Three Smart Girls (1936)

The three Craig sisters, in Switzerland with their ten-years-divorced mother, run away to New York to prevent their father from marrying calculating socialite Donna Lyons. The overpowering ... See full summary »

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Adele Comandini (original story), Adele Comandini (screenplay),

Stars:

Binnie Barnes, Charles Winninger, Alice Brady

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Binnie Barnes	...	Donna Lyons
Charles Winninger	...	Judson Craig
Alice Brady	...	Mrs. Lyons
Ray Milland	...	Lord Michael Stuart
Mischa Auer	...	Count Arisztid
Ernest Cossart	...	Binns
Lucile Watson	...	Martha
John 'Dusty' King	...	Bill Evans (as John King)
Nella Walker	...	Dorothy Craig
Hobart Cavanaugh	...	Wilbur Lamb
Nan Grey	...	Joan Craig
Barbara Read	...	Kay Craig
Deanna Durbin	...	Penny Craig

Storyline

The three Craig sisters, in Switzerland with their ten-years-divorced mother, run away to New York to prevent their father from marrying calculating socialite Donna Lyons. The overpowering vivacity of the Smart Girls (nominal ages 14-20) sweeps all before it, but a romantic complication between middle sister Kay and their accidental ally, Lord Michael Stuart, threatens shipwreck to their schemes...

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | gold digger | switzerland | nightclub | horse | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 December 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Trois jeunes filles à la page

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$326,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Penny loses her shoes after she dives into the lake, but regains them a few seconds later.

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Quotes

Mrs. Lyons: You say the most amusing things, Count.
Lord Michael Stuart: Family trait, you know; a ready wit and complete lack of character. We drink, you know.
[Kay kicks him under the table]
Mrs. Lyons: [laughing] Oh, how amusing! You drink. Oh, yes, of course, you drink.
Lord Michael Stuart: They're funny things, these family traits. For instance, the Stuarts drink and the Craigs, they like to kick people. Tell me, what do the Lyonses do, madam?
Mrs. Lyons: The Lyons roar!
[laughs giddily]

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Connections

Referenced in Listen, Darling (1938)

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Soundtracks

"The Wedding March"
(1843) (uncredited)
from "A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61"
Music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
In the score when wedding rings are shown

User Reviews

Great 1936 Comedy

This film is so old I never realized how young looking Ray Milland looked in 1936, I remember him playing in a great film, "Lost Weekend". Ray plays the role of Michael Stuart, who is a very rich banker. There are three girls in this picture who are not very happy about their father and mother separating and they find out their father is going to get married to a young blonde who is a gold digger only looking for a rich sugar daddy. They hire a man to pose as a very rich Count, his name is Count Ariszted, (Misha Auer) who is drunk all the time and is penniless and gives plenty of comic laughs throughout the picture. Deanna Durbin, (Penny Craig) surprised everyone when she was booked in a police station and told the chief of police that she was an opera star and then Penny starts singing with the most fantastic soprano voice I have every heard, the entire police department and convicts started applauding, which was a very entertaining and enjoyable scene from this film. This is Deanna Durbin's first film debut and she became an instant success over night and went on to become a great movie star with Universal Studios after leaving MGM.