The Silver Screen Oasis

Hi Moraldo, I've been under the "Benjamin Button" treatment...

I see that this week`s "Movie Fan Fare" has an item on Deanna Durbin.

There are thousands of photos of Deanna Durbin alone and with friends on the website:

http://www.deannadurbindevotees.com/forum.htm

Judy Garland was one of her best friends and there are some shots them playing together. Check it out.

Awesome site!

I put my love next to my heart today. I wore my Deanna Durbin T shirt.

This is the short film that started Deanna Durbin and Judy Garland on their careers. They were both 14 at the time. Deanna became an instant star and eventually making 21 movies. Judy came forth a few years later and of course we all know what she did.

Thank you for sharing this today, Uncle Stevie :!:

I have revisited Deanna Durbin`s movies First Love (1939) and Can`t Help Singing (1944). I seem to enjoy her movies after a short break from them.

On the subject of the short MGM movie Every Sunday (1936). This was actually Judy`s sixth short movie, but her first as Judy Garland. Previously she had been in movies as one of the Gumm sisters and then as one of the Garland sisters. Here Judy sings, as Frances (Baby) Gumm Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart. She certainly improved from then on.

Here are some quotes from Judy Garland after "Three Smart Girls" came out with Deanna.

After Judy Garland and her mother saw THREE SMART GIRLS at the Pantages Theatre she remarked: "I couldn't believe that it was Deanna. She was so much more beautiful, and more poised, than she had ever been before. Mother and I were really thrilled about it, but it made me awefully envious! I couldn't help thinking - why couldn't I get a break like that, too. Anyway, I called her up right away from the candy shop next door and told her how wonderful the picture was and congratulated her, and she was awefully thrilled that I called. I told her too - 'Gee, I hope I get a break like that someday,' and she said she hoped I did, too, and we were really just as friendly as ever. Only, well, she was important and I wasn't, and I don't think she thought about it very much, but I did. I really felt aweful.".
Devotee #1
Deanna Durbin Devotees

Deanna Durbin will be 90 tomorrow on December 4th. She is living in France, to the best of my knowledge.

Here is a little bit about Deanna Durbin starting her career at MGM with Judy Garland. They were playmates a teenagers but Deanna moved to Universal.

Read the following blog for more info and don't forget to view the comparison of Judy and Deanna films.

http://www.deannadurbindevotees.com/t275-mgm-days

Those in the know have been waiting for December to roll around as the kickoff of the Deanna Durbin Film Festival being held at The Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto. They are showing all of her films - here is the schedule below:

http://www.stanfordtheatre.org/calendar ... urbin.html

I am a little reluctant to state this, but I have never watched one of her films all the way through (shame on me!). So I can ask the true devotees - which films are absolute musts, and which can I be allowed to pass over?

Jezebel38 wrote:I am a little reluctant to state this, but I have never watched one of her films all the way through (shame on me!). So I can ask the true devotees - which films are absolute musts, and which can I be allowed to pass over?

I am not an expert though I recommend seeing Lady on a Train (1945), It Started With Eve (1941), and Christmas Holiday (1944). These are the best I've seen. The first is a comedy-mystery with music, the second is an excellent screwball comedy with music, and the latter is director Robert Siodmak trying to make Deanna be a film noir-style dramatic diva while Gene Kelly stretches his wings as a dramatic actor (and proves himself pretty interesting). And yes, there's music, but not an overwhelming amount. These movies are different from the earlier, sometimes sugary stories. DD is very appealing in them, at least to me. BTW, if you can see these films in 35mm and/or restored prints you may wish to catch these on the big screen. The prints I've seen on DVDs are all beautifully filmed with very high production values and overall fine casts around Durbin. Sometimes these show up online too. Here's one:

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IMO 'First Love" (1939) is another must, the epitome of the Durbin vehicle.

My favorite is "His Butler's Sister". She is most maturely beautiful in this one and sing a great variety of songs including a Russian medely which caused her to be a favorite in Russia. I think it is a sweet movie.

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Deanna was 22 at the time and she starred with Franchot Tone and Pat O'Brien.