GetPapa Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Hulkeasexo it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

Seraherrera The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

SimonJack Most people in the 21st century who watch Cary Grant movies no doubt think of him as a comedy actor. And, they would be right - he is one of the best actors in sound comedy films through the 1950s. And one of the best all time movie entertainers for that reason. But, before Grant was making the movies that most people remember him for, he also was making some serious films. And this is one of them. "Penny Serenade" of 1941 earned Grant his first of two Oscar nominations. This is a film about romance, sacrifice, family and love. And yet, Grant's Roger Adams infuses humor into the role. It's not the witty dialog or wisecracking that he's so good at, along with comedy antics. Rather here, it's a warm humor of stumbling on furniture, dropping things in the dark, and bumping into doors as he and wife, Julie, care for their newly adopted baby. The film has tragedy as well, and runs the gamut of emotions as Roger and Julie cope and try to make a living. Irene Dunne has top billing for this film, and her superb performance compliments and reinforces Grant's role. Grant makes an impassioned plea to a judge for the couple to be able to keep their adopted daughter. I can't think of a more emotional a scene in any dramatic film. It shows the range of Grant's abilities as an actor. This is a great movie about children, love and family. It matches two of the best stars of the time in a serious film after their successful comedy pairings of 1937 ("The Awful Truth") and 1940 ("My Favorite Wife"). Two very good supporting performers give great roles as well. Beulah Bondi is Miss Oliver who helps the couple adopt a baby. And, Edgar Buchanan is Roger's pressman who also is bitten by the bug of a child around the place. This is good entertainment for the whole family. Parents might use it to educate their children about adoption.Here are some favorite lines from this film. For more dialog see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie. Roger Adams, "But we don't know anything about such little babies." Miss Oliver, chuckling, "Well, no one does until they have them."Roger Adams, "She's yours, dear. Ours, now and forever. Nothing can ever take her from us now."Julie Adams, "Dinner in my own home, and I didn't have to cook it."Trina, "Gee, I don't know what people'd do without Christmas." Julie Adams, "I don't know what we'd do without you, honey."

lugonian PENNY SERENADE (Columbia, 1941), directed by George Stevens, is not a musical in the tradition of similar sounding titles of the period as "Broadway Serenade" (MGM, 1939), "Sun Valley Serenade" (20th-Fox, 1941), "Footlight Serenade" (20th-Fox, 1942), "Lake Placid Serenade" (Republic, 1944), among others, but a dramatic story involving two young people. Having made audiences laugh in THE AWFUL TRUTH (Columbia, 1937), and MY FAVORITE WIFE (RKO Radio, 1940), Irene Dunne and Cary Grant team together for the third and final encore that offers humor, sentiment and tearful moments that rank this their most popular of the three for which they appeared.PENNY SERENADE begins with Julie Adams (Irene Dunne)returning home with her decision of leaving her husband, Roger (Cary Grant). Before packing, her collection of records in a scrapbook titled "The Story of a Happy Marriage" sets Julie through her "Penny Serenade" as she reminisces while listening to old tunes connected to various chapters of her life. The first song, "You Were Meant For Me," introduced in the late twenties, is the recording played in a music shop where Roger passes by, taking an interest in one of its workers, Julie Gardiner. After buying 27 records without even owning a phonograph, Julie realizes his intention, followed by a six month courtship and finally marriage. Roger, a newspaperman by profession, is assigned to a new job as correspondent in Japan, where he takes his new bride. "Poor Butterfly" becomes the tune associated with their stay in Japan where an earthquake causes the miscarriage of Julie's unborn child. Unable to birth any more children, the couple settle in San Francisco where Roger establishes his own newspaper business, The Rosalia Weekly Courier, becoming his own boss and publisher. Applejack Carney (Edgar Buchanan), a close friend of the couple, arrives from Brooklyn to assist Roger as press agent, better known as printer. Through Applejack's suggestion, the couple consider adopting a child of their own, and through the kindness of Miss Oliver (Beulah Bondi), head of the adoption agency, the couple do adopt a child. All goes well for the next few years until an unforeseen circumstance takes place that puts a burden on their marriage.With flashback episodes tied together with musical chronology through much of its 118 minutes, the only debit to PENNY SERENADE is having Irene Dunne appearing in 1941 head-dress and costumes in segments not accurate to the actual time-frame of the 1920s and 30s. While Dunne deserved an Academy Award for her sensitive performance, it was Cary Grant who was singled out for that honor as Best Actor. Grant's nomination, no doubt, comes from his moving appeal to the stern judge (Wallis Clark) not to have his child taken away due to his lack of financial support. Who wouldn't be moved by this and Beulah Bondi's excellent support. Another standout is Edgar Buchanan, who should have been nominated in the supporting actor category, especially for one delightful scene where he demonstrates to the adoptive parents how to bathe an infant. Not to disappoint fans of either Dunne or Grant, they do share some moments of comedy, such as their initial meeting, courtship, and their first night after bringing home their adopted baby and what not to do to disturb her sleep.Others in the cast worth noting are: Ann Doran (Dotty); Leonard Wiley (Doctor Hartley) and Eve Tee Kuneye as Little Trina, whose upside down smile and echo rendition to "Silent Night" in a Christmas play certainly makes this worth viewing. It's also the reason why PENNY SERENADE often plays on television during the Christmas season.A public domain title, PENNY SERENADE was certainly one movie easily accessible in the early 1980s during the advent of video cassette rentals and cable television broadcasts. Since then, it's been presented on many cable networks as American Movie Classics, Turner Classic Movies (with restored Columbia Pictures logo inserted prior to closing credits which have been missing for many years), and, in some cases, public television. It's also available on DVD in both black and white and colorized formats.While PENNY SERENADE has an original premise not commonly found in movies up to this time, it's certainly a sentimental journey back to the days when movies captured your heart through the involvement of a young couple going through trials and tribulations in their daily lives, and getting to wonder whether or not they are really meant for each other. (****)

rbrendes I have seen this movie a dozen times and never get tired of it, it's one of the best movies ever made for many reasons. First the characters are real, and go threw all the ups and downs of real life and have the true reactions, no fluff, no fairy tale, just sincere emotion. I know this because I've been threw some of the same situations. Second the actors are stunning, you believe they really are those people and you have to hurt with them and root for them and be happy for them, no way can you not cry both happy and sad tears watching this movie, its well worth the over 2 hours it runs, a classic for sure, please see it and love it as much as I do.

Vaughn Thompson First and foremost, the idea of telling the whole movie through flashback was brilliant. Every record represented a different time and brought back significant memories. The wipe with in the record to the next scene was a bit awkward sometimes, but it was 1941. The movie was actually quite good but the ending was very off putting. I wouldn't say it ruined my entire experience, but it certainly came close. I was right with these characters the entire time until the writer decided to "jump to shark". It is a happy ending but definitely not realistic. Their solution to the problem was more suited to replacing the family dog, not their child.