User Reviews

A film director (Edmund Lowe) is trying to make a film but his extremely temperamental and totally obnoxious Swedish star walks off the picture. Since the part calls for a Swede, this director begs his dim-witted boss to give him time to go on a talent search for a new Swedish star. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, his search is in vain--until he happens upon Ann Sothern. She is definitely NOT Swedish but the director has a hunch that she can pretend to be a new Swedish star if properly coached. By the way, how he knows this we have no idea--he must have read the script for LET'S FALL IN LOVE to see how it all works in the end! Sothern is a sensation, though it's also obvious that she's fallen in love with Lowe--much to his fiancée's chagrin. And when the fiancée figures out Sothern is NOT a Swede, she tells everyone the truth in order to ruin poor Sothern's chance at stardom. When happens next you'll have to see for yourself.

This isn't a particularly deep film though it is definitely entertaining--at least when they aren't singing. The film has a few too many songs and they sing the title song too often, so I used by VCR button to speed through a few of these segments. However, when they are not singing, the film is really a sweet little romance. Formulaic and simple, of course, but so entertaining and light-hearted that it's still a standout film--particularly for lovers of films from Hollywood's Golden Age.

A temperamental Swedish film star walks off the set of the musical romance she's starring in, and producer Edmund Lowe sets out to find an unknown Swedish girl to take her place. He happens to be at a traveling carnival (refered to here as a circus) one night and spots a beautiful girl (Ann Sothern) with a French accent working one of the game booths. He decides that, upon finding she's really American, she can be taught all of the Swedish customs and how to speak with a Swedish accent. Even though he fools studio head Gregory Ratoff, his jealous girlfriend (Miriam Jordan) might be another issue.

While this is considered a musical, there are only three songs listed, and the title song is heard three times throughout the film's short running time. It's instantly recognizable, and certainly beautiful, but after a while, it's just a bit too much. It reminded me of how tired I was of "I'll String Along With You" by the end of "Twenty Million Sweethearts" and "Love Walked In" by the end of "The Goldwyn Follies". Then, there's Tala Birell as the temperamental Swedish diva at the beginning, so obnoxious it made me wonder whether the writer was giving a slam towards MGM's own Swedish diva, Greta Garbo, or the abundance of European exotics in Hollywood at the time. Ann Sothern is almost one-dimensionally goody two shoes with Greta Meyer providing a ton of schmaltz as the kindly Swedish woman who trains Sothern on all things Nordic. It's obvious how this will end the minute Sothern's Cinderella runs from the ball, and even though the mood is sweet, it is too much sugar which causes cavities.

Before Ann Sothern was "Maisie" she starred in a series of light romantic comedies - a couple introduced songs that have become standards ("Melody in Spring", "Ending With a Kiss", "Let's Fall in Love"). Annette Hanshaw recorded "Let's Fall in Love" (one of her last recordings) and sent the song to the top of the charts. "Let's Fall in Love" was Columbia's first musical since 1930 as well as being Ann's first credited movie and she was a real find and absolutely gorgeous. Harry Cohn used to boast that when he changed her name she became a star but the truth was that Columbia didn't take much trouble over her career and she had to wait until "Maisie" made her a star!!

The film gets off to a great start with Arthur Jarrett's beautiful rendition of "Let's Fall in Love" (it was sung several times during the course of the film. There was also another song featured, the forgettable "Love is Love Everywhere"). Director Ken Lane likes the number, what he doesn't like is being kept waiting by the film's temperamental star, Swedish import Hedwig Forsel (Tala Birell). She gives a scathing impersonation of Greta Garbo, even to the line "I tank I go home now" and references to a "flat footed Swede". Ken is fed up and is convinced that any girl (provided she is Swedish) he can find in the street would do a better job than Hedwig (shades of "Easter Parade").

Enter Jean Kendell (Ann Sothern) - Ken finds her at a carnival doing an impersonation of a French girl!! Suddenly he has found his Swede but of course it has to be kept a secret. With a new name, "Sigrid" is ready to make her mark in the movies, but Ken's upper crust fiancée, Gerry Marsh (Miriam Jordan) is jealous and is also convinced she has seen "Sigrid" before. When "Sigrid" is exposed, her popularity soars and the only person embarrassed is the studio head (Gregory Ratoff of course) who has sacked both Ken and "Sigrid" and must quickly find them to bring them together for the romantic finale.

Miriam Jordan had a brief career in movies usually playing snooty types - at one point there was a flurry of publicity to say she was changing her name to "Mimi" to liven up her rather staid image - but nothing came of it. Tala Birell was actually bought to Hollywood as a rival to Garbo (she even looked like her) but she was no threat to Garbo. Betty Furness was one of the better ingenues (I thought) but is now remembered for her appearances for Westinghouse.

Highly Recommended.