Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack (Three Smart Girls / Something In the Wind / First Love / It Started with Eve / Can't Help Singing / Lady on a Train)

Deanna Durbin is a spectacular singing sensation from the North of the border, from Winnipeg, Manitoba. She broke into Hollywood at a young age of 15, with a gift of lovely operatic voice that helped her early career in Hollywood. In 1938 she was honored with Mickey Rooney with Special Academy Award. The Academy cited the award "for bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth." Deanna had several issues with MGM/Universal studios and complained that her image was not properly rewarded with better roles as she matured from a little girl into adulthood. Professionally, at a certain level, Deanna was in competition with Judy Garland. In some of her later interviews she referred to Deanna Durbin in third person (that was her stage name). She retired from her movie career at a young age of 27 and lived in seclusion in Paris. She is immortalized in the Hollywood walk of fame and also at the Grumman Chinese theater (foot and hand prints) in Hollywood, California. Joe Pasternak who produced many of her early movies spoke very highly her talents. After Great Depression of 1929, Hollywood became unkind to Wall Street executives, and movie studios made several movies that poked at their shallow life styles. Some of Deanna's movies were made at this time (1930s) and shows like, First Love, and It started with eve fall in this category.1. Three Smart GirlsThe Sisters - A family story (three stars)This story is about three little sisters; Penny Craig (Deanna Durbin), Joan Craig (Nan Grey), and Kay Craig (Helen Parrish) fighting over the boys they love, and how it all comes together at the end. You may need a score card for this. When Penny finds that her sister Kay is interested in the fiancée of Joan, she asks her pianist friend Harry Loren (Robert Cummings) to romance Kay, but it backfires and he likes to romance Joan. Outraged Penny insults him and throws him out. Mrs. Craig (Nella Walker) misunderstands this episode and believes that her little girl Penny is jealous and has fallen in love with an older man. She hatches a plan to separate Penny from seeing Harry at the music school, and asks her stockbroker-husband Judson Craig (Charles Winniger) for help. Penny in the mean time expects Harry and Joan, and Kay and Richard to bond in love. When Penny and Kay fight over Richard, Judson is forced to remove himself from his business meetings for a day and get involved with his daughters affairs. Then he leads Joan and Harry, and then Kay and Richard to the altar, while Penny and the whole family beam with happiness. Deanna is superb as a little girl, and she was only 15 when she made this film2. Something in the windThe family greed (two stars)Mary Collins (Deanna Durbin) works for a radio station owned by a wealthy family as singing disc jockey. Donald Reed (John Dall), the owner mistakenly thinks that Mary is the mistress of his recently deceased grandfather Henry Reed, and the snobbish Donald offers her a cash settlement if she refutes any claims against the family estate, obviously Mary becomes angry. Later Mary is abducted from the radio station into the Reed family home and persuade her not cause harm to the family name, and Mary agrees if they pay her a million dollar to support her and "her child" by Henry Reed. When Mary gets the check, her aunt Mary (Jean Adair) returns the check to Read family and tells her that it is against her family principles. Later and Donald reunite on a television show. This movie has some scandals and tricks which shows Deanna Durbin more as a cunning young lady than her other roles where she is very principled.3. First LoveA Fine Romance (three stars)Considerable publicity surrounded the release of this movie in which the young Robert Stack gave the 18 year old Deanna her first on-screen kiss. Constance Harding (Deanna Durbin) is treated unfairly by her adopted family of James Clinton (Eugene Pallette), especially her sister Barbara Clinton (Helen Parrish), and her mother Grace Clinton (Leatrice Joy). James is a busy Wall Street executive and does not notice the problems at home, but his servants at home are well aware of the problem and needless to say they are behind young Constance every step of the way. Barbara is in love with a young man from a wealthy family named Ted Drake (Robert Stack). Barbara tries very hard so that he loves her but circumstance lead him to Constance, with a lot of help from the staff at the household and of course due diligence of James Clinton. At the end young Ted sees the light and falls in love with charming singing sensation Constance. As you must have guessed that there are a lot of mishaps and screwball comedy before this ever happens.4. It started with eveWho is in love with whom? (Four stars)This is a romantic comedy-drama in