All the points and a few more, exclusively to Susanna and some credit to Franchot too are in order. But that is as far as Susanna's singing and Tone's characterization was concerned.
The direction, and probably Susanna's understanding of the role left some sort of a vacuum, and by that, at least I am not too satisfied with the ending. The ending was a fairy tale one - to make all happy - the relevant couples in love all coming together and living happily ever after, the aim of all fulfilled. But that didn't. In fact as the story was told, only two got what they wanted - excluding Blossom of course - Sheila and Penny. The two male leads had to be satisfied with second fiddle.
Johnny wanted a homely wife and six kids of "their own", he insisted. Paul wanted Penny as his star wife, without kids to pull her back. As some where reviewer mentioned - it all boiled down to the motherly instinct of Penny. - and that's where it went wrong. The one who lost the race was more compromising on this aspect.
The choices became wrong due to handling/ direction.
On similar theme (not exactly) is another musical, of a couple of years later "Because of Him" by another superb singer-actress Durbin. She too wasn't an exceptional actress, but the direction and story telling made the difference - the difference between the two there boiled down to love vs worship - and the decision was - though all weren't happy - convincing.
In this case, keeping happy and this same ending would have made me happy if the movie was made as a clash between infatuation+worship against love+ selfless devotion and love - with a pre-condition of not so much talk about homely wife and six kids.. This was a very major flaw.
By the way Tone's character was not too creepy as mentioned - he was just commitment-phobic - and then when he became ready to commit himself, even going out to buy toys for children, even when Penny didn't ask for it, made the ending became even more unconvincing.
The direction, and probably Susanna's understanding of the role left some sort of a vacuum, and by that, at least I am not too satisfied with the ending. The ending was a fairy tale one - to make all happy - the relevant couples in love all coming together and living happily ever after, the aim of all fulfilled. But that didn't. In fact as the story was told, only two got what they wanted - excluding Blossom of course - Sheila and Penny. The two male leads had to be satisfied with second fiddle.
Johnny wanted a homely wife and six kids of "their own", he insisted. Paul wanted Penny as his star wife, without kids to pull her back. As some where reviewer mentioned - it all boiled down to the motherly instinct of Penny. - and that's where it went wrong. The one who lost the race was more compromising on this aspect.
The choices became wrong due to handling/ direction.
On similar theme (not exactly) is another musical, of a couple of years later "Because of Him" by another superb singer-actress Durbin. She too wasn't an exceptional actress, but the direction and story telling made the difference - the difference between the two there boiled down to love vs worship - and the decision was - though all weren't happy - convincing.
In this case, keeping happy and this same ending would have made me happy if the movie was made as a clash between infatuation+worship against love+ selfless devotion and love - with a pre-condition of not so much talk about homely wife and six kids.. This was a very major flaw.
By the way Tone's character was not too creepy as mentioned - he was just commitment-phobic - and then when he became ready to commit himself, even going out to buy toys for children, even when Penny didn't ask for it, made the ending became even more unconvincing.