Friday, December 5, 2008

Four Daughters(1938)


"Four Daughters" has got to be one of my favorite movies. The movie is perfection and the cast is absolutely marvelous. It isn't just Jeffrey Lynn that I adore in this, but each of the actors and actresses in this delightful movie. I even love the nosy neighbor who is always spreading rumors around about the Lemp family. Everything in the movie works so well together.

I love the Lemp daughters and how close-knit they are. I especially love Aunt Etta, wouldn't it be great to have her as an Aunt? And of course I love the father played by the always talented Claude Rains. Rosemary, Lola,Gale, Frank, and Dick deliver some great performances.

The two out of the whole movie that are always surprising me in this movie are Jeffrey and Priscilla. The two go from being carefree, young, and in love to dreadfully upset when they are pulled apart from each other. When Felix(Lynn) hears that Ann married the loner Mickey(John Garfield), you can obviously tell he's upset but tries to put on a brave face for it. You know through the whole marriage to Mickey, Ann is longing for her true love and to be with him once more. She cares deeply for Mickey but her heart belongs to Felix.

I know that when "Four Daughters'' came out, audiences went wild for John Garfield. I agree with the audience as well, he was brilliant in his first film but my attention was always on Jeffrey. I do enjoy watching John's performance as Mickey in the film but I prefer the carefree personality of Felix more. Almost every time we see Felix, he's smiling and laughing. His personality in the movie is so relaxing. While Mickey's is tough,sarcastic, and sometimes depressing.

As much as I love Felix and Ann together, the scene between Ann and Mickey in the park is heartbreaking. This movie is where to see Priscilla's and John's best acting.


I loved the scenes between Felix and Ann. Their chemistry was undeniable and the way they acted towards each other was so endearing and cute. When they first meet each other outside of the Lemp house, Ann is curious about the young fella swinging on her gate. That particular scene always gets me! Every time I see that scene and hear the creaking of the gate, my eyes light up. That scene is fantastic! Then at the end of the film, when we once again hear the creaking of the fence, your heart stops and you just hope that it's Felix.


This probably my third favorite movie with "The Lady Eve" being #1 and "Midnight being #2. If you haven't seen "Four Daughters, I recommend that you see it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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