The only reason that the audience knows that this is a sequel to three smart girls and it's 1939 follow-up is that there are home movies taken by the director of photography....er...pop Charles Winninger from the 1936 movie, "Three Smart Girls", when Deanna Durbin's character was just a 13 year old "Little Miss Fix It". Now she's a sophisticated 21 year old socialite, still living with her parents and the talk of the society page. With World War Ii underway, Durbin decides to do her bit of fixing for the war effort by becoming a munitions plant worker "on the swing shift" where she contributes her bit by singing songs on the mandatory 10 minute break "where's the girls get to do whatever they want to do, as long as they are back within 10 minutes". Durbin falls for doctor Joseph Cotten who is awaiting to be called into active duty, which once that happens will have her saying her own prayers "for the boys over there".
Indeed, there was a song in this film called "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There", and it ended up being one of Durbin's biggest hits, receiving an Oscar nomination and certainly keeping in with the news of the time. She also gets to sing a jazzy version of "Begin the Beguine", as well as several arias and a love song sung to her reflection in the mirror towards Cotten who appears in her mind while she is singing it. The film is certainly a product of its time, but you will never forget the image of the various plant workers reacting with various emotion to her song of hope. Winninger and Nella Walker return as her parents, as does Ludwig Stossel as the butler. Gus Schilling as Cotten's sidekick and Iris Adrian as one of Durbin's co-workers are instantly recognizable. The film moves fast, provides some laughs (Durbin changing out of her huge coctail party dress into something more appropriate for a dance hall), as well as the all-important theme of the young lady and the young man falling in love and being separated by war. All in all, one of Durbin's better war era films, and a nice ending to the three part series.
Indeed, there was a song in this film called "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There", and it ended up being one of Durbin's biggest hits, receiving an Oscar nomination and certainly keeping in with the news of the time. She also gets to sing a jazzy version of "Begin the Beguine", as well as several arias and a love song sung to her reflection in the mirror towards Cotten who appears in her mind while she is singing it. The film is certainly a product of its time, but you will never forget the image of the various plant workers reacting with various emotion to her song of hope. Winninger and Nella Walker return as her parents, as does Ludwig Stossel as the butler. Gus Schilling as Cotten's sidekick and Iris Adrian as one of Durbin's co-workers are instantly recognizable. The film moves fast, provides some laughs (Durbin changing out of her huge coctail party dress into something more appropriate for a dance hall), as well as the all-important theme of the young lady and the young man falling in love and being separated by war. All in all, one of Durbin's better war era films, and a nice ending to the three part series.