Mad About Music (1938)

A young woman at a girl's school in Switzerland makes up stories about and writes herself letters from an imaginary explorer-adventurer father; and is eventually put in a position where she... See full summary »

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Bruce Manning (screen play), Felix Jackson (screen play)

Stars:

Deanna Durbin, Herbert Marshall, Gail Patrick

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

Cast

Cast overview:
Deanna Durbin	...	Gloria Harkinson
Herbert Marshall	...	Richard Todd / Mr. Harkinson
Gail Patrick	...	Gwen Taylor
Arthur Treacher	...	Tripps
William Frawley	...	Dusty Turner
Marcia Mae Jones	...	Olga
Helen Parrish	...	Felice
Jackie Moran	...	Tommy
Elisabeth Risdon	...	Annette Fusenot
Nana Bryant	...	Louise Fusenot
Christian Rub	...	Pierre
Charles Peck	...	Henry
Sid Grauman	...	Sid Grauman
Cappy Barra	...	Leader, Harmonica Ensemble (as Cappy Barra and His Harmonica Band)

Storyline

A young woman at a girl's school in Switzerland makes up stories about and writes herself letters from an imaginary explorer-adventurer father; and is eventually put in a position where she has to produce him. Interesting things happen as she talks a visiting Englishman into helping her out.

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Plot Keywords:

1930s | switzerland | europe | girls' school | schoolgirl | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 February 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Délicieuse

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gail Patrick plays the mother of Deanna Durbin. In reality Patrick, who was 27, was only ten years older than Durbin, who was 17.

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Goofs

The sign in what is supposed to be a French movie theater says "Exit" instead of "Sortie"

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lady at Theatre: Gwen, you were marvellous.
Gwen Taylor: Oh, thank you very much.

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Eat Pray Love (2010)

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Soundtracks

Ave Maria
(uncredited)
Music by Charles Gounod and Johann Sebastian Bach)
Performed by Deanna Durbin and Wiener Sängerknaben

User Reviews

Attractive characters, lovely music, and a wonderful performance from Deanna Durbin

Deanna Durbin is irresistible as 14-year-old Gloria Harkinson. Living at a ritzy girls' school in Switzerland and blessed with friends and talent, Gloria is nevertheless lonely for a parent—and gets herself into a mess by writing herself letters from her imaginary big-game-hunter father.

Composer Richard Todd (Herbert Marshall) steps off a train in the small Swiss village and finds himself recruited to play the role of that father; Marshall gives a most charming performance as the initially reluctant phony parent who rather quickly takes to Gloria and looks to help her out.

Durbin sings beautifully….the picture opens with a bicycle-riding gang of girls singing "I Love to Whistle"; she sings "Ave Maria" in front of a boys choir; and she performs a beautiful number called "Chapel Bells" with Marshall (a composer, after all) sitting at the piano.

A strong cast includes Gail Patrick as Gloria's movie star mother—although she misses her daughter, she follows the guidance of her agent (William Frawley), who thinks his "glamor girl" client's fans would be shocked if it were known that she even had a daughter. Arthur Treacher is amusing as Marshall's (very) English valet.

The best supporting roles belong to the kids: Jackie Moran as Gloria's young would-be suitor; Marcia Mae Jones as her loyal friend Olga; and especially Helen Parrish as Felice—suspicious from the start of Gloria's tales about her father, she is eventually softened by kindness received.

The plot is of course fantastic, but when characters are this charming, who cares? It all comes across as the kind of thing we would love to believe if only it could be true. –And I guess that's what the movies are all about.