Her First Romance (1940 film)

Last updated

Her First Romance
Directed by Edward Dmytryk
Written by Adele Comandini
Gene Stratton-Porter
Produced byH. A. Wohl
Starring Edith Fellows
Julie Bishop
Alan Ladd
CinematographyJohn J. Mescall
Edited by William H. Ziegler
Distributed by Monogram Pictures
Release date
  • December 25, 1940 (1940-12-25)
Running time
77 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Her First Romance is a 1940 American musical comedy film directed by Edward Dmytryk. based on Gene Stratton-Porter's novel Her Father's Daughter. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Plot

College student Linda Strong speaks to friend Susie about the upcoming dance lamenting her plain looks from getting her a date. On a dare, fraternity pledge Donald Whiting is forced to ask Linda to the Dance which she gleefully accepts. Once home her guardian and older half-sister, Eileen Strong, does not allow her to go even after her cook Katy has gotten excited for her. After Eileen's rejection, Katy, Linda, and her cousin, Marian Strong, conspire to get Linda a dress and shoes for the dance.

In the interim, Linda was singing in the woods of the Strong estate one day when a voice joined her in duet of a man who had been fishing on the property, not knowing her was trespassing. They finish their song, and Linda goes to meet him but falls in the water where he pulls her out. Free of her glasses, she and "Crusoe" have a picnic and talk excitedly about fishing and the like. Linda believes he would be a good match for her cousin Marian whose fiancé, John, has been stolen by Eileen. "Crusoe" drives her back home where Linda and Marian wave him off. Only then does Linda find out from Marian that "Crusoe" is the famous singer Philip Niles in town to relax, visit relatives, and attend a dance in his honor.

The night of the dance Linda is readying herself with Marian and Katy when she receives a call from Susie who has just learned of the plot to get Donald to ask Linda to the dance. Linda is heartbroken and refuses to go to the dance with him. However, her transformation means Donald actually wants to take her to the dance and doesn't take no for an answer until Linda sprays him and his fraternity brothers with the hose. As she goes off to cry, Philip shows up and offers to take her to the dance. Upon arriving few can believe it is really Linda especially on the arm of the guest of honor. They sing a duet and Linda gets attention from all the boys while Eileen shows up and sets her sights on Philip and Linda's career in singing. Eileen invites him for tea the next day "to talk about Linda's future" expressly dis-inviting Linda from the conversation.

In response Linda spreads word to some nearby old women that Philip will be at her house tomorrow for tea. As Eileen is overrun by 150 women for tea, Philip joins Marian and Linda on a picnic as Linda is still trying to play matchmaker for her cousin. There they run into John after he sends a golf ball straight into their lemon pie. That evening the character gather for dinner at the Strong's where Eileen finally gets Philip alone and discusses Linda's future while she eavesdrops. After this debacle, Marian tells Linda that she is not interested in Philip and would like Linda to pursue him.

Having no experience in the field, Linda borrows Eileen's copy of How to Get Your Man which leads her to take Philip to her family's cabin. While there she tampers with the car and hose to make it appear that they are stranded in the rain and must wait to leave and get help. Philip finds the book and decides not to confront her until Eileen pulls up and makes Linda's scheming clear. Eileen then wants to go to San Francisco with Philip to talk more about Linda's future. Fed up, Linda fixes and drives Philip's car back to warn John of his fiancée's plans with Philip. John misunderstands and believes Marian is leaving with Philip and slaps him before everything is made clear. With this outburst John also realizes that he never lost his love for Marian and proposes to her again and they are married that day. After the ceremony Philip asks Eileen for Linda's hand which she absolutely refuses. The last scene sees Philip and Linda agree to marry once she is 18 and no longer needs Marian's consent so she can join him as a famous singer and his wife.

Cast

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Dmytryk</span> American film director (1908–1999)

Edward Dmytryk was a Canadian-born American film director and editor. He was known for his 1940s noir films and received an Oscar nomination for Best Director for Crossfire (1947). In 1947, he was named as one of the Hollywood Ten, a group of blacklisted film industry professionals who refused to testify to the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in their investigations during the McCarthy-era Red Scare. They all served time in prison for contempt of Congress. In 1951, however, Dmytryk testified to the HUAC and named individuals, including Arnold Manoff, whose careers were then destroyed for many years, to rehabilitate his own career. First hired again by independent producer Stanley Kramer in 1952, Dmytryk is likely best known for directing The Caine Mutiny (1954), a critical and commercial success. The second-highest-grossing film of the year, it was nominated for Best Picture and several other awards at the 1955 Oscars. Dmytryk was nominated for a Directors Guild Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Wrangler</span> American actor, director and producer

John Robert Stillman, billed professionally as Jack Wrangler, was an American gay pornographic film actor, theatrical producer, director, and writer. He performed in both gay and straight films.

<i>Murder, My Sweet</i> 1944 film directed by Edward Dmytryk

Murder, My Sweet is a 1944 American film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley. The film is based on Raymond Chandler's 1940 novel Farewell, My Lovely. It was the first film to feature Chandler's primary character, the hard-boiled private detective Philip Marlowe.

