User Reviews

In one of his best films, Bing Crosby plays a show biz dad, a songwriter (Who can sing and even dance) widowed and left with two children who barely know him. If this sounds somewhat semi-auto-biographical, it's rather an ironic to his real life and scandals that haunted his family long after he died. Son Robert Arthur longs to be a songwriter himself, but pop Bing doesn't think he's ready to drop out of college to take it up full time. Daughter Natalie Wood longs for a relationship with him, but fears telling him, content with her passing parade of nannies, the last of them a high society lush. Realizing that he is losing the respect of his children, he takes the summer off on an effort to patch up the estrangement. Crosby and Arthur both fall in love with the leading lady of Bing's show, a wonderful lady, played by none other than Jane Wyman who walks off with the film.

Best known for dramatic roles and her long run as the ruthless Angela Channing on "Falcon Crest", sings and dances like a dream, making me wonder how she would have been as Mama Rose or Mame. She sings one song as a jilted bride, at one point dancing with three reflections of herself. With Crosby, she gets into the act on the delightful "Zing a Little Zong" which turns into a production number. Crosby gets a great opening number, making it a shame that he never appeared in a book musical and whose stage appearances were reduced to concerts and variety shows. This is the most likable of his 50's musicals, far more enjoyable than the holiday favorite, "White Christmas".

That grand dame of all grand dames, Ethel Barrymore, threatens to steal every moment she's on screen as the life-loving but serious proprietor of a girl's school. The old ham she is reminds me of a more elegant Marie Dressler. Wood and Arthur are overshadowed by the adults, and even Barrymore can't take the top bow over the lovely Jane Wyman at her most feminine and desirable. Even with that Mamie Eisenhower hairstyle, she is truly sexy here, and it is easy to see why the young Arthur could have a crush on her.

With parallels to Bing's life, this has historical value. As a musical, it is quite different than most of what audiences got in the 1950's. The father/son relationship seems to be a less severe version of what Crosby went through with his own sons, and the fact that Bing's first wife Dixie Lee died the very same year makes it almost prophetic and certainly profound.

"Just for You" is a clean-cut film that combines music with romance, a little comedy and a very light treatment of a family with some problems. The story is OK, but the script just isn't quite believable - even for that day and age. What raises the score on this one though is the music and three special scenes that show some terrific supporting talent. Two are musical and one is a song and dance number.

Bing Crosby is a widower dad of two growing-up kids who haven't seen much of their busy dad who's a major theatrical producer. As Jordan Blake, Bing gives us some good songs, some dance steps and his shtick asides for which he was known on stage and in film. Jane Wyman is Carolina Hill, who's the star of Jordan's new show. The romance between the two is barely played out in the film, but understood. I don't know if Wyman could sing, or if the songs she sings in the film were dubbed. Bing has a number of good songs and one routine that stands out -- "Zing, Zing, Zing," is reprised a couple of times later in the film, including once with Wyman.

Young Natalie Wood (she was just 14 at the time of this film's release) plays Jordan's teenage daughter, Barbara. Robert Arthur plays 21-year- old son Jerry. Jerry has a crush on Carolina, and that's part of the serious side of the film, as well as the light comedy. The other part of the story is Barbara's longing to attend the prestigious St. Hilary's school for girls, and the wonderful Ethel Barrymore's role as head mistress of the school - Alida de Bronkhart. .

The best comedy line in the film is when Bing has been assuming Barrymore as a "mechanic" in the employ of the school, only to find out she's the boss. He says to Barrymore, "You might not believe it, but my daughter isn't as stupid as me."

The credits don't list the dancers, and I can't tell who was who from the IMDb movie list of uncredited. But one long number with Wyman singing some strains of "Amor, Amor, Amor," had a dynamite dance routine with it. The scene was excellently choreographed and the dancers were outstanding. The male lead was exceptional. This added immensely to the entertainment value of this film. It's a nice clean, easy film for the whole family, but perhaps too slow for youth of today. The music and dance numbers are very good entertainment.

Here are a few more favorite lines.

Jordan Blake, "Un, huh. That old skid-row social director couldn't get you on the 40-cent tour at Bietelbaum's Brewery."

Jordan Blake, "Mr. Angevine's got a hollow leg."

Jordan Blake, "What do you think fathers are for?" Barbara Blake, "Oh, to make money and be famous."

Carolina Hill, "Hearts don't break, Jerry. They crack a little, but they go right on beating."