Three Smart Girls (1936)

kbroer
Jul 26, 2024
2 min read

Deanna Durbin, Binnie Barnes, Charles Winninger, Alice Brady, Ray Milland

Directed by Henry Koster

Available to stream on Prime Video

Katie's last pick of the month features one of the most popular stars of the 1940's - Deanna Durbin - in her very first film. Three Smart Girls follows the adventures of three sisters as they try to reunite their divorced parents and rescue their father from golddigger Binnie Barnes and her acquisitive mother Alice Brady.

Barbara Read, Nan Grey, and Deanna Durbin

Why we love it: Deanna, of course. With her winning personality and beautiful voice, peppy young Deanna is impossible to resist!

A review of the film in Silver Screen 1936 said, "Universal took an unknown writer, an unknown producer, an unknown director, and three unknown girls, and without any "names" turned out one of the gayest, smartest, most entertaining comedies of the year."

Binnie Barnes, Charles Winninger, Deanna Durbin, Barbara Read, and Nan Grey

Fun Facts:

Deanna Durbin was born Edna Mae Durbin in Canada but moved to California with her family when she was a baby. She was a virtuoso soprano and appeared first on film in an MGM short "Every Sunday" with Judy Garland when she was just 14. Her contract with MGM ended and she then signed with Universal and made her full length film debut in Three Smart Girls also at the age of 14.
The film was nominated for three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Sound Recording, and Best Original Screenplay.

Deanna's success in her first two films is credited with saving Universal Studios from bankruptcy.
Deanna auditioned to be the voice of Disney's Snow White but it was decided that she sounded too mature (even though she was only in her teens.)

In 1938 Durbin received a special Academy Juvenile Award.
By the time she was 21, Durbin was the highest paid actress in Hollywood.
Anne Frank was a Deanna Durbin fan -- she had two photos of Durbin hanging on her wall. Winston Churchill and Benito Mussolini were also fans.
Durbin made 21 films in a span of 12 years. In 1950 she married her third husband Charles David, retired and moved to France where she lived for the rest of her life. She turned down all offers to make a comeback including the original Broadway role of Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady. She insisted on her right to privacy and she disappeared completely from the public eye, giving only one interview in 1983. There are only a few photos of her after her retirement, even though she died in 2013.

For more reviews from the time go to the Fan Magazine Reviews page.

Featured Cocktail:

Sea Breeze

Although it may be based on earlier drinks, this modern beach and pool drink dates to the 1980s. The combination of cranberry and grapefruit is delicious and refreshing.

1 1/2 oz (45 ml) vodka

3 oz (90 ml) cranberry juice

1 1/2 oz (45 ml) grapefruit juice

Lime wheel for garnish