Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack (Three Smart Girls / Something In the Wind / First Love / It Started with Eve / Can't Help Singing / Lady on a Train) |  | Directors: Charles David, Frank Ryan, Henry Koster, Irving Pichel
Actors: Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton, Robert Cummings, Ralph Bellamy, Guy Kibbee
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $26.98
Buy New: $15.26
as of 11/24/2009 21:17 CST details
You Save: $11.72 (43%)
New (28) Used (8) from $15.26
Seller: moviemars
Rating:  43 reviews
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 627 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.6
MPN: MCAD25585D
ISBN: 1417014342
UPC: 025192558528
EAN: 9781417014347
Theatrical Release Date: November 10, 1939
Release Date: August 3, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Includes: three smart girls something in the wind first loveit started with eve cant help singing and lady in the train. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 08/03/2004 Rating: Nr
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 43
 Good selection of the effervescent star November 15, 2009
Douglas M
Deanna Durbin was a very popular musical comedy star in the late thirties and throughout the forties, particularly in England. A trained singer of some renown with aspirations to opera, she was one of only a few adolescent stars who made a very successful transition to adulthood on the screen. For those who know and like her, this collection will need no recommendation but for those who might be discovering Deanna, it may be worth noting that her singing leans towards the operetta style so if you abhor that genre, you may not like the music. In many of her films, she gave renditions of pop songs (for example, "Night and Day", no less, in "Lady on a Train") and while technically her performances are faultless, her voice sometimes is not ideally suited to the contemporary music. Having said that, this collection contains an excellent sample of her features, some good, some so-so and all with individual moments of undoubted pleasure.
"Three Smart Girls" was Durbin's feature film debut, released in 1936, and an important film for Universal Studios because its profits staved off bankruptcy. Durbin plays the youngest of 3 sisters whose meddling reunites her separated parents. This is the least interesting film in the set mainly because of the corny story but Durbin' star quality is obvious and it launched her spectacular rise to fame.
By 1939, every Durbin film was an event and a goldmine for Universal. "First Love" is Cinderella, 1939 style, with a fine screwball family surrounding the star. "Cinderella" is a story which has been filmed with variations a million times but this straight working of the fairy story is one of the best. One of the highlights is Eugene Pallette's revenge on his ghastly family. Durbin received her first screen kiss from Robert Stack and this was world news at the time.
For 1941, "It Started with Eve" was Durbin's first genuine adult part and it might be the best film in the set. A fine comedy, Charles Laughton stars as a rich millionaire who wishes to meet his future daughter-in-law before he dies. Robert Cummings plays his son who drags hat check girl Durbin off the street to replace his absent girlfriend. The ensuing plot is predictable but Laughton is superb in one of his few comedies and there is a poignant moment in a restaurant when Durbin breaks down and cries which is beautifully done and very moving. She and Laughton have real rapport.
"Can't Help Singing", released in 1944, is a period western, maybe a little like "Oklahoma". Filmed in beautiful Technicolor (preserved well in the print), Durbin, with tongue firmly in cheek, is very entertaining as a determined young lady who defies her father and travels west to marry her sweetheart. Part of her showcase is that in every scene she wears a different coiffure and dress, completely absurd in the context of the story and reaching hilarious proportions when she turns up in two outfits for the finale. There is a story that Durbin herself could not decide which dress she preferred and decided to wear both! The songs, written by Jerome Kern, are superb and the score maybe the best of all the films in the set. "More and More" and "Any Moment Now" are magnificently presented. Robert Paige, a fine robust star of Broadway, is one of the best leading men she ever had.
"Lady on a Train", based on a Leslie Charteris story, is an entertaining comedy thriller with Durbin playing a meddling miss who witnesses a murder and helps find the killer. In this one, Durbin is heavily made up, often dressed like a standard Hollywood glamour girl with endless close-ups particularly when she sings and a new costume and hairstyle for almost every scene. It is fairly ludicrous because at times she looks like the girl next door playing dress up. She gives a memorable rendition of "Silent Night". The film has an excellent supporting cast and the plot is entertaining. The film also has a very funny ending.
