Jeannette MacDonald saw the writing on the wall when she was cast as a mother in her second to last film. She had ruled the MGM lot from 1934 to 1944, but now it was time for her to go.
She sings and acts admirably in this silly, contrived family romantic comedy, but she is matched by the up and coming youngster, Jane Powell, who would, after this passing of the torch film, rule the MGM musical lot for another decade.
It's a silly film, based on a lie - MacDonald's character has never told her three daughters the truth about their uncaring father, and so she is responsible for their incomprehension of her re-marrying and so act accordingly in trying to bring their father back into their lives.
All act earnestly and it is shot in absolutely gorgeous Technicolor. Still, despite its warm intentions, it comes across as a bit twee. Why did the stupid screenwriters use Iturbi as himself. Hadn't he a private life? How could he be considered as married to this fictional woman? How much easier to simply give him a fictional character to play as they did Miss MacDonald? One of those MGM mistakes that can never be ironed out.
Iturbi does as well as a non-actor can, but his inability to play a physically and emotionally attractive character makes MacDonald's character choice of a new husband ho-hum for audiences.
Ann B. Todd is quite serious as the second daughter and Elinor Donaghue ( who later would be known coast to coast as the eldest daughter of the TV series, Father Knows Best) does well as the youngster.
It's not a bad film, it's just a competent one. Almost the last glimpse of MacDonald, still radiant and in top form at the end of her career.
She sings and acts admirably in this silly, contrived family romantic comedy, but she is matched by the up and coming youngster, Jane Powell, who would, after this passing of the torch film, rule the MGM musical lot for another decade.
It's a silly film, based on a lie - MacDonald's character has never told her three daughters the truth about their uncaring father, and so she is responsible for their incomprehension of her re-marrying and so act accordingly in trying to bring their father back into their lives.
All act earnestly and it is shot in absolutely gorgeous Technicolor. Still, despite its warm intentions, it comes across as a bit twee. Why did the stupid screenwriters use Iturbi as himself. Hadn't he a private life? How could he be considered as married to this fictional woman? How much easier to simply give him a fictional character to play as they did Miss MacDonald? One of those MGM mistakes that can never be ironed out.
Iturbi does as well as a non-actor can, but his inability to play a physically and emotionally attractive character makes MacDonald's character choice of a new husband ho-hum for audiences.
Ann B. Todd is quite serious as the second daughter and Elinor Donaghue ( who later would be known coast to coast as the eldest daughter of the TV series, Father Knows Best) does well as the youngster.
It's not a bad film, it's just a competent one. Almost the last glimpse of MacDonald, still radiant and in top form at the end of her career.