FOUR DAUGHTERS
US, 1938, 90 minutes. Black and white.
Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Lane, Lola Lane, Claude Rains, Jeffrey Lynn, John Garfield, Frank Mc Hugh, May Robson, Gail Page, Dick Foran.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.
Four Daughters is a pleasant entertainment from the late 30s, Warner Bros style. It has the touch of soap opera. Claude Rains is a music professor with four talented daughters, all of whom sing or play instruments. They are played by the Lane sisters plus Gail Page.
Complications arise when the daughters start to fall in love. Jeffrey Lynn is a top musician who is in love with the Priscilla lane character, relies on a friend, played by John Garfield, to arrange his music. He is shocked when he is jilted and his fiancée marries John Garfield – who realises what he has done and is involved in a car accident and dies. Frank Mc Hugh and Dick Foran portray the other suitors. Claude Rains offers a very different performance, quite genial, rather than his usual villains. May Robson gives her usual performance as the crusty old aunt.
The film was directed by Michael Curtiz, who directed a variety of films at Warner Bros ranging from action, Captain Blood, to drama, Casablanca, and various dramas in between.
The film was so popular that there was a sequel in 1939, Four Wives, taking up all the characters again, their situations, interrelationships – with the complication that Anne, Priscilla Lane, discovers that she is to marry Felix (Jeffrey Lynn), that she is pregnant with her late husband’s child. An example of popular entertainment – as well as the delight in making sequels to popular films.
The film was based on a story by Fannie Hurst (Back Street) who also wrote Four Wives. The screenplay was written by veteran Lenore J. Coffee and Julius Epstein, Lenore Coffee writing screenplays from 1919 over many decades and Julius Epstein co-writing Casablanca. Music is by Max Steiner. The film was nominated for five Oscars including John Garfield in a supporting role, director Michael Curtiz, best picture, sound recording and best screenplay.
1. A Warner Bros film of the 1930s? The cast? Their working together on other films? The director? Meeting popular audience expectations? Romance and the touch of the soap opera?
2. Warner Bros values, black and white photography, the musical score?
3. The Lemp family, the introduction, Adam and his conducting his daughters, their singing, performances, his criticisms? Aunt Etta and her crusty manner, the girls and their tormenting their father with popular music? His work, his home life? (And no mention of the mother?)
4. The character of Adam, care of his daughters, mischievous, friendship with Felix, support of Mickey? Kay and her singing on the radio? The meals, welcoming Ben? The preparations for the wedding? His support of Anne after the accident?
5. The daughters, their lives at home, their ages, their musical talents? Emma and her being courted by Ernest, bringing the flowers? Kay and her singing ability? Thea and her wanting to be married, meeting Ben, his flowers? His coming to the meal, stilted conversation? Anne forgetting to put the heat on the duck? Felix and his arrival, his talent? Thea and the attraction? Anne and the attraction? The preparations for the marriage? Mickey and his arrival, Anne jilting Felix? Her return home? The accident? Thea thinking it was Ben? The consequences of the accident? Building new lives?
6. Ben, stuffy, devoted to Thea? The marriage? Ernest, next door, the flowers, rejected by Emma? Finally winning her hand?
7. Anne, the youngest, wanting to stay at home, falling in love with Felix? Preparation for the marriage? With Mickey, listening to his story, feeling sorry for him, marrying him? His plans to go to South America? The return home, his death?
8. Mickey, his character, the long speeches about how fate had dealt him a hard hand? Orphan, childhood, talent or not? Always in the shadow? His playing the piano, interaction with Aunt Etta? His marrying Anne after his proposal? Down on his luck, driving the car, crashing?
9. Aunt Etta, the pleasant comic support – the backbone of the family?
10. The comedy with Felix and Anne on the gate – Mrs Ridgefield and her gossip – and the final image of her swinging on the gate?
