charles Previn)
•     Nominated Best Editing - 1937 (Bernard W. Burton)
•     Nominated Best Original Story - 1937 (Hanns Kraly)
•     Nominated Best Picture - 1937
•     Nominated Best Sound - 1937 (Homer Tasker)
•     Nominated Best Original Story - 1936 (Adele Comandini)
•     Nominated Best Picture - 1936
•     Nominated Best Sound - 1936 (Homer Tasker)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Deanna Durbin - Anne Terry
       Adolphe Menjou - John Cardwell
       Akim Tamiroff - Gregory Stroganovsky
       Dan Duryea - Arnold Waring
       Charles Winninger - Judson Craig
       Alice Brady - Mrs. Frost
       Barbara Read - Kay Craig
       Andrew Tombes - Sad Sam
       Alma Kruger - Mrs. Tyler
       Clara Blandick - Aunt Cissy Frost
       Gus Schilling - Raven
       George Cleveland - Marshal
       Doris Lloyd - Mrs. Parker
       Charles Coleman - George
       Jack Mulhall - Chauffeur
       Ben Carter - Maxwell
       Dorothy Vaughan - Mrs. Clinton's Maid
       Lucille Ward - Cook
       Nora Cecil - Woman with Umbrella
       Hobart Cavanaugh - Drunk
       Addison Richards - Captain

• Director:

  Henry Koster, Frank Ryan, Charles David

• Producer:

  Joe Pasternak, Henry Koster, Felix Jackson

• Screenwriter:

  Adele Comandini, Austin Parker, Charles Kenyon

• Screen Story:

  Hanns Kraly

• Screenwriter:

  Bruce Manning, James Mulhauser, Lionel Houser, Norman Krasna, Leo Townsend, Lewis R. Foster, Frank Ryan

• Book Author:

  Curtis B. Warshawsky, Samuel J. Warshawsky

• Screenwriter:

  Edmund Beloin, Robert O'Brien

• Cinematographer:

  Joseph A. Valentine, Rudolph Maté, Elwood Bredell, W. Howard Greene

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Charles Previn

• Composer (Music Score):

  Charles Previn, Hans Salter, Frank Skinner

• Songwriter:

  E.Y. "Yip" Harburg

• Composer (Music Score):

  Jerome Kern

• Songwriter:

  Jerome Kern

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Edgar "Cookie" Fairchild

• Composer (Music Score):

  Miklos Rozsa

• Editor:

  Ted Kent, Bernard W. Burton

• Production Designer:

  John W. Harkrider, Martin Obzina

• Art Director:

  John W. Harkrider, Jack Otterson, Robert Clatworthy, John B. Goodman

• Associate Producer:

  Frank Shaw

• Executive Producer:

  Charles R. Rogers

• Set Designer:

  Jack Martin Smith, Russell A. Gausman, Edward Ray Robinson

• Costume Designer:

  John W. Harkrider, Vera West, Walter Plunkett, Howard Greer

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Homer Tasker, Bernard B. Brown, Joe Lapis

• Makeup:

  Jack Pierce

• Special Effects:

  John P. Fulton

• First Assistant Director:

  Frank Shaw, William Holland

• Short Story Author:

  Leslie Charteris

REVIEWS:

