 | Starring: Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Gig Young, Ethel Barrymore, Dorothy Malone Director: Gordon Douglas Format: Box set PAL Special Edition Released: 08 Mar 2004 RRP: Average Rating:  |
The movie reflects its time, showing the Sinatra character as the outsider/rebel, through a slight messing of his hair (toupe) & a loosened tie, reflecting the still uptight society. It took so little to define an outcast.
The music is great although the song he keeps trying to write is not as good as it should have been given the buildup. The title song, Young At Heart, is a better one, although it does not seem to fit the story which heads down a forlorn path until the happy ending saves it. Sinatra shows the inner sadness & self-destructive nature of those of us who are self-involved & neurotic. Funny too is how the only goal for Sinatra's character is to write a hit tune; nothing else will do.
Doris is absolutely adorable & so desirable that you almost feel she is too good for Frank, although Gig Young plays such a likeable, charming jerk that you do eventuallly get why she might like the more interesting Sinatra.
The three sisters are a hoot, (although they appear too old to be living at home with Dad) alll seeking marriage as their only hope in this world, & competing with each other very subtley while trying to love one another; very 50's.
And what more can we say about one of the great Barrymore's, Ethyl. She is so good & on target without going for the obvious choices. Certainly she deserved a better role at this time of her career, but no bitterness shows through. She is a pro. Not sure where this fell in terms of her eventual demise, but she looks quite aged here, so it may have been among her last films. Obviously, I love this film.
This is one of those musicals where the songs occur naturallly in the plot because the main characters are musicians & sitting at the piano rather than just bursting into song accompanied by an invisible orchestra. The songs are superb & well executed - especiallly by Sinatra - but you would expect that, what you might not expect is the plot which starts off quite light & fluffy but proceeds to deal with complicated relationships & turns rather dark in the latter part. In my opinion it is alll the better a film for this unexpected turn but it might not suit everyone.
I always forget how fantastic Doris Day was & teaming her up with Frank Sinatra was a stroke of genius.
If you haven't seen this film you have to get your hands on a copy & make it part of your collection. You won't regret it.
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