Three Smart Girls (1936)

Director:

Henry Koster

Writer:

Adele Comandini (original story and screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

20 December 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Plot:

The three Craig sisters, in Switzerland with their ten-years-divorced mother, run away to New York to...

Plot Keywords:

Switzerland | Gold Digger | Marriage | Singer | Butler

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

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 Trudel
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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wade Boteler	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Lane Chandler	...	Police Officer Jack (uncredited)
Charles Coleman	...	Stevens - Michael's Butler (uncredited)
Joyce Compton	...	Judson's Secretary (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Extra in Restaurant (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin	...	Tramp on Park Bench (uncredited)
Albert Conti	...	Count's Friend (uncredited)
Jeanne Dante	...	Schoolgirl (uncredited)
O.K. Ford	...	Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
John Hamilton	...	Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Policeman in Park (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Hamilton (uncredited)
Gladden James	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Larry McGrath	...	Judson's Trainer #1 (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Extra in Restaurant (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Policeman at Police Station (uncredited)
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Nightclub Extra (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Franklin Pangborn	...	Jeweler (uncredited)
John Sheehan	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Eddie Shubert	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
J. Scott Smart	...	Newspaper Editor on Phone (uncredited)
Milburn Stone	...	Telegraph Desk Clerk (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Libby Taylor	...	Lyons' Maid (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Judson's Trainer #2 (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Larry Wheat	...	Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Man in Custody (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Wilkins (uncredited)

Directed by
Henry Koster

Writing credits
Adele Comandini		(original story and screenplay)
Isabel Dawn		contributing writer (uncredited)
Boyce DeGaw		contributing writer (uncredited)
Sam Mintz		contributing writer (uncredited)
Austin Parker		contributor to screenplay construction (uncredited)
Albert R. Perkins		contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Joe Pasternak	....	associate producer
Charles R. Rogers	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Heinz Roemheld		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph A. Valentine		(photographed by) (as Joseph Valentine)

Film Editing by
Ted J. Kent		(as Ted Kent)

Costume Design by
Albert Nickels		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Emily Moore	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Bill Phillips	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Gertrude Reade	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Shaw	....	assistant director
Vaughn Paul	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
John W. Harkrider	....	art supervisor (as John Harkrider)
Jack Otterson	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Homer G. Tasker	....	sound supervisor

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Elwood Bredell	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ken Hunter	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
John J. Martin	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Previn	....	musical director
Irving Actman	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Andrés de Segurola	....	vocal coach: Deanna Durbin (uncredited)
Frank Loesser	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Charles Previn	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
David Raksin	....	composer: title music (uncredited)
Heinz Roemheld	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	orchestrator: vocals (uncredited)
Clifford Vaughan	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Cecille Davis	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Charles H. Freeman	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Mary West	....	child welfare worker (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1936) (USA) (theatrical)
• Croeze en Bosman (1937) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1937) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Universal (1937) (France) (theatrical) (as Universal Film)
• Realart Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Universal's 100th Anniversary)
• Universal-film (193?) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #2730) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:AL (original rating) (1937) | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Universal Pictures

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Penny Craig:I'm not pig headed, I'm strong minded.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Three Smart Saps (1942)

Soundtrack:

Il bacio

"The Parent Trap", Thirties Style

Cute film about three lively sisters from Switzerland (often seen running about in matching outfits) who want to get their parents back together (seems mom is still carrying the torch for dad) - so they sail off to New York to stop the dad from marrying a blonde gold-digger he calls "Precious". Dad hasn't seen his daughters in ten years, they (oddly enough) don't seem to mind and think he's wonderful, and meanwhile Precious seems to lead a life mainly run by her overbearing mother (Alice Brady), a woman who just wants to see to it her daughter marries a rich man. The sisters get the idea of pushing Precious into the path of a drunken Hungarian count, tricking the two gold-digging women into thinking he is one of the richest men in Europe. But a case of mistaken identity makes the girls think the count is good-looking Ray Milland, who goes along with the scheme 'cause he has a crush on sister Kay.

This film is enjoyable, light fare. Barbara Read as Kay comes across as sweet and pretty, Ray Milland looks oh so young and handsome here (though, unfortunately, is given little to do), Alice Brady is quite good as the scheming mother - but it is Deanna Durbin, a real charmer and cute as a button playing youngest sister Penny, who pretty much steals the show. With absolutely beautiful vocals, she sings several songs throughout the film, though I actually would have liked to have seen them feature her even more in this. The plot in this film is a bit silly, but nevertheless, I found the film to be entertaining and fun.