Young at Heart (1954)

An odd combination of pop musical and heavy drama, but it works, and how!The performances are memorable by all concerned, with a gem of a performance by an ageing Ethel Barrymore, who steals all her scenes in a minor role.The music and the songs, with one exception, fit easily into the plot and don't detract from the continuity of the action.All, who were associated with this movie deserve an award.Even the reported tension on the set between Sinatra, Day, and the producers seem to add a touch of reality to the on screen relationships. This crooner from Hoboken is entirely believable as the ultimate "outsider" to a happy suburban picket fence household.In a subtext, one of the last depictions of the 50s ideal American suburbia, this film portended the new age of disaffection and rebellion against the status quo.The Tuttle family were a sharp reminder of this suburban paradise lost!

"Young at Heart" is a reworking of the 1938 film "Four Daughters", though in the process one of the daughters was inexplicably lost and so there are only three in this remake. Plus, this time it is more of a musical. Both are quite pleasant films but not a lot more.The film begins with a musical family--a father (Robert Keith), an aunt (Ethel Barrymore) and three daughters (Doris Day, Dorothy Malone and Elisabeth Fraser). They are quite happy but now that the daughters have grown, love and marriage are bringing change. Gig Young plays the sort of role you'd expect for Ralph Bellamy--the nice guy who ends up, inexplicably, losing the girl. Just like in the first film, it's really not clear WHY Doris Day's character would jilt Young for Frank Sinatra's character since he isn't particularly likable. Still, despite this central relationship and the chemistry not working, the film does make up for this, a bit, with very nice songs. Day is very good but Sinatra's theme song is among his very best, so it's hard to hate the film. However, don't be surprised at the very end of the film--it was NOT the same ending from "Four Daughters" as apparently Sinatra hated this ending and insisted it be changed. Worth seeing but not especially memorable except for the title song...now THAT is terrific.

A plot reminiscent of the Bennett family in "Pride and Prejudice," with, of course, Doris Day taking the role of Elizabeth Bennett. Similar ineffectual dad. All the daughters (three, this time) looking for Mr. Right. Only Ethel Barrymore as the aged aunt doesn't fit--she apparently mistook this for the set of "Long Day's Journey Into Night"--why is she there?But throw in a totally unlikely element--Frank Sinatra, and it works. Sinatra in his moody, intense prime, involved with--of all people--Doris Day. Does it get weirder than that? But Frank transfixes us with his soul, his magical voice and style, and we happily go along for the ride, and Doris' songs certainly aren't shabby, either.

This isn't meant to be a musical (there's certainly no dance routines), it is a drama featuring some songs. Basically Alex Burke (Gig Young) enters the lives of the Tuttle family, led by father Gregory (Robert Keith) with his three daughters Fran (Dorothy Malone), Amy (Elisabeth Fraser), and Laurie (Doris Day). Laurie and Alex seem to be made for each other, and become engaged, but things change when his friend, musical arranger Barney Sloan (Frank Sinatra) comes along. Laurie realises she has grown to have stronger feelings for Barney, and she also realises the mistake she would be making when she sees one of her sister's crying about the marriage, she loves Alex. So Laurie marries Barney, but he is convinced that his wife may still have feelings for Alex, and towards the end attempts suicide, and this is the night Laurie would announce she is pregnant, thank goodness there is a happy ending when all the family are together. Also starring Ethel Barrymore as Aunt Jessie Tuttle, Alan Hale Jr. as Robert Neary, Lonny Chapman as Ernest Nichols and Frank Ferguson as Bartell. Day offers a warm and sensitive performance with some great singing (they call her the Warner Brothers goldmine), Sinatra (also worked at Columbia records with Day) has his moments, even though he said he hated the soppy plot. You can almost agree with Sinatra concerning the ending, but you can't see it going any other way, so this is certainly a film to try and enjoy for songs, including one or two Day and Sinatra duets. Good!