ONE HUNDRED MEN AND A GIRL

US, 1937, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Deanna Durbin, Adolphe Menjou, Leopold Stokowski, Alice Brady, Mischa Auer, Eugene Pallette, Billy Gilbert, Alma Kruger.
Directed by Henry Koster.

One Hundred Men and a Girl was one of the most popular of the Deanna Durbin vehicles. She is matched with Adolphe Menjou as her father. Leopold Stokowski, the celebrated conductor, appears as himself. There is a strong supporting cast led by Alice Brady and Eugene Pallette.

The film is a '30s fable - a focus on poverty, neediness, enterprise and the overcoming of all difficulties and the fulfilment of all dreams. Deanna Durbin is attractive, has a range of songs and classical pieces.

The film was part of a series from Universal Studios, produced by Joe Pasternak, which, is said, saved Universal Studios. Deanna Durbin was one of the popular stars of the '30s.

1 . A Deanna Durbin vehicle, musical, fairy story in 1930s form?

2. Universal Studios, production values? A piece of Americana? The songs, the range of the musical score? The appearance of Leopold Stokowski?

3. The enjoyment of the music: songs, orchestra? Classics? Deanna Durbin as Patricia: young, precocious, ability? Needs, father, poverty? Her ingenuity to get Stokowski to conduct and to hear her sing? The final achievement? The comic touches in her encounter with her father? With the pianist? With the Frosts? Sentiment? A fairy tale come true at the end?

4. John Cardwell? Poverty, work, love for his daughter, pretence?

5. Leopold Stokowski, his reputation, listening to Patricia, the performance?

6. The gallery of minor characters? Friends? Eccentrics? The comic touch?

7. The picture of society: the Frosts?

8. The plausibility of the plot? Romantic dreams with the comic touch?