‘Because of Him’: A Silly 1940s Comedy of the Stage
A 1946 comedy with Deanna Durbin, this is one of her films I hadn’t seen up until recently. Though it is cute, it’s also quite silly, and therefore not my favorite. Durbin plays Kim Walker, a determined would-be stage actress who manages to trick John Sheridan (Charles Laughton), one of the best actors on the stage, into writing her a recommendation. When her plans spiral out of control, she finds she, along with her roommate, has to do a little creative thinking to keep up the rouse of this perfect plan. because of him
First though, and perhaps her greatest hurdle, she has to convince the playwright, Paul Taylor (Franchot Tone) that she has the talent to pull off a leading lady.
I’ve seen numerous films with Deanna Durbin as leading lady. One of Universal’s most prolific stars (for a short time), the actress has a brief, but still impressive number of titles to her credit. This is one of three in which she co-stars with Franchot Tone, and while it’s not a favorite, it’s still a “silly” but good time typical classic film.
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What never ceases to amuse me is how very silly (and yes, I’m using this term a lot) the romance is in these types of films. Or rather, what I should say is, the lack of romance. The romancers share two – or is a only one? – scenes in this film before we next see them entangled in one another’s arms kissing. It all feels ridiculous, but at the same time I can appreciate this as it is, which is a 1940s zany comedy.
If you like films from this era or just enjoy something that will make you laugh, Because of Him is a fun experience. I like that there’s a clever scheme that propels Kim into her dream, which is something that makes things fun. The story ends happily and of course, there’s three songs (two of which don’t really “fit” the moment) by Durbin, which is her trademark.
Photos: Universal
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‘Because of Him’: A Silly 1940s Comedy of the Stage. A rom-com with Deanna Durbin. #Movies #RomCom #Romance #Classic Share on X
Content: There’s really nothing to mention, but some may be bothered by a lie that involves a suicide attempt.