"Something in the Wind", released in 1947 as Durbin's career was coming to an end, is also an entertaining comedy. The premise is amusing - a rich family try to pay off a girl who they think was the mistress of their deceased grandfather. The film, as depicted in the trailer included in the package, tries to promote a new singing contemporary style for Durbin but in fact this was mere marketing as Durbin had sung "sexy' before. Her rendition of "You wanna keep your baby looking good" is a lot of fun. The film's glaring negative, however, is that John Dall plays Durbin's romantic partner and is hopeless. Dall has the romantic aura and light touch of a brick. Catch him in Hitchcock's "Rope" and you will get the idea - a very serious actor. Donald O'Connor appears too and does a clever acrobatic number.
The prints of the film are really good, the only really mediocre one being "Three Smart Girls". There are no extras other than a few trailers and a featurette for "Wind" which plays the songs from the film. The packaging is ordinary too because these are double sided disks and it is always hard to find which film is where. On the debit side, the set is cheap so it is therefore very good value.
Classic movies of Deanna Durbin October 12, 2009
Rama Rao (Annandale, VA, USA)
Deanna Durbin is a spectacular singing sensation from the North of the border, from Winnipeg, Manitoba. She broke into Hollywood at a young age of 15, with a gift of lovely operatic voice that helped her early career in Hollywood. In 1938 she was honored with Mickey Rooney with Special Academy Award. The Academy cited the award "for bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth." Deanna had several issues with MGM/Universal studios and complained that her image was not properly rewarded with better roles as she matured from a little girl into adulthood. Professionally, at a certain level, Deanna was in competition with Judy Garland. In some of her later interviews she referred to Deanna Durbin in third person (that was her stage name). She retired from her movie career at a young age of 27 and lived in seclusion in Paris. She is immortalized in the Hollywood walk of fame and also at the Grumman Chinese theater (foot and hand prints) in Hollywood, California. Joe Pasternak who produced many of her early movies spoke very highly her talents. After Great Depression of 1929, Hollywood became unkind to Wall Street executives, and movie studios made several movies that poked at their shallow life styles. Some of Deanna's movies were made at this time (1930s) and shows like, First Love, and It started with eve fall in this category.
1. Three Smart Girls
The Sisters - A family story (three stars)
This story is about three little sisters; Penny Craig (Deanna Durbin), Joan Craig (Nan Grey), and Kay Craig (Helen Parrish) fighting over the boys they love, and how it all comes together at the end. You may need a score card for this. When Penny finds that her sister Kay is interested in the fiancée of Joan, she asks her pianist friend Harry Loren (Robert Cummings) to romance Kay, but it backfires and he likes to romance Joan. Outraged Penny insults him and throws him out. Mrs. Craig (Nella Walker) misunderstands this episode and believes that her little girl Penny is jealous and has fallen in love with an older man. She hatches a plan to separate Penny from seeing Harry at the music school, and asks her stockbroker-husband Judson Craig (Charles Winniger) for help. Penny in the mean time expects Harry and Joan, and Kay and Richard to bond in love. When Penny and Kay fight over Richard, Judson is forced to remove himself from his business meetings for a day and get involved with his daughters affairs. Then he leads Joan and Harry, and then Kay and Richard to the altar, while Penny and the whole family beam with happiness. Deanna is superb as a little girl, and she was only 15 when she made this film
2. Something in the wind
The family greed (two stars)
Mary Collins (Deanna Durbin) works for a radio station owned by a wealthy family as singing disc jockey. Donald Reed (John Dall), the owner mistakenly thinks that Mary is the mistress of his recently deceased grandfather Henry Reed, and the snobbish Donald offers her a cash settlement if she refutes any claims against the family estate, obviously Mary becomes angry. Later Mary is abducted from the radio station into the Reed family home and persuade her not cause harm to the family name, and Mary agrees if they pay her a million dollar to support her and "her child" by Henry Reed. When Mary gets the check, her aunt Mary (Jean Adair) returns the check to Read family and tells her that it is against her family principles. Later and Donald reunite on a television show. This movie has some scandals and tricks which shows Deanna Durbin more as a cunning young lady than her other roles where she is very principled.
