Before Ann Sothern was "Maisie" she starred in a series of light romantic comedies - a couple introduced songs that have become standards ("Melody in Spring", "Ending With a Kiss", "Let's Fall in Love"). Annette Hanshaw recorded "Let's Fall in Love" (one of her last recordings) and sent the song to the top of the charts. "Let's Fall in Love" was Columbia's first musical since 1930 as well as being Ann's first credited movie and she was a real find and absolutely gorgeous. Harry Cohn used to boast that when he changed her name she became a star but the truth was that Columbia didn't take much trouble over her career and she had to wait until "Maisie" made her a star!!
The film gets off to a great start with Arthur Jarrett's beautiful rendition of "Let's Fall in Love" (it was sung several times during the course of the film. There was also another song featured, the forgettable "Love is Love Everywhere"). Director Ken Lane likes the number, what he doesn't like is being kept waiting by the film's temperamental star, Swedish import Hedwig Forsel (Tala Birell). She gives a scathing impersonation of Greta Garbo, even to the line "I tank I go home now" and references to a "flat footed Swede". Ken is fed up and is convinced that any girl (provided she is Swedish) he can find in the street would do a better job than Hedwig (shades of "Easter Parade").
Enter Jean Kendell (Ann Sothern) - Ken finds her at a carnival doing an impersonation of a French girl!! Suddenly he has found his Swede but of course it has to be kept a secret. With a new name, "Sigrid" is ready to make her mark in the movies, but Ken's upper crust fiancée, Gerry Marsh (Miriam Jordan) is jealous and is also convinced she has seen "Sigrid" before. When "Sigrid" is exposed, her popularity soars and the only person embarrassed is the studio head (Gregory Ratoff of course) who has sacked both Ken and "Sigrid" and must quickly find them to bring them together for the romantic finale.
Miriam Jordan had a brief career in movies usually playing snooty types - at one point there was a flurry of publicity to say she was changing her name to "Mimi" to liven up her rather staid image - but nothing came of it. Tala Birell was actually bought to Hollywood as a rival to Garbo (she even looked like her) but she was no threat to Garbo. Betty Furness was one of the better ingenues (I thought) but is now remembered for her appearances for Westinghouse.
Highly Recommended.
The film gets off to a great start with Arthur Jarrett's beautiful rendition of "Let's Fall in Love" (it was sung several times during the course of the film. There was also another song featured, the forgettable "Love is Love Everywhere"). Director Ken Lane likes the number, what he doesn't like is being kept waiting by the film's temperamental star, Swedish import Hedwig Forsel (Tala Birell). She gives a scathing impersonation of Greta Garbo, even to the line "I tank I go home now" and references to a "flat footed Swede". Ken is fed up and is convinced that any girl (provided she is Swedish) he can find in the street would do a better job than Hedwig (shades of "Easter Parade").
Enter Jean Kendell (Ann Sothern) - Ken finds her at a carnival doing an impersonation of a French girl!! Suddenly he has found his Swede but of course it has to be kept a secret. With a new name, "Sigrid" is ready to make her mark in the movies, but Ken's upper crust fiancée, Gerry Marsh (Miriam Jordan) is jealous and is also convinced she has seen "Sigrid" before. When "Sigrid" is exposed, her popularity soars and the only person embarrassed is the studio head (Gregory Ratoff of course) who has sacked both Ken and "Sigrid" and must quickly find them to bring them together for the romantic finale.
Miriam Jordan had a brief career in movies usually playing snooty types - at one point there was a flurry of publicity to say she was changing her name to "Mimi" to liven up her rather staid image - but nothing came of it. Tala Birell was actually bought to Hollywood as a rival to Garbo (she even looked like her) but she was no threat to Garbo. Betty Furness was one of the better ingenues (I thought) but is now remembered for her appearances for Westinghouse.
Highly Recommended.