JohnHowardReid
Copyright 11 December 1936 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at the Roxy: 24 January 1937. U.S. release: December 1936. 84 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Three wealthy, spoilt teenage girls decide to wreck the forthcoming marriage of their estranged father (a New York banker) to a beautiful socialite. NOTES: Sequels are Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939) and Hers To Hold (1943).
Nominated for three prestigious Hollywood awards: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound Recording.COMMENT: Pleasant enough if rather facile entertainment, no great shakes in the writing department, though it is enlivened by Binnie Barnes, Alice Brady, Mischa Auer and Ray Milland, who have all the best lines. Winninger stumbles through his poorly written part as best he can, while newcomer Durbin usurps center stage. Her fans will be disappointed she has only three songs, of which only "Il Bacio" is handsomely recorded, so perhaps it's just as well. Koster's direction is smooth but not in the least involving. As usual, he relies on his players to do all the work. Production values are otherwise up to scratch. In fact, much of the photography is rather attractive.
bkoganbing
MGM's loss was Universal Studio's gain when Louis B. Mayer sold Deanna Durbin's contract to Carl Laemmle and Universal gave her a grand debut in Three Smart Girls. The three are the Craig sisters played by Nan Grey, Barbara Read, and Durbin as the youngest and the one with the musical talent. But all three are on a mission to bring their mother and father back together.The girls are vacationing in Switzerland when word comes that dear old dad who's been divorced from mom for years is about to be married again. Back to New York come the sisters to save father Charles Winninger from the clutches of mercenary Binnie Barnes and her even more mercenary mother Alice Brady. While on the mission Grey and Read get themselves some romantic involvement also with Dusty King and Ray Milland. It gets a bit complicated though when Read thinks that Milland is a no account count that King hired to woo Barnes away from Winninger. Actually Milland is a titled gent, the guy that King hired was Mischa Auer.In the first of her many roles in the guise, Deanna Durbin plays little Miss Fix-it and solves everybody's problems in the end with a few songs to go with it. It was a formula that worked well for Universal, pulling the studio back from inherent bankruptcy. Abbott&Costello would later make it turn a profit.Three Smart Girls got Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Sound and Best Original Story. The fashions and mores of the time place it firmly in the Depression Thirties. I doubt it could ever be made today again.Where would you find a voice like Deanna Durbin's?
movingpicturegal
Cute film about three lively sisters from Switzerland (often seen running about in matching outfits) who want to get their parents back together (seems mom is still carrying the torch for dad) - so they sail off to New York to stop the dad from marrying a blonde gold-digger he calls "Precious". Dad hasn't seen his daughters in ten years, they (oddly enough) don't seem to mind and think he's wonderful, and meanwhile Precious seems to lead a life mainly run by her overbearing mother (Alice Brady), a woman who just wants to see to it her daughter marries a rich man. The sisters get the idea of pushing Precious into the path of a drunken Hungarian count, tricking the two gold-digging women into thinking he is one of the richest men in Europe. But a case of mistaken identity makes the girls think the count is good-looking Ray Milland, who goes along with the scheme 'cause he has a crush on sister Kay.This film is enjoyable, light fare. Barbara Read as Kay comes across as sweet and pretty, Ray Milland looks oh so young and handsome here (though, unfortunately, is given little to do), Alice Brady is quite good as the scheming mother - but it is Deanna Durbin, a real charmer and cute as a button playing youngest sister Penny, who pretty much steals the show. With absolutely beautiful vocals, she sings several songs throughout the film, though I actually would have liked to have seen them feature her even more in this. The plot in this film is a bit silly, but nevertheless, I found the film to be entertaining and fun.
Brigid O Sullivan (wisewebwoman)
but the film has not aged well.I saw it first many years ago but had the opportunity recently to revisit it with the child in my life. The mores of the era are striking - and acceptable to the movie going public of that time. ****mild spoilers ahead****The father has not seen his three daughters in ten years, even though paying for their upkeep in a luxurious life style in Switzerland. The daughters have no problem with this apparently but do have a problem with him remarrying and come to New York to stop it.All is sweetness and light with dear old Dad becoming enchanted with the youngest daughter, Penny, while virtually ignoring the older two.Many small little twists and turns to the very slim plot line, Deanna's voice soars - and what an enchanting actress she was! - and all works out beautifully in the end for her silly old father and still heart-broken mother.5 out of 10 from the child in my life who asked many questions about the era which necessitated stopping the movie several times to discuss them and 7 out of 10 from me for this nearly 70 year-old-curiosity. 6 out of 10 between us.
AD
