Customer Reviews

Penny Serenade [VHS]

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Directed by George Stevens and starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, PENNY SERENADE was among the most admired films of 1941. But it seems the film has now drifted into public domain, and the result is incredibly dire: a very muddy soundtrack coupled to a picture that shudders and shakes so that you can barely stand to look at it.

This a great pity, for PENNY SERENADE is a fine film that deserves much better. The concept is simple: as wife Julie (Irene Dunne) packs to leave her husband Roger (Cary Grant), she plays the various records the two have collected over the years. Each recording recalls the various phases of their lives: their chance meeting, their rather unexpected marriage, early years spent in the far east. But they are unhappy in their inability to have a child--and so they return to the United States to adopt. But their happiness ends in tragedy, a tragedy which neither seem able to surmount.

The story is sentimental melodrama, of course, but it transcends its own genre. George Stevens was one of the great directors of Hollywood's golden age--director of such diverse classics as A PLACE IN THE SUN, SHANE, and WOMAN OF THE YEAR. In lesser hands the film might have been reduced to pure soap, but he strikes the perfect balance between charm and tearfulness. The leads are equally perfect, with both Irene Dunne and Cary Grant (who were memorably teamed in such frantic screwball comedies MY FAVORITE WIFE and THE AWFUL TRUTH) discarding their broad comedic skills in favor of plausible humor and sincerity. The supporting cast, which sports nice performances by the likes of Beulah Bondi and Edgar Buchanan, is also very fine, the script is quite good, and the cinematography both functional and elegant.

But all this counts for nothing if you cannot actually stand to watch the truly awful DVD versions available. And they really are that bad. Over the years I've picked up several copies of this film released by several companies--Madacy, Laserlight, and most recently Front Row--and although the transfers vary a bit from company to company they are never more than extremely bad and quite often down-right unwatchable. This is a film in desperate need of restoration, and until it receives that you're better off looking for it on the late-late show--for I can almost guarantee that the print you will find there will be superior to virtually any home-market release you can lay hands on.

--GFT (Amazon reviewer)--

PENNY SERENADE is the story about a young woman who falls in love with a newspaper reporter. They get married. Move to Japan. Survive an Earthquake. Loose a child. Adopt another. Tragedy besets them, but in the end they are able to overcome it. The movie is mostly told through musical flashbacks thanks to rotating RPMs and is one of the first films to ever have used the soundtrack as an intrical part of the film. The movie is a notch above most other melodramatic tearjerkers and there's one big reason for that: Cary Grant.

Cary Grant is the man. What more does one need to say? Sure Irene Dunn does a good job in this melodramatic tale about a husband and wife who live through an earthquake in Japan, the loss of an unborn child, and the adoption of another. Of course, the actor who plays Applejack steals many scenes, serving as the wise fool in this Shakespearean-type romance as his character balances everything that occurs. Nevertheless, through all of Uncle Applejack's helpful advice and Irene Dunn's moving tears, it's Cary Grant who carries the picture. Grant nailed this performance of Roger and once again illustrated how great of an actor he truly was. A lot of actors would have been tempted to delve into melodramatic play-acting, but not Grant. Even though this is a tear-jerker melodrama and he has some really cheesy lines in some scenes, Grant makes the whole thing seem plausible and feel realistic. I admit that I am a huge fan of Cary Grant, but I keep digging up these old movies he made, hoping to find a film that he totally flops in. So far, I haven't found any. Grant was just a notch above the rest and could make any movie more enjoyable just by being in it. It's worth more than a penny to see his performance in this serenade.

The other reviews describe the film quite well. Irene Dunn and Cary Grant are entertaining and excellent actors. Edgar Buchanan is great. However, there are a few annoying things about the DVD. There are several places where it skips and jumps. Also, RE has placed their logo in the lower right hand corner of the entire film. I am sure that this will not bother some people, however, I find it quite annoying. I will probably watch this on an old VHS rather than the DVD in the future.

If, like me, you are looking for classic movies on dvd BEWARE! Mandacy Entertainment are producing sub-standard dvds at a seemingly bargain price. They use movies whose copyrights have run out and slap them on a dics to cash in on the growing popularity of dvd. Do not waste your money!! The transfers are worse than awful. It makes VHS look vastly superior - in fact, it even makes daguerreotypes look superior!

As for the movie - it's a sweet sentimental story that's definately worth watching, especially if you are a Cary Grant fan. 4 stars for the movie. 0 stars for the dvd.

This is a wonderfully sentimental melodrama, which is deftly directed by the venerable George Stevens. With its stellar cast, the film delivers a heartwarming story.

The film opens onto a scene of a woman, Julie Adams (Irene Dunne), who is in the process of leaving her beloved husband, Roger (Cary Grant). It seems that they are no longer able to communicate with one another, and their marriage has headed south in the wake of tragedy. Before she leaves, Julie puts a record album on the victrola, and suddenly memories of the marriage come flooding back.

The viewer sees vignettes from the marriage in flashback, as Julie plays one old record after another. The memories allow the viewer to see how the formerly happy couple met. Fittingly, they met in a record store where Julie worked. Roger was a newspaper reporter at the time. Their meeting was quite romantic, and, of course, inevitably, they marry.

When Roger is sent on assignment to Japan, Julie follows but so does tragedy. They return to the states and settle in the small town of Rosalia, California, where Roger tries his hand at publishing a small hometown newspaper. As a result of what happened in Japan, however, they are unable to have children. Consequently, a small cloud looms on their marital horizon, only to be righted by their long time friend with the improbable name of Applejack Carney (Edgar Buchanan).

