The music of the 1920's takes center stage in a non-musical comedy of growing up in small town America where a studious young girl deals with the romantic struggles of youth. Jeanne Crain is the epitome of comical awkwardness, sharing her story through flashback with her young daughter (Anne E. Todd) who comes across a pair of large bloomers while they are in the attic. The bloomers represent a funny reminder of Crain's past, and while they may look like just a hideous undergarment to her daughter, to Crain, they are the link to how she found romance with her husband and chose him over other admirers.
Don't expect Esther Blodgett of "Meet Me in St. Louis" here in Crain's characterization. She's a bit of a geek, the star debater of the school's debate team, and rather shy with the boys who are interested in her. Among them are Alan Young (long before "Mr. Ed") and Conrad Janis (long before "Mork and Mindy"), and when she meets handsome teacher Glenn Langdan, Crain is instantly gaga over him. There's some question to her parental background: she lives with her former suffragette grandmother (a delightful Esther Dale) while her father (Hobart Cavanaugh) lives separately, working for the local mortician. Crain's bashful girl shines briefly on the ice skating rink, even outshining the school's most popular girl (a perky Barbara Lawrence) who has just done some fabulous Sonia Henie moves while on the rink. But as happens later at the school prom, fate takes over, and Crain faces possible humiliation when the unthinkable (at least for a proper young lady in the 1920's) happens.
Snippets of some very popular 20's songs are heard, most notably the title song written for the character's wedding, played on a 78 RPM while Crain and her daughter are in the attic, and the beautiful "April Showers". Lawrence gets to warble the amusing "Coffee, a Sandwich, and You". The music doesn't overwhelm the film's plot, so it is inconsequential to the goings on. Hattie McDaniel, in one of her later roles, has a few nice moments as the housekeeper, but she doesn't really get much to do. As America headed out of World War II and into a very cynical future, films like this became rarer and rarer, so historically, they are very memorable as a part of the tougher times. The color photography is beautiful and every other technical detail is impressive as well.
Don't expect Esther Blodgett of "Meet Me in St. Louis" here in Crain's characterization. She's a bit of a geek, the star debater of the school's debate team, and rather shy with the boys who are interested in her. Among them are Alan Young (long before "Mr. Ed") and Conrad Janis (long before "Mork and Mindy"), and when she meets handsome teacher Glenn Langdan, Crain is instantly gaga over him. There's some question to her parental background: she lives with her former suffragette grandmother (a delightful Esther Dale) while her father (Hobart Cavanaugh) lives separately, working for the local mortician. Crain's bashful girl shines briefly on the ice skating rink, even outshining the school's most popular girl (a perky Barbara Lawrence) who has just done some fabulous Sonia Henie moves while on the rink. But as happens later at the school prom, fate takes over, and Crain faces possible humiliation when the unthinkable (at least for a proper young lady in the 1920's) happens.
Snippets of some very popular 20's songs are heard, most notably the title song written for the character's wedding, played on a 78 RPM while Crain and her daughter are in the attic, and the beautiful "April Showers". Lawrence gets to warble the amusing "Coffee, a Sandwich, and You". The music doesn't overwhelm the film's plot, so it is inconsequential to the goings on. Hattie McDaniel, in one of her later roles, has a few nice moments as the housekeeper, but she doesn't really get much to do. As America headed out of World War II and into a very cynical future, films like this became rarer and rarer, so historically, they are very memorable as a part of the tougher times. The color photography is beautiful and every other technical detail is impressive as well.