Nice Girl? (1941)

A young girl finds herself attracted to one of her father's business partners.

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writers:

Richard Connell (screen play), Gladys Lehman (screen play)

Stars:

Deanna Durbin, Franchot Tone, Walter Brennan

Cast

Credited cast:
Deanna Durbin	...	Jane Dana
Franchot Tone	...	Richard Calvert
Walter Brennan	...	Hector Titus
Robert Stack	...	Don Webb
Robert Benchley	...	Oliver Wendall Holmes Dana
Helen Broderick	...	Cora Foster
Ann Gillis	...	Nancy Dana
Anne Gwynne	...	Sylvia Dana
Elisabeth Risdon	...	Martha Peasley
Nana Bryant	...	Mary Peasley
Georgie Billings	...	Pinky Greene (as George Billings)
Tommy Kelly	...	Ken Atkins
Marcia Mae Jones	...	Jane's Friend at Benefit
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Egger

Storyline

A young girl finds herself attracted to one of her father's business partners.

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Plot Keywords:

puppy love | scientist | patriotism | based on play | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 February 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Love at Last

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the British version of this film, Deanna Durbin's finale was the patriotic favorite, "There'll Always Be an England" (music by Ross Parker and Harry Parr Davies, lyrics by Hugh Charles). Miss Durbin's "Thank You America" (music and lyrics by Walter Jurmann and Bernie Grossman), a song which didn't become popular despite Deanna's commercial single on Decca, closed the U.S. print. Both endings are included on the VHS and DVD release of the movie from Universal Studios.

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Quotes

Jane Dana: [Crying] I did something so stupid. So cheap. I threw myself at him. He didn't even kiss me. He didn't even try.
Oliver Dana: [Smiling with relief] Why, the bounder!

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Soundtracks

Beneath the Lights of Home
Music by Walter Jurmann
Lyrics by Bernie Grossman
Sung by Deanna Durbin
Reprised later by Deanna Durbin

User Reviews

ALL that adulthood entails!

What is not to like about 'Nice Girl?'? It needs hardly be among the very best of Deanna Durbin's films to still warrant at least a viewing. And it certainly does.

Robert Benchley is wonderful as the father raising three daughters with the help of his housekeeper in a small American town. Durbin plays the middle daughter, Dana, and she has her sights set on sophistication, however improbable that prospect seems. Her boyfriend, hunky, blond Robert Stack, is often filmed, bless him, in a skimpy shoulder-less undershirt whilst busying himself under the hood of the beloved car that he seems to value more than Durbin herself. When a mature man of the world, the charming Franchot Tone, shows up to do business with Dad Benchley, all three sisters fall in love with him, and Durbin decides that now is the time to take that final step towards adulthood, with ALL that it entails! "Who wants to be just useful and contented? After all, I am not a cow", Deanna Durbin complains, as she is about to flirt with disaster, preparing to be ravished by Tone in his boudoir of exotic trophies. Durbin hardly looks the Jezebel she makes a stab at, but she does look like a million bucks in her borrowed turban and black evening dress.

The dialog is snappy, often surprisingly racy for its time, the songs are classics ('The Old Folks at Home', 'Beneath the Lights of Home' etc.) and felt as well as beautifully sung by Durbin. It may not have quite the giddy strength of other Durbin movies such as 'First Love', but it is still a delightful experience.