Rating: 
Summary: Cary Grant has acting muscles. A classic mellow drama
Review: that for a long time has escaped me. In its time it must have raised a tear or two. They kill off a cute, adorable, little girl that loves her daddy (Grant). They don't show her dying on screen, but she is dead.
The story is told thru flashbacks, brought on by popular songs of the time, spanning the marriage of Julie & Rodger Adams (Grant & Irene Dunne). Theirs is not a particularly stable marriage to begin with. Rodger is implusive, immature & selfish. Julie is the more responsible, but still lively, partner. Their lives change dramatically when they adopt a baby girl. They lost a child eariler & cannot have any of their own. These are the funniest parts of the movie as the two new parents fumble & stumble through the first few days of parenthood. Grant's character at this point changes completely, for the better, becoming a very good father & man. Five-six
years later Trina dies suddenly from something that's going around. Their marriage implodes. Grant's character again changes as he is plunged into a deep, dark depression. All is saved by a baby boy becoming available for them to adopt & start again. Beulah Bondi does a fine job in a character role as the kindly social worker that brings the babies. It is hard to evaluate a Cary Grant movie because he so uniformly good in most of them. He and Miss Dunne did a very good & professional job in this enjoyable movie from 1941.
Rating:
Summary: The child as the cement of the family
Review: A very moving film fundamentally based on flashbacks brought up by a series of records that have been crucial in the life of a couple, seen through the eyes of the wife, except one, which is a shortcoming. A husband who promises great achievements and does not deliver. A wife who is set into action by these promises, though she tends to be more realistic and to curb the fantasy in her husband's imagination. She unluckily loses her first baby in a miscarriage and even her ability to procreate. They finally move to the idea of adopting a child, which they do, and they get completely trapped in their entangling love for the child. But fate never strikes only once and this girl gets sick at the age of seven and dies. The couple unravels into a separation that is looming high over their future. It is when the wife is on the point of leaving her husband that a new opportunity to adopt a second child appears, a boy this time. And they are saved from perdition for the sake of this new adventure with a new child. A very effective film about unfulfilled promises, down to earth realism and the binding power of a child for a couple who thus builds a family forgetting all grudges.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
Rating:
Summary: CALL IT A MELODRAMA MAYBE...
Review: but this movie is a soap opera, albeit a darned good one! I define a soap opera when a story is solely concerned with personal relationship(s). We know nothing about what is going on in the world at the time, and in this film's instance, very little about the rest of the characters' lives apart from the personal relationships of Grant's, Dunne's and Buchanan's. We know little about the newspaper which Grant buys, and which later fails. We don't know how he supported his family with "no income," or if there was finally some income, what its source was. That said, what makes this film work is the superb directing by George Stevens, and the ultra-superb performances by every cast member: Grant, Dunne, Buchanan. Beulah Bondi deserves special mention for her sensitive, low-keyed performance. The story is truly interesting and keeps one wondering what will happen next throughout. Cary Grant once said that he "invented Cary Grant." In this film we see the actor before his invention was complete. He is not particularly charming, not suave at all, not even a lady's man. I love the Cary Grant who he invented, but in this film one can get a true and probably close-up look at the person he really was. We see a caring, sensitive, and even somewhat insecure, man. His performance well-deserved his academy award nomination. All in all, the film is well worth viewing.
Rating:
Summary: Memorable Film; Awful DVD
Review: Directed by George Stevens and starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, PENNY SERENADE was among the most admired films of 1941. But it seems the film has now drifted into public domain, and the result is incredibly dire: a very muddy soundtrack coupled to a picture that shudders and shakes so that you can barely stand to look at it. This a great pity, for PENNY SERENADE is a fine film that deserves much better. The concept is simple: as wife Julie (Irene Dunne) packs to leave her husband Roger (Cary Grant), she plays the various records the two have collected over the years. Each recording recalls the various phases of their lives: their chance meeting, their rather unexpected marriage, early years spent in the far east. But they are unhappy in their inability to have a child--and so they return to the United States to adopt. But their happiness ends in tragedy, a tragedy which neither seem able to surmount. The story is sentimental melodrama, of course, but it transcends its own genre. George Stevens was one of the great directors of Hollywood's golden age--director of such diverse classics as A PLACE IN THE SUN, SHANE, and WOMAN OF THE YEAR. In lesser hands the film might have been reduced to pure soap, but he strikes the perfect balance between charm and tearfulness. The leads are equally perfect, with both Irene Dunne and Cary Grant (who were memorably teamed in such frantic screwball comedies MY FAVORITE WIFE and THE AWFUL TRUTH) discarding their broad comedic skills in favor of plausible humor and sincerity. The supporting cast, which sports nice performances by the likes of Beulah Bondi and Edgar Buchanan, is also very fine, the script is quite good, and the cinematography both functional and elegant. But all this counts for nothing if you cannot actually stand to watch the truly awful DVD versions available. And they really are that bad. Over the years I've picked up several copies of this film released by several companies--Madacy, Laserlight, and most recently Front Row--and although the transfers vary a bit from company to company they are never more than extremely bad and quite often down-right unwatchable. This is a film in desperate need of restoration, and until it receives that you're better off looking for it on the late-late show--for I can almost guarantee that the print you will find there will be superior to virtually any home-market release you can lay hands on. --GFT (Amazon reviewer)--
Rating:
Summary: Memorable Film; Awful DVD
