The Wonderful Deanna Durbin

[moira finnie]

Deanna Durbin is going to be on TCM this evening, 5-3-10 in Can't Help Singing at 8:00PM EDT.

With music and lyrics by Jerome Kern and E.Y. Harburg as an added attraction, some fans say this is the movie that made them devotees of the singer. Directed by Frank Ryan at Universal, and set during the Gold Rush days in California, the supporting cast of this Technicolor movie leaves this character actor nutcase all atwitter with keen anticipation: Akim Tamiroff, Leonid Kinskey, Ray Collins and Thomas Gomez along with bits from Irving Bacon, Chester Conklin and Iron Eyes Cody! Others in the cast are the boring Robert Paige and the very lovely June Vincent.

Laura of Laura's Misc. Musings has a nicely balanced account of the movie here.

[Uncle Stevie]

A new re-mastered movie pack of Deanna Durbin is comin out in June


Dear Video Enthusiast,


Deanna Durbin: The Music And Romance Collection -- Exclusive!

Now Accepting Advance Orders! - Available on 06/09/10

Universal's beloved singing sensation receives the full star treatment with this five-disc set. In "Mad About Music" (1938), vain movie star Gail Patrick decides she wants to forget about daughter Deanna Durbin, so she sends her to a Swiss boarding school. Songs include "I Love to Whistle." Then, smitten with journalist Melvyn Douglas, teenager Deanna ignores former beau Jackie Cooper until Douglas sets things right, in the romance "That Certain Age" (1938). Songs includes "You're as Pretty as a Picture." "Three Smart Girls Grow Up" (1939) offers Durbin as a young woman getting tangled up in her sisters' love affairs. Songs include "Because" and "The Last Rose of Summer." Then, eager for a shot at Broadway stardom, would-be actress Deanna works to become the protege of veteran stage star Charles Laughton, in the comedy " Because of Him" (1946). And, in her final film, "For the Love of Mary" (1948), Deanna plays a White House telephone operator who gets help from her unseen chief executive boss in straightening out her romantic problems. 7 3/4 hrs. total. **Five-disc set includes "Mad About Music," "That Certain Age," "Three Smart Girls Grow Up," "Because of Him," and "For the Love of Mary."**
Category: Musicals Director: Frederick De Cordova, Henry Koster, Edward Ludwig, Norman Taurog, Richard Wallace
Cast: Mary Adams, Katharine Alexander, George Anderson, Morris Ankrum, Lois Austin, Polly Bailey, Griff Barnett, Louise Beavers, Leon Belasco, Helen Bennett, Gladys Blake, Felix Bressart, Helen Broderick, Nana Bryant, Ann Bupp, James Bush, Nancy Carroll, George Chandler, Harry Cheshire, Eddie Coke, Charles Coleman, Ray Collins, Frank Conroy, Jackie Cooper, Ernest Cossart... More
Format: DVD
Catalog #: D21330


You can order this title directly on our website, http://www.moviesunlimited.com. When you get to the home page click on the "ORDER ONLINE" link which is located near the top of the page, second from the left on the blue bar. Just type in the item number above and the film will be added to your shopping basket. If you prefer, you can also call our 24-hour order line, 1-800-4-MOVIES.

You may be interested in Our Gigantic 800 Page Print Catalog, which lists virtually every title available on home DVD.

Thank you for your inquiry! We look forward to serving you in the future.


Sincerely,

Layla
Internet Customer Service
MOVIES UNLIMITED
3015 Darnell Road
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[Uncle Stevie]

I have been watching all 21 films for about a year now. I have them all on DVD (also some on VHS) and amost all are decent quality. "Hers To Hold" is about the worst. "Spring Parade" is also low quality reproduction. Most of the rest are ok and some are really great.

I do not understand the many controversies in this thread. In my opinion Deanna Durbin was a natural beauty with a keen sense of acting ability and timing. She could handle drama, passion, comedy, pity, and played her parts well. Her voice, I thought, was magnificent. She sang with unwavering quality and held power notes with anyone in the business. Her supposed passion was to sing in Opera but never did. That may have been beacuse of opportunies or perhaps fear. She had a fine voice and made good use of it. Are you aware that Deanna Durbin was the highest paid actress of her time? At age 19 she was earning $400,000. per year. She was loved by Kings, Queens, Presidents, and heads of States around the world. She was so prized during World War II that her plea to entertain the troops in Europe was denied for fear of her kidnapping. She was a favorite everywhere. Not other performer equalled her popularity. She was known as one of the original "Glamour Girls". There are many thousands of posed photographs of her in different attire. She was also known for wearing Gowns, Hats, Gloves, and Forearm coverings in her movies. There were Deanna Durbin Dolls, and cartoons, and other items to remember her by. She was a wonderful phenom of her day and never a report of criminal activity. She did, however, marry three times and after two divorces sttled down with Charles David for about 50 years in her retirement.

