Rating: 
Summary: DORIS AND FRANK'S " HEART"FELT "YOUNG"
Review: "Young at Heart", released by Warner Brothers during the Christmas season in 1954, is the only onscreen film appearance by Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. They were arguably the most popular male and female vocalists of the 1950's, and had been paired, successfully, in the 1940's on radio's "Your Hit Parade", as well as scoring big with a hit single, "Let's Take An Old Fashioned Walk". The only regret one has after viewing "Heart" is that the talented duo hardly sing together at all, although they more than agreeably warble a number of good songs alone."Young at Heart" is a remake of a popular late 30's Warner Brothers drama, "Four Daughters" that starred John Garfield and the Lane Sisters, et al. It's somewhat "soap operaish" tone is kept in check by some genuinely compelling dramatic scenes and fine acting. The remake maintains most of the integrity of the previous effort, although there are no longer four daughters, only three. In addition, Sinatra reportedly refused to suffer the same fate that Garfield's character suffered in the first film, so the ending lacks some of the emotional resonance of the 30's feature. Nevertheless, "Young at Heart" works on several levels. It's a complex, far from sunny story, filled with a variety of interesting characters, some find music, and performances that are gritty, heartfelt, and memorable. The central family in "Young at Heart" live in a small town that might be called Norman Rockwell in nature. It's a New England setting where a father, his three daughters, played by Doris Day, Dorothy Malone, and Elisabeth Fraser reside, with their seemingly irascible Aunt Jessie, played with relish by the legendary Ethel Barrymore. Into their midst comes a stranger, Barney Sloane, essayed by Sinatra. He's a loner and a composer, who unhinges the seemingly fragile fabric of their existence, in particular Day, who falls in love with him although Gig Young clearly has feelings for Day's character, Laurie. The family is never the same as emotions and feelings surface and we come to see the family as not quite as picture perfect but more real. Although they only sing together briefly, Doris and Frank do admirable turns in both the acting and singing department. There is depth to both of their portrayals and we grow to understand why Day loves this initially unlikeable man. Both stars make a strong impact with their emotional performances and sing with maturity and feeling. Sinatra's "One For My Baby" is especially memorable, and the film's title tune placed high on the charts for many months. The supporting players are well cast and lend credibility to their characters. "Young at Heart" was a popular success and, interestingly, was the first of four onscreen appearances between Doris Day and Gig Young, who later appeared with her in "Teacher's Pet", "Tunnel of Love" and "That Touch of Mink". Fraser, who plays her sister, appeared with the star in "Tunnel", "The Glass Bottom Boat", and 1968's, "The Ballad of Josie". Gordon Douglas, at expert at this kind of story, directs with a sure hand and the picture is lovely to look at and delightful to hear!
Rating:
Summary: DORIS AND FRANK'S " HEART"FELT "YOUNG"
Review: "Young at Heart", released by Warner Brothers during the Christmas season in 1954, is the only onscreen film appearance by Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. They were arguably the most popular male and female vocalists of the 1950's, and had been paired, successfully, in the 1940's on radio's "Your Hit Parade", as well as scoring big with a hit single, "Let's Take An Old Fashioned Walk". The only regret one has after viewing "Heart" is that the talented duo hardly sing together at all, although they more than agreeably warble a number of good songs alone. "Young at Heart" is a remake of a popular late 30's Warner Brothers drama, "Four Daughters" that starred John Garfield and the Lane Sisters, et al. It's somewhat "soap operaish" tone is kept in check by some genuinely compelling dramatic scenes and fine acting. The remake maintains most of the integrity of the previous effort, although there are no longer four daughters, only three. In addition, Sinatra reportedly refused to suffer the same fate that Garfield's character suffered in the first film, so the ending lacks some of the emotional resonance of the 30's feature. Nevertheless, "Young at Heart" works on several levels. It's a complex, far from sunny story, filled with a variety of interesting characters, some find music, and performances that are gritty, heartfelt, and memorable. The central family in "Young at Heart" live in a small town that might be called Norman Rockwell in nature. It's a New England setting where a father, his three daughters, played by Doris Day, Dorothy Malone, and Elisabeth Fraser reside, with their seemingly irascible Aunt Jessie, played with relish by the legendary Ethel Barrymore. Into their midst comes a stranger, Barney Sloane, essayed by Sinatra. He's a loner and a composer, who unhinges the seemingly fragile fabric of their existence, in particular Day, who falls in love with him although Gig Young clearly has feelings for Day's character, Laurie. The family is never the same as emotions and feelings surface and we come to see the family as not quite as picture perfect but more real. Although they only sing together briefly, Doris and Frank do admirable turns in both the acting and singing department. There is depth to both of their portrayals and we grow to understand why Day loves this initially unlikeable man. Both stars make a strong impact with their emotional performances and sing with maturity and feeling. Sinatra's "One For My Baby" is especially memorable, and the film's title tune placed high on the charts for many months. The supporting players are well cast and lend credibility to their characters. "Young at Heart" was a popular success and, interestingly, was the first of four onscreen appearances between Doris Day and Gig Young, who later appeared with her in "Teacher's Pet", "Tunnel of Love" and "That Touch of Mink". Fraser, who plays her sister, appeared with the star in "Tunnel", "The Glass Bottom Boat", and 1968's, "The Ballad of Josie". Gordon Douglas, at expert at this kind of story, directs with a sure hand and the picture is lovely to look at and delightful to hear!