3. First Love
A Fine Romance (three stars)
Considerable publicity surrounded the release of this movie in which the young Robert Stack gave the 18 year old Deanna her first on-screen kiss. Constance Harding (Deanna Durbin) is treated unfairly by her adopted family of James Clinton (Eugene Pallette), especially her sister Barbara Clinton (Helen Parrish), and her mother Grace Clinton (Leatrice Joy). James is a busy Wall Street executive and does not notice the problems at home, but his servants at home are well aware of the problem and needless to say they are behind young Constance every step of the way. Barbara is in love with a young man from a wealthy family named Ted Drake (Robert Stack). Barbara tries very hard so that he loves her but circumstance lead him to Constance, with a lot of help from the staff at the household and of course due diligence of James Clinton. At the end young Ted sees the light and falls in love with charming singing sensation Constance. As you must have guessed that there are a lot of mishaps and screwball comedy before this ever happens.
4. It started with eve
Who is in love with whom? (Four stars)
This is a romantic comedy-drama in which the man thinks that he is in love with a woman and wants to be married to her, but the man's father wants his son marry another girl. Does this sound confusing? Perhaps not if you see the movie; it is hilarious, and Deana is absolutely wonderful in this screwball slapstick.
Billionaire Jonathan Reynolds (Charles Laughton) is terminally ill and would like to meet the fiancée of his only son Johnny Reynolds (Robert Cummings). When Johnny couldn't find his fiancée Gloria Pennington (Margaret Tallichet) at her hotel, desperately, he asks the hat-check girl Anne Terry (Deanna Durbin) to pretend to be Gloria. She reluctantly agrees, and meets his "dying" father, and finds herself the favorite fiancée of his son. As his father gets better he develops more interest to see his future daughter-in-law rather his son, and this makes her to stay at their house. As the movie progresses things get hilarious and confusion surrounds for Reynolds family. In the meantime, Gloria leaves Johnny and Johnny falls in love with Anne. The story runs though very funny and sometimes embarrassing situations for Johnny, Anne and Jonathan. I like the scenes when Johnny runs to the train station when Anne tries to go back to her home town in Ohio, and how Jonathan tries to smoke a cigar when he is strictly forbidden by his personal physician and his caretaker.
5. Can't help singing
Can't help falling in love (three stars)
This is her only film in Technicolor. Caroline Frost (Deanna Durbin), the only daughter of Senator Martin Frost (Ray Collins) is in love with a soldier named Lieutenant Robert Latham (David Bruce) which displeases her father. When he sends Robert away to California during the Gold rush era, Caroline runs away from home to meet him in Sonora, California. When her father reports Caroline missing and announces a $5,000 reward for the safe return of his daughter. On her way to California Caroline is conned by pranksters and thieves, and loses all her money. She goes in search of her money and finds that a gambler named Lawlor (Robert Page) has her money, she demands her money and he recognizes Caroline as the missing senator's daughter and threatens to turn her in for the reward, until she offers him $10,000 to take her to California. Caroline promises (lies to) him that he will be paid by her wealthy fiancée named Jake Carstairs. When they arrive in California, she meets Carstairs, and asks him to play along with the hoax, and pretend that he is her fiancé. Complications arise when Carstairs' wife arrives and accuses her husband of having an affair. In the confusion, Robert arrives, calling out for his fiancée. A fistfight between Robert and Lawlor ensues because Lawlor believes that Caroline has a third suitor. Finally the truth comes out, and Lawlor and Caroline resume their romance with a happy ending.
6. Lady on a train
Lady on a Train is a Thriller (Five stars)
This is a mystery movie in which Deanna assumes a sophisticated film persona. Nikki Collins (Deanna Durbin) witnesses a murder during her train trip New York City and sets to investigate that when the local police become uncooperative. After viewing a news report, she learns that Joseah Waring, a shipping magnate died accidentally while decorating a Christmas tree at his Long Island estate. When Nikki goes to investigate his death on his property, Arnold Waring (Dan Duryea), Joseah's nephew finds her and mistakes for Margo Martin, a nightclub singer and Joseah's fiancée. During her stay at the estate she finds several incriminating evidences such as the bloody slippers of Joseah, and a possible motive for murder since Joseah disinherits his family and leaves his fortune to Margo Martin.
