SYNOPSIS: College students make up an imaginary, ideal girl whom they name, "Bernardine". COMMENT: This was Fox's 82nd CinemaScope feature. It marked the film debut of Pat Boone. On the other hand, it turned out to be Janet Gaynor's last movie appearance. Based on a play by the author of "Harvey", it's a pleasant but rather stage-bound comedy of teenage mores. In his first screen role, Pat Boone displayed an amiable personality, sang his songs with ease – and now seems light-years removed from the current crop of bobbysox singing idols. It's nice to see Janet Gaynor too. Production credits are okay, but undistinguished. The film was obviously made on a small budget to cash in on Boone's astonishing disc sales. P.S. The stage play opened on Broadway at the Playhouse on 16 October 1952 and ran a surprisingly number of no less than 157 performances. Guthrie McClintic directed a cast that included John Kerr, Johnny Stewart, Warren Berlinger, Michael Wager, Beverly Lawrence and Peggy Cass.
Review of Bernardine
