Mad About Music

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Mad About Music

Released Feb 27, 1938

1h 38m

Musical

Romance

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4 Reviews

72%

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50+ Ratings

In this musical, Gloria Harkinson (Deanna Durbin), the daughter of a widowed film star (Gail Patrick), is a boarding school girl with a big imagination. She spins daring adventures about her father, claiming he's not only alive but well worth the other girls' jealousy. When classmates begin to doubt Gloria's wild tales, she is forced to procure a fake father. At the local train station, she finds a dapper English composer (Herbert Marshall) who is charmed by her moxie.

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Fully catches the innocence of teenagers and their need for parental love.

Rated: B

Sep 15, 2022

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Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy)

Esquire Magazine

After One Hundred Men and a Girl this is small peanuts. Exploiting Deanna Durbin.

Apr 17, 2020

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

It's not a new plot, but as it's handled here it's very nice.

Aug 5, 2019

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

This whimsical, Oscar-nominated musical comedy was one of the most popular vehicles of child-star Deanna Durbin.

Rated: B-

Aug 8, 2012

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Steve D

Terminally cute but it IS cute.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/11/23

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Audience Member

It's fun to see TV actors we grew up with--William Frawley (Fred Mertz) and Arthur Treacher (Merv Griffin's sidekick)--acting up a storm in their younger days. As for the movie, it was easy to watch, but Deanna Durbin is no Judy Garland (her exact contemporary), or even Shirley Temple for that matter. And why did Herbert Marshall put me in mind of Christopher Plummer? Could it be that Marshall in this film and Plummer in The Sound Of Music found themselves in situations where they may have felt that their talents were being slightly underutilized? Enjoy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Audience Member

One of Deanna Durbin's early films, and one that showcases her acting and singing abilities like few others do. Watch out for how her facial expression changes when Herbert Marshall is about to expose her storytelling and then re-considers, or when she sings the serenade to the stars and is about to burst into tears. She was definitely one of the best teenage actors Hollywood ever attracted. Her singing is awesome, too, especially Gounod's Ave Maria: I never heard it sung better. Herbert Marshall is perfect for the role of willing Ersatz-father, and it is a pleasure to see Gail Patrick cast against type. Still, it is Deanna's film - next to her, all others, no matter how experienced, are no more than supporting actors.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

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Audience Member

One of Durbin's best.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

One of my favorites! Sweet with light humor provided by Marshall and Treacher (my favorites!). Good clean fun- without too many operatic songs.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

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Norman Taurog

Director

Deanna Durbin

Gloria Harkinson

Herbert Marshall

Richard Todd

Gail Patrick

Gwen Taylor

Arthur Treacher

Tripps

William Frawley

Dusty Turner

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Synopsis

In this musical, Gloria Harkinson (Deanna Durbin), the daughter of a widowed film star (Gail Patrick), is a boarding school girl with a big imagination. She spins daring adventures about her father, claiming he's not only alive but well worth the other girls' jealousy. When classmates begin to doubt Gloria's wild tales, she is forced to procure a fake father. At the local train station, she finds a dapper English composer (Herbert Marshall) who is charmed by her moxie.

Director: Norman Taurog
Producer: Joe Pasternak
Screenwriter: Bruce Manning, Felix Jackson
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Musical, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 27, 1938, Original
Release Date (DVD): Sep 27, 2013
Runtime: 1h 38m