Deanna's career took her as far as she wanted to go. She became very unhappy with the way Universal handled her and argued bitterly to get better scripts and more control of her career. They resisted and wanted to keep her a goody goody singer in films. So she quit. Moved to France at age 28 and raised two kids and cared for her Husband. She never gave another interview after that. She turned down singing appearances with many top rated performers in Broadway shows. She had an invitation from the Met. Mario Lanza begged her to be in movies with her. She said no to everything. Years later there was a printed story that Deanna met her old friend Judy Garland on the streets of Paris and Judy complained of her mistreatment in Hollywood. Deanna said "Why don't you quit the business, you dumbell". Deanna is still alive at 88 and Judy is no more. What a waste.

[Fossy]

Ref Moviemagz posting Thu Dec 11 2008.

The FOUR movies not mentioned are

Can`t Help Singing
His Butler`s Sister
Spring Parade
Hers To Hold.

Deanna did not make a movie called His Brother`s Sister

[pvitari]

Just an update on His Butler's Sister. It has been released on DVD -- in England. You can get it either separately or as part of a box set with Hers To Hold, Up In Central Park, Nice Girl, and It Started With Eve.

However, they will set you back a pretty penny, at least if you buy them at amazon.co.uk.

Quick update: DVDBeaver's review of TCM's Deanna Durbin Sweetheart Pack is now up.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_revi ... t_pack.htm

[Uncle Stevie]

It now looks like the TCM remastered collection will not be out until July 9, 2010. This has been delayed multiple times so we do not know what is going on.

[Uncle Stevie]

I received notice today that my Deanna Durbin "Romance Collection" has shipped today. Whoopie!!! I am looking forward to this "remastered" series and hope they are as good as I have been dreaming of. I already own all of the selections but will be gloriously happy to see them again. Now if only they are colorized ------- actually no I don't think that would be appropriate. Deanna's world is in Black and White for me. Her one color movie is a great imagination point for me and I plug her into all her roles in color.




Uncle Steve

[Uncle Stevie]

I can report that I only saw two movies and not in their entirety but they were great For The Love Of Mary was brilliant with deep shades of black and white and excellent sound quality. I also viewed Mad About Music and got the same impression. All five movies were on separate DVDs and seem to all have a "pre-movie" introduction by the TCM announcer. It was a pleasant beginning. I can only imagine that all five movies are similarly good.

THE TCM UNIVERSAL DEANNA DURBIN COLLECTION - 5 DVD SET

MAD ABOUT MUSIC - 1 DVD

THAT CERTAIN AGE - 1 DVD

THREE SMART GIRLS GROW UP - 1 DVD

BECAUSE OF HIM - 1 DVD

FOR THE LOVE OF MARY - 1 DVD


I also hope the furture will bring remastering of more titles from Deanna.


Uncle Stevie

[Uncle Stevie]

Now I can report that the Romance Collection is a winner. Each DVD has an introduction by Robrt Osborne, the host of TCM. One of the DVDs also has an interview with John Pasternak about Deanna the early years. All five DVDs have special feature which have many special still photos of Deanna both posed and behind the scenes. The quality of all the movies is excellent. I recommend the Deanna Durbin Romance Collection for all.

Uncle Stevie

[Fossy]

Brisbane soprano Kerry Vann is congratulated after the concert.

Recently soprano Kerry Vann gave two concerts in Brisbane called “Deanna Durbin Silver Memories”. Presented in the small auditorium of a Brisbane radio station (max seating 60) both concerts were booked out. Kerry sang songs from Deanna`s movies. I attended the second of concerts.

A pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Whilst the concert was in progress, my mobile phone was switched off. At the end of the concert, I switched it on again and received a call from my daughter. The ring tone is Deanna Durbin's "My heart is singing" which certainly made people sit up and take notice. My daughter accused me of showing off. She was probably right.

[Uncle Stevie]

For those who love Deanna Durbin, and there are still many, there is a web site of invaluable information and perhaps thousands of photos of Deanna from the beginning to end of her career. Deanna is still with us at 88 years of age and last reported living in france. To view this wonderful web site go to:

http://www.deannadurbindevotees.com/forum.htm It is a real treat

[Uncle Stevie]

With Deanna's 89th Birthday coming up on December 4th I decided to rewatch some of her films. She was a glorious performer with the smoothest and unwavering operatic voice I have heard. She sang effortlessly in every genre for music. What a talent and it is indeed a loss to the world that she quit so early in life. Deanna Durbin might have contributed more to the world than any other performer of her kind. I love her movie personna and longed for concert and stage performances also. It is reported she turned down Broadway musicals by the score and also invitations to sing with the great performers. If crowds were her nemesis then she would have benn wonderful in Night Clubs.

On this Birthday I will remember her movie imagery with great fondness and reverance. Long live Deanna Durbin!!

[Uncle Stevie]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEANNA

[feaito]

Happy Birthday to an enduring Superstar, the ever lovely Deanna Durbin!!!

[Moraldo Rubini]

Happy Birthday to an enduring Superstar, the ever lovely Deanna Durbin!!!

Aw shucks, I wish I'd seen this yesterday. I would've paid tribute to Miss Durbin on my Facebook page.

[Note to Fernando: Did you get some "work" done? You look so young in your avatar!]