IT'S A DATE is a Deanna Durbin film made by Universal in which she's surrounded by a cast of veritable pros. When producer Joe Pasternak moved over to MGM a few years later, he remade the story with Jane Powell as NANCY GOES TO RIO. Both films are in the TCM library and receive airplay on the channel.
The earlier film is a bit more special. It doesn't have Technicolor or Metro's glossy production values, so it must rely on the charm of the performances which it has in spades. Durbin plays a Broadway hopeful eager to duplicate the success of her mother (Kay Francis), a fading stage actress. As the story gets underway, she is offered an important role that was initially promised to her mother, now deemed too old. This of course causes complications between the two.
A romantic problem also occurs. The owner of a pineapple plantation (Walter Pidgeon) becomes a prospective beau for them both, though he's more suited to the mother. Kay Francis had recently finished her long run at Warners; and Walter Pidgeon was borrowed from MGM-- and they give credible performances. The film also showcases the comedic genius of Eugene Pallette; Fritz Feld; and S. Z. Sakall before his days as "Cuddles" Sakall.
Though the story begins in New York, it quickly moves to Hawaii where there are plenty of island rhythms and dance numbers. The remake switches the exotic setting to Brazil, and it attempts sensational musical sequences (with Carmen Miranda). But the original story keeps things simple, less grand, and as a result, we really do feel the struggles faced by the female characters. The mother is afraid her career is in decline; and the daughter fears her own talent and skill as a singer might throw too much of a shadow on her mother. It's sensitively portrayed.
At this point Deanna Durbin had been churning out hit films for a few years. All of them had been big moneymakers for Universal. She was now beyond her apprentice period-- a guaranteed box office attraction. There's great competence in her musical scenes, and she plays her dramatic scenes with considerable skill. And while other young actresses might have let the stardom go to their heads, Deanna would always retain a down-to-earth quality that made her one of the most beloved sweethearts of her generation.
The earlier film is a bit more special. It doesn't have Technicolor or Metro's glossy production values, so it must rely on the charm of the performances which it has in spades. Durbin plays a Broadway hopeful eager to duplicate the success of her mother (Kay Francis), a fading stage actress. As the story gets underway, she is offered an important role that was initially promised to her mother, now deemed too old. This of course causes complications between the two.
A romantic problem also occurs. The owner of a pineapple plantation (Walter Pidgeon) becomes a prospective beau for them both, though he's more suited to the mother. Kay Francis had recently finished her long run at Warners; and Walter Pidgeon was borrowed from MGM-- and they give credible performances. The film also showcases the comedic genius of Eugene Pallette; Fritz Feld; and S. Z. Sakall before his days as "Cuddles" Sakall.
Though the story begins in New York, it quickly moves to Hawaii where there are plenty of island rhythms and dance numbers. The remake switches the exotic setting to Brazil, and it attempts sensational musical sequences (with Carmen Miranda). But the original story keeps things simple, less grand, and as a result, we really do feel the struggles faced by the female characters. The mother is afraid her career is in decline; and the daughter fears her own talent and skill as a singer might throw too much of a shadow on her mother. It's sensitively portrayed.
At this point Deanna Durbin had been churning out hit films for a few years. All of them had been big moneymakers for Universal. She was now beyond her apprentice period-- a guaranteed box office attraction. There's great competence in her musical scenes, and she plays her dramatic scenes with considerable skill. And while other young actresses might have let the stardom go to their heads, Deanna would always retain a down-to-earth quality that made her one of the most beloved sweethearts of her generation.