Young at Heart

I'd forgotten how much i loved this film until i watched it yesterday. I remember watching it a lot years ago but it isn't the sort of film that sticks out as being mind-blowing. Nevertheless it's still a really good one to watch when you don't want anything too heavy. There are some nice floaty songs, a few teary scenes and overall a nice mix of everything a good film needs, without anything harsh thrown in.

Frank Sinatra and Doris Day are totally believable throughout and compliment each other perfectly. The cast as a whole works very well, the characters are all complex and not over-the-top or dull. In short, it is a perfectly likable film.

Unconvincing musical drama, a remake of 1938's "Four Daughters", has bright, cheery Doris Day picking brooding Frank Sinatra for a suitor over bright and cheery Gig Young. She's hoping to cure Sinatra of his demons, of course, and isn't true love the best medicine after all? A corny, artificial outing, although one mounted with classy studio-style and featuring pleasant supporting characters and chipper family chit-chat. Still, Sinatra's dour mood and Young's attraction to Day (over one of her sisters, whose tender emotions are never quite dealt with) leaves one unsatisfied. It's certainly a well-scrubbed, family-oriented diversion, but the all melodrama the screenplay brings up seems wrong-headed, and sour Sinatra never fits in with this sunny family and he never clicks with Day. **1/2 from ****

Once again Gordon Douglas deals with characters faced with moral dilemmas. In this case the three sisters and their infatuation with Gig Young, Doris Day's commitment to Frank Sinatra, and Sinatra's decision. From the opening scene of the neighborhood in which they live to the very end this movie is much more then it seems. Within the artificial look of the sets,there's no hiding the many themes that meander throughout this somewhat dark (musical?). For those who don't get it, take another look. These characters are far deeper then the picture perfect world they live in might make you believe.

This film features Sinatra relishing some great songs and some fine dialogue which suits him perfectly. The scene where he sings "Someone to Watch Over Me" at the cafe piano is quite unforgettable. This is a very re-watchable movie with a fine cast - Doris Day, Gig Young, Ethel Barrymore, Brian Keith etc.

The standard songs are joined by some new ones written for the production - and they too are a total delight. A fine example of 1950s Americana as seen by Hollywood.

Although it is only heard sung by Frank Sinatra at the beginning and end credits of Young At Heart, the title song was both a big hit for Frank Sinatra and set the tone for a very warm and wonderful Yuletide picture.

Warner Brothers already had this property, this is a remake of Four Daughters, minus a daughter, with Sinatra and Doris Day in the roles originated by John Garfield and Priscilla Lane. Doris's sisters are Dorothy Malone and Elizabeth Fraser who are all the daughters of music professor Robert Keith and all play instruments. The only non-musical member of their household is wise old maiden aunt, Ethel Barrymore.

Of course Doris sings as well. But in the passing out of vocal material, Sinatra did a lot better than she did. None of her songs did anything for her vocal career. Sinatra wisely opted for standards by some of the very best. In his role as saloon singer/piano player/music arranger Frank gets to sing Just One of Those Things by Cole Porter, Someone to Watch Over Me by the brothers Gershwin and One For My Baby by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Can't get much more talented in the song department than that group.

One For My Baby was introduced by Fred Astaire in The Sky's the Limit, but when Sinatra sang it here it became forever identified with him and a staple item at all of his live performances.

Sinatra and Day sang a duet You My Love at the finale. It was the song that Frank was working on through out the film. They sang it so well that you'd never know that tempers flared the entire time the film was made.

During the Forties when both were at Columbia Records, Frank and Doris recorded a couple of duets together. In the interim, Sinatra moved on to Capitol records so no original cast album could be made from this soundtrack. It might not have happened anyway because back in the Forties Day spoke highly of Frank. Things cooled considerably between the two of them, among the items of contention was Day's husband Martin Melcher. Suffice it to say it was not a happy set.

Still and all Young at Heart is one of the best films either of the stars did and really nice entertainment.