which the man thinks that he is in love with a woman and wants to be married to her, but the man's father wants his son marry another girl. Does this sound confusing? Perhaps not if you see the movie; it is hilarious, and Deana is absolutely wonderful in this screwball slapstick.Billionaire Jonathan Reynolds (Charles Laughton) is terminally ill and would like to meet the fiancée of his only son Johnny Reynolds (Robert Cummings). When Johnny couldn't find his fiancée Gloria Pennington (Margaret Tallichet) at her hotel, desperately, he asks the hat-check girl Anne Terry (Deanna Durbin) to pretend to be Gloria. She reluctantly agrees, and meets his "dying" father, and finds herself the favorite fiancée of his son. As his father gets better he develops more interest to see his future daughter-in-law rather his son, and this makes her to stay at their house. As the movie progresses things get hilarious and confusion surrounds for Reynolds family. In the meantime, Gloria leaves Johnny and Johnny falls in love with Anne. The story runs though very funny and sometimes embarrassing situations for Johnny, Anne and Jonathan. I like the scenes when Johnny runs to the train station when Anne tries to go back to her home town in Ohio, and how Jonathan tries to smoke a cigar when he is strictly forbidden by his personal physician and his caretaker.5. Can't help singingCan't help falling in love (three stars)This is her only film in Technicolor. Caroline Frost (Deanna Durbin), the only daughter of Senator Martin Frost (Ray Collins) is in love with a soldier named Lieutenant Robert Latham (David Bruce) which displeases her father. When he sends Robert away to California during the Gold rush era, Caroline runs away from home to meet him in Sonora, California. When her father reports Caroline missing and announces a $5,000 reward for the safe return of his daughter. On her way to California Caroline is conned by pranksters and thieves, and loses all her money. She goes in search of her money and finds that a gambler named Lawlor (Robert Page) has her money, she demands her money and he recognizes Caroline as the missing senator's daughter and threatens to turn her in for the reward, until she offers him $10,000 to take her to California. Caroline promises (lies to) him that he will be paid by her wealthy fiancée named Jake Carstairs. When they arrive in California, she meets Carstairs, and asks him to play along with the hoax, and pretend that he is her fiancé. Complications arise when Carstairs' wife arrives and accuses her husband of having an affair. In the confusion, Robert arrives, calling out for his fiancée. A fistfight between Robert and Lawlor ensues because Lawlor believes that Caroline has a third suitor. Finally the truth comes out, and Lawlor and Caroline resume their romance with a happy ending.6. Lady on a trainLady on a Train is a Thriller (Five stars)This is a mystery movie in which Deanna assumes a sophisticated film persona. Nikki Collins (Deanna Durbin) witnesses a murder during her train trip New York City and sets to investigate that when the local police become uncooperative. After viewing a news report, she learns that Joseah Waring, a shipping magnate died accidentally while decorating a Christmas tree at his Long Island estate. When Nikki goes to investigate his death on his property, Arnold Waring (Dan Duryea), Joseah's nephew finds her and mistakes for Margo Martin, a nightclub singer and Joseah's fiancée. During her stay at the estate she finds several incriminating evidences such as the bloody slippers of Joseah, and a possible motive for murder since Joseah disinherits his family and leaves his fortune to Margo Martin.Nikki goes to meet the real Margo Martin (Deanna Durbin), but Arnold Waring finds her in the night club and locks her up in a room, and a little later she is rescued by mystery writer Wayne Morgan (David Bruce), at the cost of his engagement to fiancée, Joyce Williams (Patricia Morison). Nikki suspects that Arnold is the murderer but she later finds out that Jonathan Waring (Ralph Bellamy), Arnold's older brother is the psychopathic killer. This realization occurs when she is alone with Jonathan in the same room in which Joseah was killed. Jonathan confides to Nikki that he will kill her, and frame his brother Arnold for her murder. Finally Jonathan is arrested by the local police, and Nikki and Wayne fall in love and tie the knot.This DVD has six movies of one of the legends of Hollywood; I would say it is a steal if you look at the price of this DVD: Highly recommended1.  It's a Date + the Lottery Bride 2.  Spring Parade 3.  Hers To Hold 4.  Christmas Holiday 5.  One Hundred Men and a Girl [Region 2 ]

