Tonight's Movie: First Love (1939) - A Universal Blu-ray Review

One of my favorite Deanna Durbin films, FIRST LOVE (1939), is now available on Blu-ray from Universal.

FIRST LOVE is a delightful retelling of the Cinderella story. Orphaned Connie (Durbin) graduates from boarding school and goes to live with wealthy relatives.

Most of the family ignores her, and her cousin Barbara (Helen Parrish) is downright mean.

The servants, however, take Connie under their wing and arrange for her to attend a ball, where she dances with wealthy, handsome Ted Drake (Robert Stack, in his film debut).

There are many familiar fairy tale moments in this 84-minute delight, including a slipper lost at midnight. It's an inventive, charming film which is part fantasy, part screwball comedy, and part romance, all wrapped up in a Deanna Durbin musical.

Lovely Deanna of course sings several songs, including a Puccini aria. As always, she has a fresh, likeable persona; she was a natural on the big screen. She was transitioning into adult roles in FIRST LOVE, with Stack giving her her first onscreen kiss.

The wonderful supporting cast is headed by Eugene Pallette as her perpetually exasperated uncle, who proves to have a soft side. Leatrice Joy is her aunt, and Thurston Hall plays Stack's father.

The servants and their friends who help Connie -- rather presaging the mice and birds in Disney's CINDERELLA (1950) -- include Mary Treen, Frank Jenks, and Charles Coleman.

I'm fond of Helen Parrish (seen with Deanna in the bottom photo); she's not a nice girl in this, but she's always fun to watch! Marcia Mae Jones (seen here) and Peggy Moran are among Connie's schoolfriends. Moran would marry the film's director, Henry Koster, in 1942, a marriage which lasted until his passing in 1988.

The cinematography was by Joseph Valentine. The gowns seen in the movie were designed by Vera West.

The FIRST LOVE Blu-ray is for the most part a fine print with excellent sound; there are spots where it's ever-so-slightly faded or has minor damage, but on the whole it looks very good, with a sharp black and white picture. Absent a restoration, this is probably as good as the film will ever look for home viewing, and I'm delighted to have this film on Blu-ray. I'm certain to go back to it many times in the years to come.

As is the case with most Universal Pictures Blu-rays, there are no extras. Optional English-language captions are included.

For those who might have missed the news, earlier this year Universal also released Durbin's THREE SMART GIRLS (1936), which I reviewed in June.

I'll be reviewing another Durbin film, I'LL BE YOURS (1947), in the near future. It's one of only three Durbin films I've never before seen!

FIRST LOVE is highly recommended.

Thanks to Allied Vaughn and Universal for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. It may be purchased from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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