Listen, Darling

Listen, Darling (1938)

*** (out of 4)

Far-fetched but cute comedy/drama from MGM has a single mother (Mary Astor) struggling to make ends meet after her husband dies without any insurance. She's about to marry a man (Gene Lockhart) who she doesn't really love so her daughter (Judy Garland) and her friend (Freddie Bartholomew) decide to kidnap her and take her away. Once on the road they look for better husbands and think they might find on in Richard (Walter Pidgeon). There's certainly nothing Earth-shattering or Oscar-worthy here but this is pleasant enough of a film and it's terrific cast makes it well worth watching. I think if you're a fan of anyone in the cast then you're going to be drawn into the story no matter how silly it is. In fact, the characters are build up to be so "together" and "happy" that I'm surprised MGM didn't try to turn this into a longer running series. It certainly shares a lot in common with the Andy Hardy series but perhaps Garland just got too big with other projects (plus the upcoming THE WIZARD OF OZ) that everyone decided to just leave it at this one. Garland clearly steals the film with her tender performance as she manages to be cute but also touching in her more dramatic scenes worrying about her broke mother. She also gets some songs to sing including the charming Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart, Ten Pins in the Sky and On the Bumpy Road to Love, which also gets a second take at the end of the film with the entire cast singing along. Astor and Pidgeon are dependable as always and they come across with some nice chemistry that makes us believe they're really falling for one another. It seems Bartholomew has film buffs debating his merit whenever they discuss him but I thought he was fine here even though he's pretty much playing the same type of character he did in all of his movies. Lockhart is good in his few scenes as is Alan Hale. The film runs a short 75-minutes and for the most part there isn't any slow moments to be found. This is pretty much the type of family film you'd get from MGM as you get romance, comedy, a little drama and the typical family is the most important message. If you fans as Garland, Astor or Pidgeon it's worth sitting through.

Cute story that got better as it went along of two teenagers (played by Judy Garland and Freddie Bartholomew) who kidnap the girl's broke, widowed mother (played by Mary Astor) before she marries an old man for his money. Driving her away in the back of their camper/trailer in hopes of keeping her away long enough so she doesn't marry the guy - it actually takes these two kids longer than you would think to come up with the obvious - find the mom a single man closer to her age who might be more to her liking. Luckily, within minutes it seems, handsome Walter Pigeon (annoying spell checker keeps changing the last name spelling, sigh, oh well) arrives in the next trailer and seems like the perfect catch for mom.

While the story in this may seem a little silly, the excellent performances by all makes this a charming, fun film. I like the chemistry between Astor and Pigeon, Scotty Beckett does well playing the super brat little brother you "love-to-hate", and Judy Garland's star quality absolutely shines in this film. Giving an emotional, endearing performance, she sings several lively, fun-to-listen-to songs, and when the film starts with a very young and lovely Judy singing a wonderful rendition of "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart", I just knew this film wouldn't be all bad. Two things I wonder about though - first, even though they are shown graduating from "junior high school" in the beginning, Freddie drives the car. Second, how come Freddie wants to hook mom up with old man Alan Hale at one point, almost as old and unattractive as the first man (both are described as rich so it can't be just for the money - and mom doesn't love either one). Yes, this film is fluff, but I quite enjoyed it and as the film ended I had a smile on my face and that's a good thing.

This movie is so cute! It'll seem enormously silly and campy, and that's exactly what it turns out to be, even in the literal sense. Widow Mary Astor feels pressured for financial reasons to marry Gene Lockhart, whom neither she nor her teenaged daughter Judy Garland love, so in order to prevent the marriage, Judy and her boyfriend Freddie Bartholomew kidnap Mary and camp out in a trailer in the woods. See, it's silly and campy!