Review: Directed by George Stevens and starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, PENNY SERENADE was among the most admired films of 1941. But it seems the film has now drifted into public domain, and the result is incredibly dire: a very muddy soundtrack coupled to a picture that shudders and shakes so that you can barely stand to look at it. This a great pity, for PENNY SERENADE is a fine film that deserves much better. The concept is simple: as wife Julie (Irene Dunne) packs to leave her husband Roger (Cary Grant), she plays the various records the two have collected over the years. Each recording recalls the various phases of their lives: their chance meeting, their rather unexpected marriage, early years spent in the far east. But they are unhappy in their inability to have a child--and so they return to the United States to adopt. But their happiness ends in tragedy, a tragedy which neither seem able to surmount. The story is sentimental melodrama, of course, but it transcends its own genre. George Stevens was one of the great directors of Hollywood's golden age--director of such diverse classics as A PLACE IN THE SUN, SHANE, and WOMAN OF THE YEAR. In lesser hands the film might have been reduced to pure soap, but he strikes the perfect balance between charm and tearfulness. The leads are equally perfect, with both Irene Dunne and Cary Grant (who were memorably teamed in such frantic screwball comedies MY FAVORITE WIFE and THE AWFUL TRUTH) discarding their broad comedic skills in favor of plausible humor and sincerity. The supporting cast, which sports nice performances by the likes of Beulah Bondi and Edgar Buchanan, is also very fine, the script is quite good, and the cinematography both functional and elegant. But all this counts for nothing if you cannot actually stand to watch the truly awful DVD versions available. And they really are that bad. Over the years I've picked up several copies of this film released by several companies--Madacy, Laserlight, and most recently Front Row--and although the transfers vary a bit from company to company they are never more than extremely bad and quite often down-right unwatchable. This is a film in desperate need of restoration, and until it receives that you're better off looking for it on the late-late show--for I can almost guarantee that the print you will find there will be superior to virtually any home-market release you can lay hands on. --GFT (Amazon reviewer)--
Rating: 
Summary: Highly Recommend!
Review: I cannot say how many times my family has watched this movie because it is so good! It is a great family movie especially if you are adopting or dealing with infertility. It is an outdated adoption story but never the less the same feelings are there about adoption and infertility. Times are different now and I am sure if this movie remade it would be made very different and not so sugary. But that is what was so great about movies from this era it helps you escape from some of reality. Cary Grant is at his best! He is a true man in every sense of the word in this movie as father and husband. Irene Dunn and Cary Grant had great screen chemistry. I love the part where the baby wakes up and he stubbs his toe little things in this movie makes it cute. It is both endearing and sad. The time when they make mommy a birthday dinner, the Christmas program. When Cary Grant (Roger) goes before the judge to keep his baby because he lost his job, now that was a great preformance! But the movie is very sad when little Trina dies only to try to save their marriage while they grieve for the little daughter. It is an amazing story especially the end which you was slightly unrealistic but very wonderful. I love the man who plays AppleJack he was on Leave It To Beaver too. :) I highly recommend this video it will touch your heart! I do wish they would digitally remaster this movie it is worth it!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best tear jerkers on film
Review: I have watched this movie countless times, and to this day never tire of it! Cary Grant is the husband that dreams are made of! He positively shines in this role. He was one of a kind, and truely shows it here. His pairing with Irene Dunn is perfect as they play well of each other. She is a perfect blend of wholesome & sexy as was the way of things in that era. The interesting way the story told in flashbacks by playing old records and remembering the time they represent covers love, hope, courage, heartache and triumph.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best tear jerkers on film
Review: I have watched this movie countless times, and to this day never tire of it! Cary Grant is the husband that dreams are made of! He positively shines in this role. He was one of a kind, and truely shows it here. His pairing with Irene Dunn is perfect as they play well of each other. She is a perfect blend of wholesome & sexy as was the way of things in that era. The interesting way the story told in flashbacks by playing old records and remembering the time they represent covers love, hope, courage, heartache and triumph.
Rating:
Summary: CHECK THE RUNNING TIME !
Review: I've loved this movie since I was a kid (No, not when it came out...33). Irene Dunne and Cary Grant were flawless together. I bought the DVD put out by Platinum Disc Corp. The picture quality is pretty ... good (especially for [$$$]), but BEWARE...there is no running time listed. ... I just got the Catcom DVD(n/a from Amazon) which has that part, but the pic quality is lousy.
Also, unless it's a typo, it may be missing about ...min. from somewhere else, because on the back it says ... minutes. Somehow, somewhere I need to get the perfect copy. ...
Rating:
Summary: One of the best pictures to come out of the 40s!
Review: One of Cary Grant's and Irene Dunne's best! Edgar Buchanan as Applejack and Beulah Bondi as the social worker are also memorable. This is truly an old-fashioned five hanky tearjerker. But it has its comic moments as well. So many parents can laugh at the part where they first brought home the newborn baby. I know it takes me back to those days! And the part where Irene Dunne is nervous about giving the baby a bath for the first time. I remember feeling just like that! Even though some parts are sad, I always feel glad when things work out in the end. I agree with those who own lousy copies of the DVD. This picture deserves first class treatment so people can still enjoy it. I have a VHS black and white copy that I think I bought at Caldor's years ago. It has a good clear picture, and while you can tell that the soundtrack is old, it's still very much watchable. My copy was put out by Hal Roach studios.
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