Although I am a certifiable, rabid, card-carrying fanatic lover (at a distance, alas) of Deanna (nee Edna Mae) Durbin, it does not follow that I found all of her films of ****, academy award (copywrited phrase), quality. Oh, Deanna was always a delight, whatever nonsense Universal gave her to do. But after 63 years (for some reason I missed seeing this in general release in 1943, due to service in a film unit making training films for the USAAF in WWII), I am saddened to report that I found it dull, apart from Deanna, of course. It is a routine, formula, wartime romance yarn, with the usual lovers separated by the cruel war.
There are some high spots, though. The background of what looks like a real wartime WWII aircraft plant manufacturing B-17s, is an eye stopper. Deanna works there in order to be near the object of her affections. And when she sings "Begin the Beguine" to the work force during the lunch break, both eye and ear, not to mention the heart, stop.
Universal could have done much better by Deanna with a better constructed story on the formula theme. SHOPWORN ANGEL, with Margaret Sullavan, on much the same subject, was quite a bit better, with complicating and interesting plot twists that considerably improved the essentially trite underlying story. I am not suggesting a remake was in order, just that writers with imagination could have done a lot better than they did.
There are some high spots, though. The background of what looks like a real wartime WWII aircraft plant manufacturing B-17s, is an eye stopper. Deanna works there in order to be near the object of her affections. And when she sings "Begin the Beguine" to the work force during the lunch break, both eye and ear, not to mention the heart, stop.
Universal could have done much better by Deanna with a better constructed story on the formula theme. SHOPWORN ANGEL, with Margaret Sullavan, on much the same subject, was quite a bit better, with complicating and interesting plot twists that considerably improved the essentially trite underlying story. I am not suggesting a remake was in order, just that writers with imagination could have done a lot better than they did.