"Seven Sweethearts" is a very entertaining film. While only billed as a musical and romance, comedy raises it two notches on the entertainment scale. The comedy ranges from warm and humorous, to hilarious and wacky. The setting is the annual Tulip Festival in Little Delft, Michigan. That's identified as Nelis' Dutch Village in Holland, Michigan - the tulip capital of the U. S. None of it was filmed there, of course - but in MGM studios in California. But the sets, costumes and screenplay give a Dutch feel to the story.
Kathryn Grayson has the main lead, with Van Heflin opposite her. But six other females play prominently along with Grayson as daughters of Mr. Van Maaster who owns the hotel. S. Z. Sakall is the master of the hotel and dad who gave all of his girls male names. Each time Mrs. Van Maaster, now deceased, became pregnant, they expected a son so they picked out a male name. And, when each girl came along, they gave them that name anyway. That makes for a lot of confusion but wonderful humor when Heflin's Henry Taggart checks into the hotel on assignment to cover the tulip festival for a magazine.
Grayson is Billie Van Maaster, the youngest of the clan but a singer who leads their family band and performs for the festival. The other girls are Reggie, Victor, Albert, Peter, George and Cornelius. Marsha Hunt plays Reggie, the oldest and a snooty wannabe Broadway star. She is very good and very funny. All the rest of the girls have their young men friends and are anxious to get married. But they must wait on the family and ethnic tradition of the eldest daughter marrying first. Mr. Van Maaster first thinks that Taggart would be the man for his Reggie, but Taggart and Billie are drawn to one another. A couple other actors have significant roles that add to the humor and warmth of the story. Isobel Elsom is Miss Abagail Robbins, a 15-year resident of the hotel. And Carl Esmond is Carl Randall, a music composer who has written some songs for the family band and the festival.
Van Heflin is okay in this film, but comedy is not his forte. He made only one other comedy before and after this film. His is a role that Melvyn Douglas, Fred MacMurray or Franchot Tone would have added some spark to, and more humor.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Mr. Van Maaster, to the gang of his daughter's suitors, "Gentlemen, when a man says good night, he doesn't mean hello."
Reggie, "You flew here, father?" Mr. Van Maaster, "What's so unusual about that? Wasn't there a Dutchman before who did some flying?"
Reggie, "All right, I'll leave. And I'll make good, too." Mr. Van Maaster, "Of course you will. After all, an audience won't be full of papas who, who you can fool."
Miss Abagail Robbins, "I picked out a nice school. Efficient, hard work, strict regulations, and right across the street from the PCWO." Reggie, "PCWO --- what's that?" Miss Robbins, "Prudence Club for Women Only. I lived there once myself." Mr.. Vann Maaster, "Isn't she wonderful? She will really be a second mother to you." Miss Robbins, "I've been waiting for this a long time."
Mr. Van Maaster, "She will handle all your personal matters" Miss Robbins, "Money!" Mr. Maaster, "Study hours." Miss Robbins, "Other hours." Mr. Maaster, "Associations!" Miss Robbins, "Men!" Mr. Maaster, "She will always be with you." Miss Robbins, "Night and day." Carl Randall, "And the rest of the time, I'll be there." Reggie, "You?" Mr. Randall, "Yes."
Kathryn Grayson has the main lead, with Van Heflin opposite her. But six other females play prominently along with Grayson as daughters of Mr. Van Maaster who owns the hotel. S. Z. Sakall is the master of the hotel and dad who gave all of his girls male names. Each time Mrs. Van Maaster, now deceased, became pregnant, they expected a son so they picked out a male name. And, when each girl came along, they gave them that name anyway. That makes for a lot of confusion but wonderful humor when Heflin's Henry Taggart checks into the hotel on assignment to cover the tulip festival for a magazine.
Grayson is Billie Van Maaster, the youngest of the clan but a singer who leads their family band and performs for the festival. The other girls are Reggie, Victor, Albert, Peter, George and Cornelius. Marsha Hunt plays Reggie, the oldest and a snooty wannabe Broadway star. She is very good and very funny. All the rest of the girls have their young men friends and are anxious to get married. But they must wait on the family and ethnic tradition of the eldest daughter marrying first. Mr. Van Maaster first thinks that Taggart would be the man for his Reggie, but Taggart and Billie are drawn to one another. A couple other actors have significant roles that add to the humor and warmth of the story. Isobel Elsom is Miss Abagail Robbins, a 15-year resident of the hotel. And Carl Esmond is Carl Randall, a music composer who has written some songs for the family band and the festival.
Van Heflin is okay in this film, but comedy is not his forte. He made only one other comedy before and after this film. His is a role that Melvyn Douglas, Fred MacMurray or Franchot Tone would have added some spark to, and more humor.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Mr. Van Maaster, to the gang of his daughter's suitors, "Gentlemen, when a man says good night, he doesn't mean hello."
Reggie, "You flew here, father?" Mr. Van Maaster, "What's so unusual about that? Wasn't there a Dutchman before who did some flying?"
Reggie, "All right, I'll leave. And I'll make good, too." Mr. Van Maaster, "Of course you will. After all, an audience won't be full of papas who, who you can fool."
Miss Abagail Robbins, "I picked out a nice school. Efficient, hard work, strict regulations, and right across the street from the PCWO." Reggie, "PCWO --- what's that?" Miss Robbins, "Prudence Club for Women Only. I lived there once myself." Mr.. Vann Maaster, "Isn't she wonderful? She will really be a second mother to you." Miss Robbins, "I've been waiting for this a long time."
Mr. Van Maaster, "She will handle all your personal matters" Miss Robbins, "Money!" Mr. Maaster, "Study hours." Miss Robbins, "Other hours." Mr. Maaster, "Associations!" Miss Robbins, "Men!" Mr. Maaster, "She will always be with you." Miss Robbins, "Night and day." Carl Randall, "And the rest of the time, I'll be there." Reggie, "You?" Mr. Randall, "Yes."