FIRST LOVE

US, 1939, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Deanna Durbin, Robert Stack, Eugene Pallette, Helen Parrish.
Directed by Henry Koster.

First Love is a popular Deanna Durbin musical comedy. It is remembered as the film in which she received her first screen kiss - from Robert Stack. It was directed by Henry Koster who directed her in 100 Men and a Girl.

The film is basically the Cinderella story adapted to New York - with humorous and romantic variations. It is popular story, nicely done in the style of the late 30s.

1. Popular Deanna Durbin vehicle? Her popularity, screen presence, singing? A star of the 30s and early 40s?

2. Production values: black and white photography, New York settings, the world of the affluent? The songs, their insertion in the film, contribution to the plot? Popular songs, operatic?

3. The adaptation of the Cinderella fairy tale to New York? Audiences familiar with the aspects of the plot? Anticipating them?

4. Deanna Durbin and her screen presence: at school, the graduation, her friends? Going to her relatives, their disdain? The wealthy home? Her arrogant cousin, her dizzy aunt, the lazy-cousin? Her uncle and his distancing himself from his family? her friendship with the, range of servants? At home, used by her cousin? The encounter with Robert Stack, the horse, her disappearance? Looking forward to going to the ball, her hopes, the transformation, the dress? The disappointment on the evening? The arrangements for her to go? Dancing, the invitation to sing - and her misunderstanding, but being successful? Midnight, her hurrying home, her angry cousin? The search for her, the hero finding her? The family reconciliation? Happy ending?

5. The family and the caricature of the New York rich: the arrogant cousin, her disdain, her pushiness, wilfulness, the humour of her mother and herself being held up by the police? Her romance? The dizziness of the aunt - basic good-nature but loving her daughter? The lazy son? The uncle and his absences, arriving home, arranging for the police? His confrontation of the family and his treatment of them, humorously?

6. The servants, their devotion, work in the house, making the dress, the police and the escort to the ball? The butler - and the comedy of the proper butler? The resignations and the frantic response of the family?

7. Robert Stack as romantic hero, background, family, wealth, riding, the encounter, the ball, her singing? The search?
American dream? A 30s Cinderella story?