Customer Reviews

For the Love of Mary [VHS]

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"For the Love of Mary" is significant (especially to Deanna Durbin fans), not for being a great film, but since it would be the last time that Universal's singing sweetheart would ever step in front of the movie cameras. Watching this movie, one wonders why Deanna had to work with such lackluster material. She tries her best in this film (as is evidenced with her spirited rendition of "Il Barbiere da Saviglia") although the finished product is anything but extraordinary. Overall, "For the Love of Mary" is a cute little film about a White House switchboard operator who must decide between three men (Jeffrey Lynn, Don Taylor and Edmond O'Brien, who all give competent performances)! It is sad to see a performer as talented as Deanna struggling with such thin material, but, all in all, this film is worthwhile viewing.

Fans of Deanna's who say that her movies got her worse as she got older have opinions I can't agree with-because her last three films are my favorite. Something in the Wind has the best songs, Up In Central Park was her best musical, and For the Love of Mary is my favorite romcom. From the moment it began I was intrigued not only because it was her last film but because it had gotten such bad reviews. Glad I ignored them this film is an absolute delight! It kept me on my toes until the very end! The only thing that disappointed me was the fact that the ending cried for a song, a song that was cut but included as an extended ending. This movie is highly recommended so watch it for the love of Mary already!

Lots of reviewers did not like some of last films stating lack of material and
not as good scripts...but to me there all good. Watching those films is like belonging to one big Hollywood family of actors and actresses. You get used to them,their charm, and in the end when all is done...we kinda miss them . Cant get enoughof Deanna Durbin, and after watching all her films, i feel sad that there are nomore. She made around 20 and then left hollywood.
Deanna ...thanks for that lovely voice you have shared with us...
For the love of Mary is as good as others and Deanna continues her escapade, this time near the White House.
Enjoy.

"Who's that man, Mary?"

"That's a man who's going to spend the rest of his life in a phone booth."



Deanna Durbin's final film before walking away from Hollywood forever is as pleasant and charming a swan song as one could expect from a star so special that even passing this way only once, she will be remembered forever. For the Love of Mary is full of Deanna Durbin's magic, turning something frivolous into something charming, something slight into something fun, and something pedestrian into something memorable. Durbin fans regard this as one of her best films, for it typifies that certain something she had both on screen and in life that can no more be fully explored or explained than the moon and the stars. But it's here, as she carries this film with a magical charm only she had, turning a warm wind into a delightful breeze for the final time.

Frederick De Cordova, of Johnny Carson fame, directed this one nicely. William Daniels photographed both Deanna Durbin and Washington D.C. beautifully, Durbin and a fine cast doing the rest. They turn an unfairly maligned story from Oscar Brodney into a real winner. Perry Mason fans will get a kick out of seeing Ray Collins, who portrayed Lt. Tragg for years, as the President's top man, Harvey Elwood. Harry Davenport is fun as Supreme Court Justice Peabody, as is Hugo Hass as immigrant Gustav, and Grief Barnett as Mary's dad. Her suitors include Edmond O'Brien as Navy Lt. Tom Farrington, Jeffery Lynn as attorney Phillip Manning, and Don Taylor as David Paxton, a man obsessed with fish. All are excellent, lending a lighter than air atmosphere to the romantic mixups which ensue when White House switchboard operator Mary Peppertree gets some unwanted help with her love life from the President.

Mary Peppertree has left her job as a switchboard operator at the Supreme Court to work at the White House. Switching posts because she doesn't want to marry legal counsel Phillip Manning, Justice Peabody and his contemporaries want her back, as does Phillip. Realizing he wasn't the one because she wasn't jealous of him, she chats with the President about his cold, and her hiccups, and he takes an interest in making her happy. This brings about some delightful complications and humorous situations. Two kisses from two different suitors in one night confuses her dad and Gustav, but sets her on the right path, with some fun side roads along the way. O'Brien as the Navy man sent by the President to escort her around who falls for her comes off well, but Don Taylor as the man with an island the Navy wants has the inside track, despite his obsession with studying fish. With Ray Collins interfering on the President's behalf, then trying to undo things when that island of Taylor's becomes a sticking point, charm and humor prevail.

Everything is wrapped up in splendid fashion, but not before Deanna gets to sing a lovely rendition of On Moonlight Bay and she acts out an entire opera for Taylor which leads to an unexpected swim. The Canadian songbird who had one of the finest ever to grace the screen is in fine form as always. Cinematographer William Daniels gives some of the scenes a romantic glow no film this slight probably deserves, but that is part of its charm. Not included in the Deanna Durbin Sweethearts DVD collection, this one is available either on VHS for region one, NTSC, or DVD in other regions. All in all, a pleasant surprise for those who have been misled about this film, and one Deanna's many fans will want to own. Marvelous fun.

In what turned out to be her final movie appearance, Deanna Durbin plays a young woman juggling three prospective husbands in FOR THE LOVE OF MARY (1948).

Deanna plays Mary Peppertree, a young woman who has just started a new job, working the switchboards at the White House. When she accidentally strikes up a phone conversation with the President no less, Mary soon finds herself caught between three handsome young men (Jeffrey Lynn, Edmond O'Brien and Don Taylor). Deanna gets to sing some lovely sentimental favourites like "On Moonlight Bay" and "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen"; plus a dazzling "Largo al Factotum" from 'The Barber of Seville'.

This was never meant to be Deanna's last Hollywood movie appearance. She was in talks with Universal-International to star in some additional films in Paris, but those failed to materialise. Fed up with the standard of scripts she was being offered (FOR THE LOVE OF MARY was a prime example), she walked away gracefelly for retirement in Paris with her second husband Charles David (who had directed her in the 1945 musical-noir "Lady on a Train").

FOR THE LOVE OF MARY isn't one of Ms Durbin's best, but her vivacious screen persona makes it more worthwhile than it should be. Strictly for completists.

In what turned out to be her final movie appearance, Deanna Durbin plays a young woman juggling three prospective husbands in FOR THE LOVE OF MARY (1948).

Deanna plays Mary Peppertree, a young woman who has just started a new job, working the switchboards at the White House. When she accidentally strikes up a phone conversation with the President no less, Mary soon finds herself caught between three handsome young men (Jeffrey Lynn, Edmond O'Brien and Don Taylor). Deanna gets to sing some lovely sentimental favourites like "On Moonlight Bay" and "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen"; plus a dazzling "Largo al Factotum" from 'The Barber of Seville'.

This was never meant to be Deanna's last Hollywood movie appearance. She was in talks with Universal-International to star in some additional films in Paris, but those failed to materialise. Fed up with the standard of scripts she was being offered (FOR THE LOVE OF MARY being a prime example), she walked away gracefelly for retirement in Paris with her second husband Charles David (who had directed her in the 1945 musical-noir "Lady on a Train").

FOR THE LOVE OF MARY isn't one of Ms Durbin's best, but her vivacious screen persona makes it more worthwhile than it should be. Strictly for completists.

Mary Peppertree (Deanna Durbin) has many ties to Washington DC. Her father is a member of the military and has many judicial friends. Mary gets a job in the White House as a switchboard operator, but with her, nothing can be simple. Her lawyer ex-fiancee Phillip (Jeffery Lynn) calls her constantly and enlists the help of his friends to pester her into rekindling the romance. The president overhears of Mary's troubles and sets her up with a Lieutenant (Edmond O'Brien). And Mary bargains with an annoying scientist (Don Taylor) to help her ditch Phillip. With three men to her credit, her life becomes highly complicated and the perfect plot for a movie.

This was Durbin's last film. She was 27 years old in it but still maintained the innocence of youth. The fun had in this film is proof enough that had Durbin decided to stay in Hollywood, she would have been a major star for years to come.

As her farewell song, Durbin sings a song from The Barber of Seville, one of the most famous operas. Originally, she was to have a final song at the end of the film which is included as an extra feature, but it broke up the continuity of the film so it was deleted.

There's barely a script here and Durbin was right to call it quits after this one. She looks lovely and is acting her butt off but there is simply nothing to work with. Story: In the early '60s Judy Garland was in London and called Durbin, who lives in a small village in France. "Deanna, this is Judy Garland!" she said. They chatted and then Durbin asked, "Well, Judy, what are you doing in London?" "Oh, I'm starring at the Talk of the Town," Garland replied. Long pause. "You mean," said Durbin slowly, "you're still in THAT business?"