Roger and Julie decide to adopt and do so with the help of a Ms. Oliver (Beulah Bondi), a kindly woman who is able to see the love that Julie and Roger would bring to a child in need of a home. So, five week old Trina comes into their lives and burrows into their hearts. There, she stays until tragedy, once again, strikes the household years later. This tragedy serves to bring the now unhappy couple to this impasse in their lives.

Irene Dunne is simply sensational in the role of Julie, the woman who is the mainstay in the lives of those around her. She imbues the role with such warmth and emotion that the viewer can feel those emotions with her. Trust me when I tell you that you will need a box of tissues handy. It is definitely a five hanky tearjerker. Cary Grant, looking impossibly handsome, is wonderfully cast as the impulsive, easygoing, and impecunious Roger, who is brought down to terra firma by his well grounded wife, Julie, and finds happiness that he never thought possible when he became Trina's father.

Edgar Buchanan is heartwarming as the friend and general factotum who is always around to pick up the pieces and help right what has gone wrong. Beulah Bondi is terrific as the well-meaning Ms. Oliver, who helps the Adams family achieve their dream. There are several children who play Trina at different stages in her life. All are wonderful, but the most adorable one is the one who plays the role of one year old Trina (Baby Jane Biffle). The viewer will understand fully why her adoptive parents are so besotted by her. This is a wonderful melodrama that will tug at one's heartstrings. Beautifully acted and well-directed, this film is a gem.

I expected the movie to have a "rough" appearance. After all it is a very old film. The issue I have is that there is a scene missing. It happens to be what I consider the best part of the film. It is when Cary Grant's character is forced to appear before the judge with the little girl to plead his case on gaining legal custody of the child. The scene begins with him coming into the court chambers. The judge discovers that Grant's character is unemployed then turns to tell the child welfare advocate played by Beulah Bondi, that the matter should not have even been presented before the judge. The next scene I see is Cary Grant's character carrying the child up the stairs in the apartment to his wife played by Irene Dunne to inform her that the child is theirs because the judge allowed them to legally adopt her. The part that is missing(based on a previous viewing of the film on T.V.) is when Grant tearfully pleads with the judge to allow the couple to retain custody to adopt the child. I felt it was one of the finest performances Cary Grant ever did in any movie and I was very dissappointed to find it missing in this Dvd. Hence the reason for the 3 stars. I love the movie, it is a shame that that scene has been omited for whatever reason.

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne were so perfectly cast as shallow, spoiled, rich husband and wife in both "The Awful Truth" and "My Favorite Wife" that it was a total surprise to see them here in absolutely serious roles.
"Penny Serenade" is a somewhat slow-moving drama about Roger and Julie Adams (Grant and Dunne). s the movie starts, Julie is getting read to leave Roger. The stresses have broken their marriage, and she sees a stack of old records. She starts playing them, and we see how they fell in love, got married, and so on. Many people might find Penny Serenade "boring" because there's nothing remarkable about the Adamses -- they're just two nice people, who struggle with infertility. They adopt a little girl named Trina, but they still have to face unemployment, and finally a terrible tragedy. As this movie was made in 1941 (still in the Great Depression) I'm sure many people could identify with Julie and Roger as they struggle to stay solvent and keep their family together.
The greatest things about Penny Serenade are the performances of Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. I'm so used to seeing Cary Grant as a dashing, devil-may-care leading man, but he is totally believable as an Everyman. Grant's speech to the judge about keeping their adopted daughter despite financial difficulties is sure to put a lump in your throat. I'm so used to seeing Grant being sarcastic and obnoxious, but this movie shows his emotional range as an actor. He's such a loving father that when tragedy strikes it's heartbreaking. Irene Dunne is also wonderful -- she sheds her glamour, and really seems to become a loving mother and struggling wife. Dunne adopted a daughter in real life, and for this reason this was her favorite film. Edgar Buchanan really adds to this domestic drama as the family friend Applejack. Despite the fact that this movie was made in Hollywood, there's nothing "Hollywood" about Penny Serenade. It's a touching slice of life about ordinary Americans, and for my money, it's not as cloying as It's a Wonderful Life either (although I do love It's a Wonderful Life).
George Stevens would go on to make bigger, more glamorous pictures (like "A Place in the Sun") but Penny Serenade is a real tearjerker, in the best sense of the word.
As for the transfer, ok, the print isnt the best, but I didn't find it intolerable at all. Don't let the negative reviews prevent you from getting this lovely, touching film.

We were very excited when we thought we could finally buy a remastered copy of this classic.

Then this DVD arrived. This fly-by-night company has mislead its buyers into thinking the film has been remastered -- that was a lie. Sad to say, this disk provides a print that is just as blurry and diffuse as any other videocassette or DVD we've seen of Penny Serenade.

Furthermore, while attempting to watch it, the DVD froze up repeatedly. We returned it to Amazon for a full refund. What a waste of our time.

Caveat emptor.

This made me smile, brought tears to my eyes. It caught the attention of my husband (who never watches old movies with me), my 5 year old daughter sat through the whole show (I noticed some laughter, and then some quite moments from her). Really, they don't make movies like this anymore! It's honest, something we can relate to. It's left me with an impression, that made me write this review. I would love to share this with everyone.

The print is actually bearable, not as bad as some reviews, well, at least I sat through it all!

Heartmelting! Charming Cary Grant & the endearing Irene Dunne are the perfect match in this bittersweet drama about a man & woman who fall in love, get married and realize they can't have children. The idea of adoption is rejected by Grant who has his mind made up...well almost! The story has alot of good humor and sentimentality, as well as it's heartwrenching moments. You'll be so caught up, there won't be a dry eye in the place by the time it's over! One of my personal favorites.