<i>Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights</i> 2004 American musical romance film directed by Guy Ferland

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights is a 2004 American dance musical romance film directed by Guy Ferland and starring Diego Luna, Romola Garai, Sela Ward, John Slattery, Jonathan Jackson, January Jones, and Mika Boorem. The film is a standalone prequel of the 1987 blockbuster Dirty Dancing, and serves as the second feature film in the titular franchise. While the movie follows a similar plot structure, the story takes place in Cuba during the Cuban Revolution. Patrick Swayze, star of the original film, appears as a dance instructor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eileen Grimshaw</span> Fictional character from Coronation Street

Eileen Grimshaw is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by Sue Cleaver, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 3 May 2000. Her storylines have often included her relationships with Dennis Stringer, Ed Jackson, Pat Stanaway, Jerry Morton, Jesse Chadwick, Paul Kershaw, Adrian Mortimer and Michael Rodwell, as well as her marriage to serial criminal mastermind Pat Phelan.

<i>Jinty</i> (comics) Weekly British comic for girls

Jinty was a weekly British comic for girls published by Fleetway in London from 1974 to 1981, at which point it merged with Tammy. It had previously merged with Lindy and Penny in a similar fashion, illustrating the 'hatch-match-dispatch' process practiced by editorial staff in the London comics publisher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorothy Spencer</span> American film editor (1909–2002)

Dorothy Spencer, known as Dot Spencer, was an American film editor with 75 feature film credits from a career that spanned more than 50 years. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing on four occasions, she is remembered for editing three of director John Ford's best known movies, including Stagecoach (1939) and My Darling Clementine (1946), which film critic Roger Ebert called "Ford's greatest Western".

<i>Bootmen</i> 2000 American film

Bootmen is a 2000 Australian-American romantic comedy film directed by Dein Perry. It was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures and funded by the Australian Film Finance Corporation. Production was from 19 June to 18 August 1999 in Sydney and Newcastle by cinematographer Steve Mason who won two cinematography awards in the 2000 AFI awards and the 2001 FCCA Awards. It stars Adam Garcia, Sophie Lee and Sam Worthington in his film debut.

<i>The Bells Go Down</i> 1943 film by Basil Dearden

The Bells Go Down is a 1943 black-and-white wartime film made by Ealing Studios. The reference in the title is to the alarm bells in the fire station that "go down" when a call to respond is made. The film is an ensemble piece that covers the period between 27 August 1939 and 9 September 1940, when World War II began and London was subjected to aerial bombing, and is a tribute to the solidarity of not just those engaged in service, but among the British people as a whole.

<i>This Above All</i> (film) 1942 film by Anatole Litvak

This Above All is a 1942 American romance film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring Tyrone Power and Joan Fontaine as a couple from different social classes who fall in love in wartime England. The supporting cast features Thomas Mitchell, Nigel Bruce, and Gladys Cooper. Set in World War II, the film is adapted from Eric Knight's 1941 novel of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Carp</span> Fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street

Julie Carp is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Katy Cavanagh. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 25 April 2008 and was originally introduced as a new girlfriend of established character Kirk Sutherland and in a later storyline she was revealed to be Eileen Grimshaw's half-sister. On 4 February 2015, it was announced that Cavanagh had decided not to renew her contract with the show in order to go and pursue other projects. She departed on 3 July 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Armstrong</span> Fictional character from Coronation Street

Owen Armstrong is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Ian Puleston-Davies. He made his first on-screen appearance on 9 June 2010 and left the show on 15 April 2015.

Matt Carter (<i>Coronation Street</i>) Fictional character from British soap opera Coronation Street

Dr Matt Carter is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Oliver Mellor. He made his first on screen appearance on 20 August 2010. On 30 June 2013, Mellor revealed that he had quit the show and Matt would not appear again.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie Brooks</span> American actress (1922–2011)

Leslie Brooks was an American film actress, model and dancer.

<i>Golden Gloves</i> (1940 film) 1940 film

Golden Gloves is a 1940 American crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk.

<i>The Courtship of Andy Hardy</i> 1942 film by George B. Seitz

The Courtship of Andy Hardy is a 1942 film, part of the Andy Hardy series. It gave an early role to Donna Reed although Mickey Rooney had lobbied for his then-wife Ava Gardner to have her part. Within a few months of the film's release, she filed for divorce.

References

  1. ↑ Sandra Brennan (2012). "Her First Romance". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
  2. ↑ "'HER FIRST ROMANCE' VICTORY FOR EDITH FELLOWS G K.". Los Angeles Times. December 19, 1940. p. A10.
  3. ↑ "Her First Romance (1940)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  4. ↑ Dmytryk, Edward, director. Her First Romance. Free Classic Movies, Monogram, 1940, free-classic-movies.com/movies-04a/04a-1940-12-25-Her-First-Romance/index.php.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.