The Amazing Mrs. Holliday (1943)

A missionary tries to outwit the U.S. government and smuggle Chinese orphans into the country.

Directors:

Bruce Manning, Jean Renoir (uncredited)

Writers:

Frank Ryan (screen play), Hans Jacoby (screen play)

Stars:

Deanna Durbin, Edmond O'Brien, Barry Fitzgerald

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Deanna Durbin	...	Ruth Kirke Holliday
Edmond O'Brien	...	Tom Holliday
Barry Fitzgerald	...	Timothy Blake
Arthur Treacher	...	Henderson
Harry Davenport	...	Commodore Thomas Spencer Holliday
Grant Mitchell	...	Edgar Holliday
Frieda Inescort	...	Karen Holliday
Elisabeth Risdon	...	Louise Holliday
Jonathan Hale	...	Ferguson
Esther Dale	...	Lucy
Gus Schilling	...	Jeff Adams
John F. Hamilton	...	Dr. Kirke (as J. Frank Hamilton)
Christopher Severn	...	Orphan
Yvonne Severn	...	Orphan
Vido Rich	...	Orphan

Storyline

Ruth Kirke (Deanna Durbin), an American school teacher at a missionary in China, is smuggling nine recently-orphaned Chinese children back to the United States. En route, the ship on which they are traveling is torpedoed and, after being rescued , the only way the children can get into America , is by lying that her husband, who has promised to adopt the children, is the missing owner of the torpedoed ship. Multile complications arise.

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Plot Keywords:

damsel in distress | china missionary school | war orphan | world war two | china | 

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Taglines:

She Went for a Boatride...and Came Back a Bride! With Nine Little Kids...But No Groom!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 4, 1946 with Edmond O'Brien reprising his film role.

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Connections

Referenced in 12 Angry Men (1957)

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Soundtracks

Mong Djang Nu (A Chinese Lullaby)
(uncredited)
Traditional
English Translation by Rosalyda Chang

User Reviews

Different but oddly uneven romantic comedy-drama...

Sentimental tale of a young schoolteacher in war-torn China who sets out to rescue war orphans and take them to America. As in all of Deanna's movies, the plot thickens when she tells a little white lie that has her posing as the widow of a wealthy sailor. Barry Fitzgerald is in on her little scheme and Edmond O'Brien, as the old Commodore's grandson, is soon infatuated with her. It's a sentimental story and, unfortunately, none of it rings true but somehow Durbin overcomes the inadequacies of a weak script and tosses off her songs with grace and authority, as always.

Nominated for Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy picture in 1943.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 February 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Forever Yours

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1