One of Hall's more accomplished efforts. Gone are all the flashy if pungent wipes so characteristic of Oz movies of the 1930's, but no-one could complain either that the resulting pace is slow or that the movie is not still crammed chock-a-block with action. In fact, some critics actually protested that the movie suffers from too much plot, rather than too little. Though not me! What we have here is a comedy/melodrama that manages to pack in all the domestic by-play of the Charlie Ruggles/Mary Boland comedies; as well as that staple yarn about the little man who innocently uncovers a gang of crooks and counterfeiters; plus that well-worn piece about the innocent who uses "beginner's luck" to win a fortune by gambling; and of course the ultimate domestic triumph of the harried, henpecked, put-upon little worm who finally turns.
In addition, the film carries a number of sub-plots, would you believe? Chief of these is the young, super-attractive Deanna Durbin clone who hasn't enough money to enter a singing contest. Then there's the Peter Finch sub-plot about the gormless adolescent who comes to manhood. (Finch is very effective too, even though he doesn't give a hint of his later screen persona).
Hall's direction is commendably fluid. Production values, including some eye-catching sets, are of a much higher standard than the Cinesound norm. Photography, film editing and music scoring likewise closely approach the standard Hollywood models.
Jean Hatton (who made only three films, of which this is the first) is absolutely superb as the Deanna Durbin songstress/Gloria Jean lookalike. {I'm sorry, Jean. All her life, Miss Hatton resented being labeled as "Australia's Deanna Durbin", but that alas, is an inevitable comparison). In actual fact, Jean's voice (cleverly reserved for the climax we don't even know if she can really sing until then) is superior to Deanna's, both in range and tonal quality. Even more importantly, the Cinesound recording, in contrast to the somewhat high-pitched Universal offerings, is far more melodious and effective. Take a bow, Clive Cross.
James Raglan plays the sub-hero with his usual strong-handed finesse. Joan Deering (her only movie appearance, this) makes an absolutely entrancing sub-heroine, lustrously photographed in loving close-ups by George Heath.
