NICE GIRL?
US, 1941, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Deanna Durbin, Franchot Tone, Robert Stack, Walter Brennan, Robert Benchley, Helen Broderick, Ann Gillis.
Directed by William A. Seiter.
Nice Girl? is a pleasant Deanna Durbin vehicle, early in the more grownup Deanna Durbin period. Her leading man is, once again, Robert Stack (from First Love). There is a stronger supporting cast including a suave Franchot Tone, a comic Walter Brennan and Helen Broderick as well as having Robert Benchley as her father. The story is the usual small-town story, mistaken identities, emotional crises. There are several songs including some Stephen Foster and 'I See the Lights of Home'.
1. Pleasant Deanna Durbin vehicle? American entertainment 1940 style? Impact now?
2. Black and white photography, American small town, homes, halls, social functions? The musical score? The insertion of the songs? Deanna Durbin's style?
3. The title and its humour, the question mark? The ambiguity of Jane's behaviour? The audience in little doubt that Jane is a nice girl?
4. Jane at home, her relationship with her father, her sisters, with Don? In love with him? His preoccupation with the car? Her work at home? Meeting Richard? Her mistake about him? Making a fool of herself by tricking him with the car, going to New York, expecting him to make a pass at her? Her going home in the car, the townspeople knowing? Gossip, presumptions about marriage, her telling stories to the people at the dance? Richard's arrival, the cover-up? The happy resolution? Don taking her for granted, her going back to him? American comedy heroine?
5. The family: Oliver and his absentmindedness, notes, books, teaching, hopes for the grant? Love for his daughters, putting up with them at meals etc.? Cora? The arrival of Richard, the hope for the grant, his success? The mix-up about the wedding? The happy ending? The daughters and their acting, falling in love, playing up to Richard? The gossip about the wedding? The happy ending?
6. Cora and her work in the house, being sweet on Hector, Hector and his work, knowing all the news, flirting with Cora in the kitchen, conducting the band?
7. Richard, his story about the Australian pygmies! His plans, staying the night, hearing the girls talk, going to the train, going with Jane, his home and the clothes and meal, his not making an advance, the cancelling of the trip, coming to tell Oliver the good news, being a good sport about the wedding announcement?
8. Don as the boy around town, his love for his car, the potato in the exhaust pipe, his greasy hands, taking Jane for granted, going into the army, her going to see him, the final song? Happy ending?
9. The staple ingredients of American domestic comedy, small town romance, dreams of suave heroes, telling stories and getting entangled? Patriotism? Popular themes of 1940?41?