Now, despite my 5-star rating for the "Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack", allow me one small criticism...Someone needs to make a film documentary about this unfairly forgotten star! Yes, she is still alive, at this writing (a feisty 88!), and still continues her 60-year exile from the United States and the film industry, but in the 'rediscovery' of her 21 exquisite films of the 1930s and 1940s, her importance needs to be acknowledged, to a new generation. This remarkable woman actually 'saved' Universal Pictures, was a more popular star in her time than Judy Garland, won a special 'juvenile' Oscar in 1938, and was a personal favorite of FDR, Churchill, AND Mussolini, as well as Anne Frank. Blessed with a rich, mature Soprano singing voice that was a bit disconcerting when she was a teen (Walt Disney turned her down, at 14, as the voice of 'Snow White' because she sounded too old), she inspired MGM to hire Kathryn Grayson, Ann Blyth, and Jane Powell, and was, at 21, the highest-paid woman in America, and the world's highest-paid actress.These facts should be shared, to better appreciate the truly unique appeal of Deanna Durbin!The "Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack" offers six memorable films:"Three Smart Girls" (1936): 14-year-old Deanna's feature debut, after an MGM short with Judy Garland (the studio unintentionally let Durbin's contract expire, and Universal grabbed her). She's teamed with Nan Gray and Barbara Read, as young sisters who journey to America to break up father Charles Winninger's impending nuptials to golddigger Binnie Barnes. The older sisters find romance (Barbara with dashing young Ray Milland, also on a fast track to stardom), but the film is Deanna's, all the way, with dazzling Durbin songs, and a satisfying, tear-inducing finale... (5 stars, out of 5)."Something In the Wind" (1947): Nearing the end of her brief career, 25-year-old Deanna in a very funny tale of mistaken identity, accused of being a late millionaire's 'kept' woman! Her romantic lead is John Dall (who she sings a couple of slightly naughty ballads to), but the real fun is 21-year-old Donald O'Connor, just returned from wartime service, who displays the boundless energy and dancing skills that would serve him so well in 1952's "Singing in the Rain" (he even performs an early 'warm-up' for the "Make 'em Laugh" showstopper)...and watch for Deanna and Donald's number with the singing Williams Brothers, including a young Andy Williams! (5 stars, out of 5)"First Love" (1939): Best-known as the film where 17-year-old Deanna gets her first screen kiss (from young Robert Stack!), this delightful 'Cinderella' send-up also has elements of "My Man Godfrey" including wonderful Eugene Pallette, again cast as an exasperated father; the ball scene is truly magical, and would influence the Maria/Tony dance in "West Side Story", over 20 years later. A treasure! (5 stars, out of 5)"It Started with Eve" (1941): The crown jewel of the collection, one of the screen's great comedies. Millionaire financier Charles Laughton, on his deathbed, demands to be introduced to son Robert Cummings' fiance; when Cummings can't find her, he recruits hat check girl Deanna to 'play' her, assuming his father will die, never knowing the ruse. But Deanna's sweetness and charm saves the old man's life, and things get complicated! A fabulous film; Laughton, at his peak (and just 41), gives his septuagenarian character a feisty charm without overplaying him; his moments with Deanna are simply perfect (and their wild rumba scene is the film highlight!)...(5 1/2 stars, out of 5)"Can't Help Singing" (1944): Best-remembered as Deanna's only color film, this 'Gold Rush' era western is beautiful to look at, with spectacular location footage at California and Utah national parks, and features songs by Jerome Kern and E. Y. Harburg (which Deanna does magnificently), but the story is a bit thin and streched, Robert Paige isn't the most charismatic of her leading men (and his costumes are a bit silly), and overall, the film needs a "Harvey Girls" bounce that it doesn't quite achieve...(3 1/2 stars, out of five)"Lady on a Train" (1945): A film noir comedy-drama-musical, created, in part, from Deanna's request for more 'adult' roles...finishing a cross-country Christmas train trip to New York City, Deanna witnesses a murder from her window, but naturally, nobody believes her! The victim turns out to be a secluded, legendary industralist (shades of "Citizen Kane"), whose whole family hated him. Deanna decides to pose as his nightclub singer mistress, to find the killer, as the body count rises. A first-rate cast, including Ralph Bellamy, Edward Everett Horton, Dan Duryea, Allen Jenkins, William Frawley, and, as her leading man, the 'cad' of "Can't Help Singing", David Bruce, can't disguise the flimsy story and plotholes; you'll figure out who the killer is within ten minutes, guaranteed! Still, the film is quite funny, and Deanna sings some great tunes, including "Silent Night", and Cole Porter's "Night and Day"...(4 stars, out of five)A wonderful, affordable way to discover (or rediscover) one of Hollywood greatest (and most neglected) stars!

Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack -- A Great Introduction to Durbin at a Bargain PriceI had never before watched a Deanna Durbin film, and thought it was high time I had a look at something by this Canadian girl who took Hollywood by storm in the 1930s -- and helped pull Universal out of bankruptcy.I really enjoyed this 6-film set -- more than I thought I would. I was expecting light fare, sentimental tales with some reasonably good singing, but got something much better. Several of these films border on screwball comedy -- and Durbin is pretty good at it! And the singing! What a voice this woman had, even as a young teenager! Knocking out opera tunes and other songs in an operatic style, with a beauty and power that is hard to believe -- and I'm not much of a fan of operatic singing. And indeed, except for one or two places where the singing style seemed far too grand for the situation (e.g., the first song in her first film seemed cloying and syrupy-soprano, and I worried that the whole set would be an entertainment bust at that point), the style is worked carefully into the plot of each movie -- where she is often a trained or aspiring singer -- and in that context, it works. So if you are turned off by the first number in the first film, don't give up -- stay tuned and you will be glad you did.I won't go over the plots of all these stories, as they are covered in detail in other reviews here on Amazon.ca and on Amazon.com. And people can consult the IMDb for more information. But this set of films has just the right range. Durbin was in films only from 1936 to 1948; the films here cover from 1936 to 1947. Two kinds of photography are represented: there are five black and white films, and one full musical in glorious (and I do mean glorious) Technicolor. There is a sentimental children-want-to-bring-divorced-parents-back-together tale (Three Smart Girls, her first film in 1936); a love tale (First Love) modelled on Cinderella, with great comic touches (with Robert Stack in his first role, and the great Eugene Pallette making us laugh as only he can); a screwball comedy (It Started with Eve, not to be confused with the Preston Sturges comedy with a similar title) featuring Bob Cummings and Charles Laughton (yes, Laughton!); a full-blown Kern-Harburg musical (Can't Stop Singing) set in the West, with a couple of good tunes, and some of the best Technicolor I've ever seen; a great whodunit murder mystery/comedy (Lady on a Train) with few musical numbers, which shows Durbin's non-musical talents; and a remarkable romantic comedy film, Something in the Wind, in which Durbin has a "new look" -- a completely new vocal style, sultry and jazzy, complete with a dance number reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe -- before there was a Marilyn Monroe. The range of abilities Durbin had was amazing.The supporting players in these films are like a who's who of Hollywood character actors, second leads, and even leads. I've already mentioned Laughton and Cummings and Pallette and Stack, but there are so many more: Ray Milland, Mischa Auer, Samuel Hinds, Walter Catlett, Dorothea Kent, Robert Paige, Akim Tamiroff, Ray Collins, David Bruce, Ralph Bellamy, Allan Jenkins, Dan Duryea, Edward Everett Horton, Patricia Morison, William Frawley, George Coulouris, Donald O'Connor, John Dall, Margaret Wycherly -- watching this set, you feel as if you are in a roomful of old and beloved friends.There aren't many extras on this set -- mostly only trailers, and there isn't a trailer for every film. There are subtitles in French and Spanish and English captions as well for those who want them. But when one considers the rarity of these films (some I believe are available only in this set) and the fact that these are uncut versions, at the full original lengths, and that the picture and sound are mostly excellent (with some sparkles and minor defects in the earlier films), and that this is a well-balanced survey of Durbin's styles and periods, this set deserves an A+ for contents.On the technical side, this set contains 2 DVDS, with 3 films on each DVD (two on one side and one on the other). I would gladly have paid more for separate DVDS, since two-sided DVDs are sometimes flawed, but 5 of the 6 movies played flawlessly, with only one (It Started with Eve) showing a slight glitch -- a skip of about 15 seconds (fortunately in an unimportant place). I don't know how common this is for this set, but I don't see many complaints on Amazon about it.This collection rates 5 stars -- 5 stars for "innocent entertainment" value (for anyone who loves films of the 30s and 40s), and 4.5 stars for good sound and picture quality, and the few special features.

