Claudia and David (1946)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Walter Lang

Writers:

Vera Caspary (adaptation)
Rose Franken (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 February 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Follow-up to hit film Claudia (1943) finds title characters (Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young) dealing...

Plot Keywords:

Parenthood | Connecticut | Sequel | Loss Of Child | Motherhood

Cast

Dorothy McGuire	...	Claudia Naughton
Robert Young	...	David Naughton
Mary Astor	...	Elizabeth Van Doren
John Sutton	...	Phil Dexter
Gail Patrick	...	Julia Naughton
Rose Hobart	...	Edith Dexter
Harry Davenport	...	Dr. Harry
Florence Bates	...	Nancy Riddle
Jerome Cowan	...	Brian O'Toole
Elsa Janssen	...	Bertha
Frank Tweddell	...	Fritz
Anthony Sydes	...	Bobby

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Movie Connections:

Follows Claudia (1943)

Claudia and David four years later...

Though lacking the enchantment of "Claudia," this sequel, "Claudia and David," is still enjoyable, with Dorothy McGuire and Robert Young successfully playing their characters a second time. Fritz and Bertha are still around, and there's a new addition, little Bobby. Claudia is still marching to her own, distant drum, but as a young mother, she's a tad more earthbound. And, as in "Claudia," she again gets a dose of reality that requires her to move up to an new level of maturity.

The original film must have been a great success, because this time, the actors are surrounded by more of a name cast: Mary Astor, John Sutton, Gail Patrick (replacing Jean Howard as David's sister-in-law), and Rose Hobart. Astor and Patrick really add some sophisticated glamor to the proceedings.

As with "Claudia," "Claudia and David" is style and characters over substance, i.e., there's not much of a story. Instead of being attached to her mother, now David is trying to get Claudia to relax about their son. Also, at a party, a psychic (Jerome Cowan) gives her a message from her mother that David will have an accident when he travels, so Claudia tries to dissuade David from taking a business trip to California.

Definitely life was simpler then, and observing their country life, one can't help being a little bit jealous of Claudia and David. Entertaining with good performances.