Nikki goes to meet the real Margo Martin (Deanna Durbin), but Arnold Waring finds her in the night club and locks her up in a room, and a little later she is rescued by mystery writer Wayne Morgan (David Bruce), at the cost of his engagement to fiancée, Joyce Williams (Patricia Morison). Nikki suspects that Arnold is the murderer but she later finds out that Jonathan Waring (Ralph Bellamy), Arnold's older brother is the psychopathic killer. This realization occurs when she is alone with Jonathan in the same room in which Joseah was killed. Jonathan confides to Nikki that he will kill her, and frame his brother Arnold for her murder. Finally Jonathan is arrested by the local police, and Nikki and Wayne fall in love and tie the knot.
This DVD has six movies of one of the legends of Hollywood; I would say it is a steal if you look at the price of this DVD: Highly recommended
1. It's a Date + the Lottery Bride
2. Spring Parade
3. Hers To Hold
4. Christmas Holiday
5. One Hundred Men and a Girl [Region 2]
 Light-hearted and fun September 23, 2009
J. Olsen (UT, United States)
This is a deal that shouldn't be passed up. If you love to be entertained by light-hearted, fun musicals with real singing talent, this set is for you. This pack contains two of our favorite Durbin movies, IT STARTED WITH EVE and SOMETHING IN THE WIND. Those alone are worth the price--the others are an added bonus. The stories have been very adequately reviewed by others, so I won't bother, but I will add my disappointments with the set. These are double sided disks and those drive me crazy. The print on the disks is very small and it can be tricky to know which movie is on which disk. Also, the cover does not snap closed or have a slip cover, so it can flop open if not handled carefully. No complaints about the movies, just the design and packaging!
Good stuff here....if you have a song in your heart.... September 14, 2009
Andre Villemaire (Canada)
The movies are good, but nothing is better than hearing Deanna Durbin sing away.
Im a great fan of Jeanette Macdonnald and Nelson Eddy 's movies and music but
i knew there was more great stuff that i heard when i was younger.. Now part
of the puzzle has been found...its Deanna Durbin... So glad to have found that
voice again...and now its on to her movies. Great bubbly youngster for her
first films to a fine young women in her later films. Thanks Deanna !
"HOW I BECAME A FAN OF DEANNA DURBIN" May 17, 2009
Earline Taylor
I WAS VIEWING ANOTHER FILM WHICH STARRED "KAY FRANCIS" WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT "DEANNA DURBIN". SINCE I HAD NOT SEEN ANY OF HER WORK, I BECAME CURIOUS ABOUT HER. THEN I FOUND A "VIDEO COMPANY" WHICH OFFERED SEVERAL OF HER FILMS ON "VHS" BUT I DECLINED TO BUY THEM. THEN IN 2004 I CAME ACROSS THE "SWEETHEART PACK" CONTAINING SIX OF HER BELOVED FILMS AND I LOVED IT. MY FAVORITE FILM IN THE COLLECTION IS: "SOMETHING IN THE WIND". I REALLY LIKED HOW MARY WOULD NOT ALLOW DONALD TO PUSH HER AROUND WITH ALL OF HIS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND I REALLY ENJOYED HOW SHE HELPED DONALD'S COUSIN GET HIS FIANCEE AWAY FROM HIM, WHICH WAS VERY COMICAL ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY WENT TO THE FASHION SHOW AND SHE HAD HIS WALLET, TEASING HIM WITH IT. I ALSO LIKE THE WAY SHE STOOD UP TO DONALD'S GRANDMOTHER WHEN SHE TRIED TO GET HER OUT OF HIS LIFE. AND I LOVED THAT SONG SHE SING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVIE WHILE SHE IS SITTING ON TOP OF THE DESK DURING HER RADIO PROGRAM. I DO WISH THE TITLE SONG: "SOMETHING IN THE WIND" HAD HIT "THE HIT PARADE". IF IT DID, I HAVEN'T FOUND IT. BUT THE WHOLE COLLECTION IS FANTASTIC. SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS COLLECTION TO ANYONE WHO LOVE ROMANTIC FILMS. AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS AS A GIFT TOO. I HOPE EVERYONE WHO READS THIS BUY THIS COLLECTION. I THINK I'LL GO AND WATCH "SOMETHING IN THE WIND".
FROM A SATISFIED FAN,
EARLINE
Showing reviews 1-5 of 43
|
|
|
