So much was riding on this film to re-invigorate Betty Hutton's film career that the "star" quality of Hutton in this "B" movie overwhelmed the production, making the actors supporting her really have to work to make their scenes memorable in any way. Most did well with the exception of Dana Andrews whose own career was all but on the way out. He is too withdrawn to have any chemistry whatsoever with Hutton who was really trying hard to reign in her own habit of dominating every scene. It's a nice script, an oft told tale of high school reunions but with a twist in that it often centered on the relationship between Hutton and her domineering father who seemed to want his little girl to ever remain a spinster. Anyone looking like Hutton made this spinster character a bit unbelievable.
Others have mentioned Hutton's "cross eyed" moment when she sings "That Old Feeling," but the truth is, she broke character and started chewing up the scenery when the tune which started slowly began to swing. Having seen Hutton in concert in Vegas I can say with certainty that this "cross-eyed" moment was Hutton on stage, not the shy spinster she was portraying. Interesting that they let her loose like that but then, that was Hutton. She never failed to dominate the screen when she lit into a song. I loved it. It was the last song she would ever sing in a film and thank God she gave it the Hutton touch. It may have been the highlight of the film.
Anyone interested in Hutton's career must see this film because it shows her in a more mature mode and she has a bang up scene with the actor playing her father near the end. This should have led to more roles but her own emotional problems began to surface around town and she never made another film. Too bad. Really, too bad.