March 14, 2010

Deanna Durbin in "Nice Girl?" (1941)


Deanna and Robert Stack are together again in a delightful little rom-com from '41 (released several months before the US entered into WW2). Not to be confused with "Three Smart Girls", "Nice Girl?" also features a trio of sisters (Deanna, Anne Gwynne, and Ann Gillis), daughters of high school principal (Robert Benchley), who is obsessed with nutrition so much that he's working on a book. One day a handsome chap (Franchot Tone) comes to the house to do business with the father, and all the girls are smitten by him, including the flirty youngest sister Nancy, played by scene stealing Ann Gillis. Gillis is the only actress in the prinipal cast other than Deanna still living. Her credits include "Little Orphan Annie" (1938) as Annie, "Bambi" (1943) as the voice of Adult Faline, and "2001" (1968) as Poole's mother.

In a small role is Walter Brennan as a nosey mailman.

Stack plays Deanna's boyfriend, and Deanna sings a handful of tunes in this that are delightful to listen to as always. (pun intended)

The film ends with Deanna singing "Thank You America". Another ending for British audiences has Deanna singing, "There'll Always Be An England".

Watch Both Versions here:'


Update: Amanda recently posted some interesting information about a third version - in Spanish! I didn't know about that one, and I haven't found any footage of it yet.

For more about Nice Girl (1941):
Laura has written a great review of Nice Girl on her blog

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