Granted, the story itself is ridiculous, but the heart of the movie lies with the characters, each likable and sweet in their own way. Mary wants the best for her family, but when she meets the handsome, charming Walter Pidgeon, she realizes she hasn't given up on love. Walter is carefree and likes his independence, but he can't help but feel connected to Mary's unusual family. Freddie's devotion to his best girl is quite adorable, and it's not hard to imagine that in a few years, he and Judy will get married. Plus, how cute is it to see David Copperfield driving a car and camping in a trailer? Judy is the noblest of all, who puts her mother's happiness above everything, even the law. Before the kidnapping plan is set in action, Judy tells Freddie, "She was crying again last night," with a tearful warble in her voice. No matter who her stepfather is, whether it's Walter, Gene, or Alan Hale, Judy just wants her mother to be happy.

Speaking of Alan Hale, he gets the chance to sink his teeth into a different type of role. He's not Little John or anyone's loud, embarrassing father in this movie. He's a millionaire with a heart of gold, and he's gentle and sensitive. So, since you've got five good reasons to watch this movie, what are you waiting for? Here's one more reason: You'll get to hear Judy sing the famous "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," and Freddie, Mary, and Walter join in during the very silly song "On the Bumpy Road to Love."

Judy Garland is concerned that mom Mary Astor might be marrying prim and proper banker Gene Lockhart for all the wrong reasons. She concocts a scheme with friend Freddie Bartholomew to kidnap mom and little brother Scotty Beckett in a motor home and head for the open road so she can see what's out there.

I know it sounds like a crazy plot, but it actually is both funny and charming. Judy gets to introduce one of her standards, Zing When the Strings of My Heart and later on during a thunderstorm she comforts Scotty Beckett with the song It's Raining Ten Pins in the Sky. Of course that is a total ripoff of what Bing Crosby sang in the exact same situation in Pennies from Heaven, but who cares.

On the road the family meets both Walter Pigeon and Alan Hale, both more acceptable choices for the widow Astor. Who does she choose. You'll have to sit through Judy Garland singing some really nice songs in her inimitable style to find out.

Not a bad trade, not a bad trade at all.

"Listen, Darling" is a very good comedy drama and family picture, with a wonderful cast of known adult and child actors of the day. The plot is about a plot by Pinkie Wingate and her good friend, Buzz Mitchell, to kidnap Mrs. Wingate. They want to get her away from home for awhile where local banker, Mr. Drubbs, is about to pop the question to Dottie. She is a widow raising Pinkie and her young brother, Billie. Buzz came up with idea of tricking Dottie and Billie into the family's small trailer, locking the door on them and then he and Pinkie driving out of town and to a distant camp ground. They figure that once out in the wilds for a few days, they would be able to look around for other eligible males for Dottie.

Well, obviously, such a silly plot leads to a fun and sometimes very funny escapade. And do they ever meet some eligible men for Dottie. All of the characters in this film are worth smiles.

Judy Garland is Pinkie, and is 16 and not quite yet the star she would be within a year. She was on her way though, having made the first of the Andy Hardy films with Micky Rooney just before this one. "The Wizard of Oz" was just around the corner. Judy sings two tunes here. And, joining Judy as Buzz is Freddie Bartholomew. He was just 14 at the time, but a good size for his age and a perfect teen friend for Pinky. Even little Scotty Beckett is more cute than annoying as Pinkie's brother, Billie - at around 8 or 9 years of age - his real age at the time.

Mary Astor plays the mom, Dottie Wingate. She hasn't had a lot to smile about since her husband's death some years before. She struggles to make ends meet, which is why she's inclined to say "yes" to Mr. Drubbs if he asks her hand in marriage. But Pinkie knows she doesn't love the man, and she wants her mother to be happy.

Well, the men they meet camping out include Walter Pidgeon as Richard Thurlow, Alan Hale as J.J. Slattery, and Barnett Parker as Abercrombie.

This is a warm, funny and entertaining comedy. It is a good family film that most older movie buffs, especially, should enjoy.

Here are a couple of favorite lines from the film.

Buzz Mitchell, "Ah, I might as well try to reason with a piece of cheese as women."

Dottie Wingate, "Buzz, I think the two of you are mad - absolutely mad. It's the craziest, silliest, most ridiculous senseless thing I've ever heard of in my life. But I love you for it."