Trawling through the internet and the amazon catalogues for the screwball comedies, I struck upon the title Lady on a Train,a Deanna Durbin film. That was my first encounter with her. This collection is the best introduction to the talents of Ms.Durbin as a singer and actress. The romantic comedies she played in are superbly blended with music. Just like some of the finest Bollywood romantic musicals. What's more,she could do the comedies with equal ease.This Sweetheart pack has following films:THREE SMART GIRLS: The first film of Ms.Durbin when she was hardly 15 years old. The story line is very thin and predictable. Three sisters come to New York to prevent their father from marrying a gold digger. A romantic comedy. Ms Durbin is the real singing sensation of the film.SOMETHING IN THE WIND: More of a screwball than romantic film. The element of screwball is based on the mistaken identity. In this case,an aunt and a niece (Ms.Durbin)having the same name. The aunt's deceased lover leaves her some money and his heirs try to prevent that. They mistake the niece for the aunt.So the comedy develops out of the mistaken identity,FIRST LOVE: Modern Cinderella story. Everything is predictable,nevertheless, enjoyable.IT STARTED WITH EVE: Another screwball comedy. With Charles Laughton. A rich man(Laughton)is on the verge of dying,wants to meet his only son's fiancée, Naturally she is not available at the moment.The son asks the next girl he meets to come with him to pose as his fiancée. After meeting the girl the old man comes back to life and even likes her as his future daughter-in-law. So the classic comedy situation for the whole film is developed in the first 10 minutes of the film.CAN'T HELP SINGING: Eminently forgettable film. Very weak story. The daughter of a rich senator runs away from home to be with her lover. The film is set against the background mass migration of immigrants to the American West and California.The thing that saves the film from oblivion is the singing of Ms.Durbin and the comic antics of Akim Tamiroff and his sidekick. The film is in colour.LADY ON A TRAIN: An odd mixture of cine noir and screwball comedies.Ms.Durbin is the only witness to a murder which she happens to see while travelling in a train.There are plenty of twists and turns in the story and of course superb laughs.This pack is richly illustrated with the photos from her films. All DVD transfers are of good quality. Exception: Three Smart Girls. A few scenes in the film are hazy.If you like music and singing,these films are not going to disappoint you. And even if you do not like it, the powerful presence of Ms Durbin in the films will see you through the films with lot of entertainment.

A good collection for fans of the Winnipeg Chanteuse. Five Glorious Black & White and one Technicolour ( Technicolour is very vivid , explode in your eyes colour of that period , 1944 ). All are first a vehicle to enable Deanna to sing , and second a story. " Lady on a Train " (1945 ) is a good murder mystery where Deanna witnesses a murder in a track-side warehouse while she is in transit. A great cast supports her as she solves the mystery. " Three Smart Girls " (1936 ) is a comedy precursor to Haley Mills later " Parent Trap " wherein three sisters conspire to get their divorced parents back together. " First Love " ( 1939 ) is a re-telling of Cinderella. " It Started with Eve ' ( 1941 ) is a comedy where Deanna isconscripted to fraudulently impersonate Robert Cummings' fiancee to try to get his dying father ( Charles Laughton ! ) to live through the night." Can't Help Singing " (1944 ) is the colour movie in the mix with perhaps the most contrived story line. " Something in the Wind " ( 1947 ) hasDeanna playing an on air singing radio DJ. Deanna sings opera , nightclub , and pop songs as her movie career advances , and does all styles well. An entertaining group of movies with a Canadian star that made the big time and left on her own terms.

I became a huge Deanna Durbin fan in the late 70s when the CBC ran all her movies late at night, and my university friends and I watched them. I love her and her voice as much now as I did then. I purchased this set as a relatively economical way to enjoy her movies again, but I must say that I do not agree with all the inclusions. Of the six movies in the set, I did not like one and couldn't even bring myself to watch another. However, the others were very enjoyable - especially the classic "Three Smart Girls," and the delightful "First Love" and "It Started With Eve." Ms. Durbin was a splendid comedic actress but could also do drama. She retired from Hollywood unexpectedly and lived a quiet - and one hopes happy - life in France. Her movies should be enjoyed by the current generation!

I love Deanna Durbin! I do. And I was so excited to watch "It Started With Eve" (1941). I actually bought this collection specifically for that film, which is really hard to find nowadays. Sadly, I tried watching it yesterday and it froze all the way through. I must of reloaded the film ten times in half an hour. I also had to access the film itself from the scene selection because it did not start when I pressed "play". It's really disappointing because I saved up for this collection and then the one film that I was so eager to watch was the one that did not work. I am not sure what the quality of the other films are...but my hopes are already deflated. Sadly, I cannot return it because I had to take the plastic wrap off to get to the DVDs to find out that they had problems.As all the other reviews I looked at before purchasing were very good, I hope for other Deanna Durbin fans that this freezing business is unique to my collection.