• A mere footnote to most modern day viewers, in her day Deanna Durbin was a tremendously popular star, whose appeal is often credited with pulling Universal out of a sea of red ink. Her debut feature, Three Smart Girls, established her as a cute, wholesome teen-ager who also happens to have a truly impressive operatic voice. Durbin was never an especially imposing actress, but rarely was she asked to be. Girls certainly doesn't tax her, but it does showcase her very engaging personality and presents a lightweight story that makes up in charm what it lacks in significance (or believability). Henry Koster directs in a fluid, easygoing style that makes the material seem simple rather than simplistic, and there's a genial air to the whole enterprise which is hard to resist. Durbin is in very good voice, with a marvelous "My Heart is Singing" and a stunning "Il Bacio." She is well supported by Nan Grey and Barbara Read- they have a rapport makes them credible as sisters -- and Charles Winninger, Alice Brady and Binnie Barnes are all in good form. A delightful film, Girls has aged much better than many other family-themed films from the same era. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
• First Love is the film in which child star Deanna Durbin grows up -- and she handles the transition smoothly. Although there's still plenty of energy to her performance, the singer is more subdued than in her previous films, in which her abundant energy sometimes threatened to make the reels fly right off the movie projector. Durbin by this time was learning that less could be more, and it's the most mature of her performances to this date. Vocally, she's in excellent form, sailing through the likes of "Spring in My Heart" and "Home, Sweet Home" with ease, and making the absolute most of the challenging "One Fine Day" sequence that ends the film. Universal, wanting to protect its most valuable asset, surrounded her with a lovely production, which includes some ace camerawork from Joseph A. Valentine. The script is also very strong for a Durbin vehicle, cleverly adhering to the "Cinderella" plot while adding its own little twists and punches. Henry Koster has directed smoothly, keeping his star attraction center stage but allowing the able supporting cast -- especially the excellent Eugene Pallette -- with opportunities to shine on their own. First Love is certainly lightweight - too much so to be a classic - but it's sweet, entertaining and heartfelt. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
• It Started With Eve has one of those premises that modern audiences will most likely find too ridiculous, but for those willing to accept it, Eve is more than decent fun. The movie falls short of being any more than that, largely because the screenplay is competent when it needs to be brilliant. Still, there's a lot to be said for competence, and if the dialogue for Eve doesn't sparkle and bubble, it more than gets the job done. Henry Koster's direction is also fine -- not great, but more than adequate, making Eve a pleasant diversion. It helps that Eve has two such charming stars as Deanna Durbin and Robert Cummings, who also share a valuable rapport. Durbin, of course, is in fine voice, but her "straight" performance is even more impressive. Cummings is an expert at this kind of thing, and he adds some nice touches to almost all of his scenes. Even better is a hard-to-recognize Charles Laughton, who keeps his excessive tendencies very much in check and turns in a delightful turn that is captivating without even approaching over-the-top. It's a lovely job from an incredibly talented actor who too often let his worst impulses mar his performances. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
• Lady on a Train is an uncomfortable menage a trois between screwball comedy, murder mystery, and musical. By trying to be all three things, it ends up satisfying as none. Fans of star Deanna Durbin will probably like it more than others, as it gives the singer a chance to show off those formidable pipes on three occasions, and indeed these moments are the finest in the film. This is especially true of her "Silent Night," which is quite lovely. Unfortunately, it doesn't belong in this film; it's a nice side trip, but it just ends up making the journey that much longer. When she's not singing in Train, Durbin is a little at sea. Director Charles David doesn't protect his star, doesn't give her the guidance she needs to overcome the very lame material she is given. As a result, Durbin doesn't sparkle, which affects the film as a whole. David's direction overall is poor, unable to do anything with the warring genres or to make the leaden dialogue come to life. The plotting is convoluted and unconvincing, and there are some stereotypes that will be offensive to modern viewers. The supporting cast is decent, but Train is not a ride worth taking. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
• On paper, Can't Help Singing has plenty of the makings of a classic movie musical. Yet something went wrong from paper to celluloid, making Singing moderately entertaining instead of a great treat. It's easy to say that the "something" that went wrong is the screenplay, and it's hard to argue with that. This is one of those by-the-numbers plots that one finds in so many musicals of the period. In addition, the dialogue is no great shakes and the characterizations are admittedly shallow. Yet better musicals have been made from material of a similar quality. Perhaps it's Frank Ryan's merely adequate direction that is to blame. Or maybe it's simply that the parts just didn't add up the way they should have; the chemistry just wasn't right. Still, Singing does have a couple of aces up its sleeve in its silver-voiced leading lady and its beautiful Jerome Kern-E.Y. Harburg score. Deanna Durbin sounds as gorgeous as ever, and she handles the light dramatic chores with aplomb. Kern's music is as gossamer as ever, and Harburg's lyrics are delightful, and especially felicitous in "Californ-i-ay." Throw in some yummy Technicolor and some nice location lensing, and there's enough to make Can't Help Singing fun -- just not a classic. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi