Customer Reviews

Nice Girl [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is probably the most ravishing look at small-town America during World War II ever put on film. The movie serves as a star vehicle for Deanna Durbin and her all-American good-looks, charm and energy relate to the remarkable recreation of a little town somewhere in America. Her house is fascinating to study during those innocent years: big, spacious windows, cozy, over-stuffed rooms. The best scene, though, is at July 4th party by the river. Deanna sings "Old Folks at Home" in a haunting, thrilling way and previous to that, an even more unforgettable "Lights of Home," all aimed at the servicemen overseas and their longing for American homelife. Deanna's boyfriend is the incredibly gorgeous Robert Stack, whose smile is dazzling. Franchot Tone is again the older handsome man but why Universal kept pairing him and the effervescent Deanna is a mystery to me. His long, strange looking face, weird smile, looks alien next to Deanna's open face. The VHS print is beautiful, the sound marvelous and the movie ends with an unforgettable sequence where Deanna is singing to a military crowd and relatives. The song "Thanks to America" makes you realize how long ago that era really is. There's a beautiful alternate ending included. Deanna sings "There will always be an England" with a marvelous long close-up. Lose yourself in nostalgia and enchanting music by the incomparable Deanna. This is one of Universal's unheralded masterpieces.

This movie is full of good things: an escapist story line, a good supporting cast, lots of laughs, and six good songs. We get two helpings of "Beneath The Lights Of Home" a popular song at the time, and still popular with members of "The Deanna Durbin Society" today. The plot is uncomplicated: Robert Stack is Deanna's boy-friend, who shows more interest in his car than in her. Enter the older man Franchot Tone. He's a representative of a scientific organisation and has come to do business with Deanna's father. Deanna becomes attracted to him, and so on...

The video ends with the song "There'll Always Be An England". This song was only added to the film on British release. Deanna sang it direct to the audience, and no doubt her English parents would be just as delighted as the British film-goers who went forth into the black-out feeling uplifted.

This warm and sweet film full of charm and the values once held dear in small towns across America is one of Deanna Durbin's finest. Based on a play by Phyllis Duganne, the screenplay by Richard Connell and Gladys Lehman captures the innocence of a time when going downtown for an ice cream soda and attending the town dance was a big deal.

The music is beautiful this time out, with Deanna getting to sing everything from the sweet "Beneath the Lights of Home" to the lovely "Love at Last" with music and lyrics by Jacques Press and Eddie Cherkose. The songs never seem intrusive here but fit perfectly into the story. They are simply part of a mosaic painted here by director William A. Seiter and producer Joe Pasternak. Vera West dressed Deanna in this film and reminds the viewer that Durbin was everything a girl is supposed to be, and just a bit more.

Deanna is Jane Dana, the quiet daughter of Professor Dana (Robert Benchley). His youngest daughter, Nancy, is boy crazy, and his other daughter, Sylvia, wants to be an actress and takes every opportunity to ham it up. Jane takes care of the rabbits and helps her dad out with his research. He is hoping for a fellowship that will let him expand his work. When a big university sends Richard Calvert (Franchot Tone) to Stillwater to interview Jane's dad for the grant, things will never be the same.

Jane's boyfriend, Don (Robert Stack), is so crazy about his car he misses all her signals for romance. When the handsome Richard appears on the scene, all three sisters descend on him like bees to a pot of honey. Young Nancy's attempts to seem older are a hoot but Jane has the inside track when she borrows Don's car and sabotages it in order to play seductress. But Jane has a small-town heart, rather than a sophisticated one, and Richard has no designs on taking advantage of her; though those gowns by Vera West make it tempting.

Tone is actually terrific here and has a repore with Durbin that is quite pleasing. Once Jane returns home and the whole town knows the 5 cent scandal, she tries to save face when Don just assumes that nothing could have happened. She becomes engaged to the absent Richard, who then shows up. A film that has had you smiling most of the time, then becomes hilarious, and there are some true belly laughs before Don wakes up and Jane discovers what kind of life she wants.

This film is sweet and wonderful, and no description here could do justice to its warmth and charm. Durbin's voice is lovely here and so is she. This is not just a five star film for Deanna's fans, but a five star film classic, period.

Walter Brennan shines as the town postman, Hector, trying to romance the Dana's maid. Helen Broderick, Anne Gwynne and Ann Gillis offer fine support to a film everyone in the family will enjoy. Deanna sings a patriotic "Thanks to America" at the end, just as her Don is joining the Army. The song, "They'll Always Be an England" which was shown in Europe, is included and reminds us of the era in which this beautifully realized motion picture was born. A fine Deanna Durbin film and lovely time capsule of the mores and values we once held dear. Don't miss it.

Deanna Durbin's first movie following America's entry into World War II was the delightful romantic comedy NICE GIRL? (1941). In the film, Deanna plays a young woman who has lots of fun when her neighbours wrongly suspect her of having a "loose" reputation.

Co-starring Robert Stack (Deanna's leading man in "First Love"), NICE GIRL? paints a sweet portrait of small-town America at a time when the effects of World War II were starting to infiltrate everyday activities. Deanna plays Jane Dana, the middle daughter of a highschool professor (Robert Benchley). Jane gets into untold strife when she drives her father's colleague Richard Calvert (Franchot Tone) back to his New York address and is forced to stay the night because of heavy rain. Of course Jane's totally innocent, but the townsfolk have other ideas when Jane is seen driving back in the wee hours of the morning, dressed in a chic ensemble belonging to Richard's sister!

Deanna must have had fun playing with her wholesome screen image in NICE GIRL?, one of the first movies which displayed the songbird with a more mature subject matter. Deanna gets to sing "Love at Last", "Perhaps", and "Beneath the Lights of Home". She closes the film with a stirring medley of "Thank You America" and "There'll Always Be an England".

One of Deanna's biggest wartime hits.

The Danas are a nice family. Father (Robert Benchley) is an inventor who recieves a visit from an anthropologist named Richard Calvert (Franchot Tone). The Dana girls are all in a tizzy over their visitor and do their best to show off for him. Sylvia (Ann Gwynne) is an actress anyway, so putting on a show is not new to her. Nancy (Ann Gillis) is boy crazy, and her taste does not exempt older men. Jane (Deanna Durbin) already has a crush on Don Webb (Robert Stack), but he seems to pay more attention to his car than to her. She decides to give Calvert a try. It all ends up in scandal when Jane puts herself into a precarious situation with Calvert. Maybe she isn't such a nice girl after all!

This is the first movie that Tone and Durbin co-starred in, the beginning of a three movie team. In spite of the age difference, they work very well together. His babyface good looks worked as the perfect object of affection for younger girls; in fact he made several films with younger girl stars including Shirley Temple. Durbin is standout as always and sings several songs. This VHS tape includes the American ending and the British ending where Durbin sings patriotic songs for each country; after all, Nice Girl? was made during WWII. Keep a lookout for Marcia Mae Jones in a small role.

Will this ever be released on DVD? I guess Deanna's films have lost steam. Deanna's first teaming with fading star Franchot Tone, second teaming with First Kiss star Robert Stack. She sings many songs-Perhaps, Beneath the Lights of Home, Old Folks at Home, and Thank You America. Also Love at Last! Can't forget about that one. Nice plot with Deanna in a more grown up role trying to seduce Franchot Tone. A film that holds up well despite its age.