Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939)

Now that their parents are back together, the Craig girls think life is going to be easy. It is, until Kay falls in love with Joan's fiance! Complications arise when youngest sister Penny ... See full summary »

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Bruce Manning (original screenplay), Felix Jackson (original screenplay)

Stars:

Deanna Durbin, Charles Winninger, Nan Grey

Cast

Cast overview:
Deanna Durbin	...	Penny Craig
Charles Winninger	...	Judson Craig
Nan Grey	...	Joan Craig
Helen Parrish	...	Kay Craig
Robert Cummings	...	Harry Loren
William Lundigan	...	Richard Watkins
Ernest Cossart	...	Binns the Butler
Nella Walker	...	Dorothy Craig
Felix Bressart	...	Music Teacher

Storyline

Now that their parents are back together, the Craig girls think life is going to be easy. It is, until Kay falls in love with Joan's fiance! Complications arise when youngest sister Penny tries to find Joan a new boyfriend so that Kay and Richard can be together.

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Plot Keywords:

sister | father daughter relationship | matchmaking | sequel | number in title

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 March 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

3 Meninas Endiabradas

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Penny and Harry are first leaving the balcony, their arms are linked. In the following shot they are holding hands, but when they enter the living room, their arms are linked once again.

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Quotes

Binns the Butler: Miss Penny's just a child, sir...
Harry Loren: I don't want biographies, I want my hat and coat.
Binns the Butler: That poem, sir, "The best-laid schemes of mice and men..."
Harry Loren: I don't want poetry, I don't want mice, I want my hat and coat.
Binns the Butler: Very good, sir, but I do feel...
Harry Loren: Now look here, young fellow. Your eyes have been burning holes in the back of my head all evening. And if I see you looking at me once again I'm going to get very mad and take you apart until I find that little machine that says "Yes sir, no sir, very good, ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Hers to Hold (1943)

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Soundtracks

"Invitation to the Dance"
(uncredited)
Music by Carl Maria von Weber
Music adapted by Charles Henderson

User Reviews

Pleasant, Enjoyable Romantic Comedy

This follow-up to the charming "Three Smart Girls" is almost as pleasant and enjoyable as the original. The story is similar to the first one in some respects, but with enough new ideas to keep it from becoming stale. Most of the cast is back, most importantly Deanna Durbin and Charles Winninger. Durbin's energy and charm make even the more implausible moments seem natural, and Winninger gets some even better moments as the befuddled but good-hearted father in "Three Smart Girls Grow Up" than he did in the first picture. Ernest Cossart also gets some good moments as Binns.

Durbin's character again gets a chance to try to straighten out some romantic mis-matches, and to show her musical talents along the way. It's a simple combination that can be quite enjoyable when handled well. There are not a lot of new ideas here, but it has the same good-natured, unpretentious atmosphere and sympathetic characters as its predecessor. It delivers just what it promises, and it makes for a very nice way to pass an hour and a half.