Saturday, September 11, 2010

It Started with Eve(1941).

It Started with Eve(1941). Was remade in 1964 as I'd Rather Be Rich. Cast: Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton, Robert Cummings and Guy Kibbee.

As Johnny, Jr. returns from Mexico City, the New York Daily Star, writes up the story for the front page, that his father, "Jonathan Reynolds Dies".

Upon arriving home, Dr. Harvey informs Johnny that his father is dying and his last wish is to meet Johnny's fiancee, Gloria Pennington. Johnny goes to Gloria's hotel and is told that both Gloria and her mother have gone out. Johnny decides to ask hat check girl Anne Terry to pretend to be Gloria. The next day, Jonathan wakes up recovered, and demands to see Anne.


Dr. Harvey tells Johnny any shock could be fatal to his father, so Johnny continues with the deception. Johnny goes looking for Anne and finds her at the the train station, where she is getting ready to take a train back to Shelbyville, Ohio, giving up on her operatic career.

Back at home, Johnny is surprised to see the real Gloria and her mother and tries to explain the situation to Gloria. Anne learns that Jonathan has ties to the opera and convinces him to have a party, at which she plans to sing. How will Johnny tell his father the truth about the real Gloria?

This maybe the only Durbin' movie that I remember seeing. I find it interesting that such a fun movie is not better known. I posted the film, It Started with Eve, first video of 10 to help get you started. Enjoy.


















Durbin signed a contract with MGM in 1935 and made her first film performance in, Every Sunday (1936), with Judy Garland.


Deanna Durbin, was soon signed to a contract with Universal Studios and made her first film, Three Smart Girls (1936). In 1938 she received a special Academy Juvenile Award, along with Mickey Rooney. Because of Durbin's international fame diarist Anne Frank posted her picture to her bedroom wall where the Frank family hid during World War II.

In 1936, Durbin auditioned for the vocals for Snow White in Disney's animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs but was rejected by Walt Disney, who thought 15 year old Durbin's voice "too old" for the part.

Later, as Durbin became unhappy with the girl-next-door roles, she wanted to portray a more sophisticated style, with the film noirs, Christmas Holiday (1944) and Lady on a Train (1945). Unfortunately,were not as well received as her musical comedies and romances.

Durbin retired from acting and singing in 1949. She married film producer-director Charles Henri David in 1950, and the couple moved to a farmhouse in Paris.

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