Rating:
Summary: A Perfect Love Story
Review: An initially airy and upbeat musical changes its tune when Frank Sinatra enters. Barney Sloan shakes up the happy life of three sisters when he refuses to fit into the mold of their happiness. A character who knows everyone's "type" is unaware of his own--the feel sorry for me I never had a wonderful life type who gets one. This is a tear-jerker, so don't forget the tissues. Sinatra and Day put together a soundtrack that boggles the mind including "Someone to Watch Over Me," "One for my Baby," "Hold Me in Your Arms," and the title track. I love it.
Rating: 
Summary: Doris Day must choose Gig Young or Frank Sinatra.
Review: Doris Day plays "Laurie", one of three daughters who live with Pop (Robert Keith) and his sister, Aunt Jessie (Ethel Barrymore) who keep the young ladies in line. Fran (Dorothy malone) just got engaged to Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan's Island). Laurie and Amy (Elizabeth Fraser) make a deal to have a double wedding when they finally find the right guys or end up as old maids. Laurie has a new beau, Gig Young. Then Gig Young hires Frank Sinatra, a traveling piano player, to write music for him. Doris meets Frank in the family house and is sweet to him. One day, Gig Young professes his love to Laurie and they decide to get married. However, Amy secretly had feelings for Gig Young and Frank Sinatra had some feelings for Laurie. Frank tells Laurie, "Sometimes when you're on the outside looking in, you see some things other people can't". Things are about to change and not to as orginally planned. If you have not seen this one before, it's a real soap opeara doozy! Great set of a neighborhood and family house.
Rating:
Summary: Doris Day must choose Gig Young or Frank Sinatra.
Review: Doris Day plays "Laurie", one of three daughters who live with Pop (Robert Keith) and his sister, Aunt Jessie (Ethel Barrymore) who keep the young ladies in line. Fran (Dorothy malone) just got engaged to Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan's Island). Laurie and Amy (Elizabeth Fraser) make a deal to have a double wedding when they finally find the right guys or end up as old maids. Laurie has a new beau, Gig Young. Then Gig Young hires Frank Sinatra, a traveling piano player, to write music for him. Doris meets Frank in the family house and is sweet to him. One day, Gig Young professes his love to Laurie and they decide to get married. However, Amy secretly had feelings for Gig Young and Frank Sinatra had some feelings for Laurie. Frank tells Laurie, "Sometimes when you're on the outside looking in, you see some things other people can't". Things are about to change and not to as orginally planned. If you have not seen this one before, it's a real soap opeara doozy! Great set of a neighborhood and family house.
Rating:
Summary: Day & Sinatra in a compelling drama with music
Review: Even before "High Society" Frank Sinatra was already making musical versions of old movies. In "Young at Heart," handsome young composer Alex Burke (Gig Young) shows up and gets the three Tuttle sisters, Laurie (Doris Day), Fran (Dorothy Malone) and Amy (Elizabeth Fraser) all excited. Then Barney Sloan (Frank Sinatra), a saloon pianist and musical arranger, shows up to help Alex arrange a musical comedy. Barney is moody but a musical genius who is cynical about life. He falls in love with Laurie, but she is engaged to Alex. However, on the day of the wedding Laurie learns that Fran loves Alex, so she runs away with Barney to the city and marries him instead. Things are rough in the big city but Laurie does come to love Barney, although he has no faith in himself and finally tries to kill himself in a car accident. Day and Sinatra work well off of each other, with her perpetual spunkiness brought down to a realistic level by his moodiness, although the sudden decision by Laurie to turn over her fiance to her sister has always struck me as contrived, to say the least. For me the most unforgettable scene in "Young at Heart" is when Barney decides to kill himself and calmly turns off the windshield wipers on the car during a snowstorm. Based on the "Cosmopolitan" magazine story "Sister Act" by Fannie Hurst, this 1955 Warner Brothers film was directed by Gordon Douglas; it had been filmed before World War II as "Four Daughters" with John Garfield in the Sinatra role. Ethel Barrymore gets to be the font of wisdom in a choice supporting role as the girl's Aunt Jessie. As for Sinatra, the crooner gets to sing not only the title song but the Gershwins' "Someone to Watch Over Me," Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things," and Arlen and Mercer's "One for My Baby." A first rate set of things, all of which are smoothly integrated into the film, so that this is not so much a musical as it is a drama involving people who happen to sing.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderfull film.Fantastic music,with a great story line
Review: I always enjoyed "Young at Heart." Frank Sinatra deseved an Oscar for his performace,and Doris Day is fantastic.Everyone's in this film,from the great Ethel Barrymore to The Skipper(Alan Hale Jr.) The original movie had Frank dying at the end,but the script was changed.The three Sisters remind me of my cousins alot.Everyone wanting to marry the guy dating Doris, Gig Young.Doris leaves him at the alter to marry Frank.If you want to know more about this film,read Doris Days book.She write's about Ethel Barrymore,barly being able to walk ,but when the camera was rolling you would never know she was in pain.One of the greatest songs by Frank Sinatra is "Young at Heart,"and there's alot of other great numbers in the film. Of all of Doris Days Movies,this would have to be one of her Best.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderfull film.Fantastic music,with a great story line
Review: I always enjoyed "Young at Heart." Frank Sinatra deseved an Oscar for his performace,and Doris Day is fantastic.Everyone's in this film,from the great Ethel Barrymore to The Skipper(Alan Hale Jr.) The original movie had Frank dying at the end,but the script was changed.The three Sisters remind me of my cousins alot.Everyone wanting to marry the guy dating Doris, Gig Young.Doris leaves him at the alter to marry Frank.If you want to know more about this film,read Doris Days book.She write's about Ethel Barrymore,barly being able to walk ,but when the camera was rolling you would never know she was in pain.One of the greatest songs by Frank Sinatra is "Young at Heart,"and there's alot of other great numbers in the film. Of all of Doris Days Movies,this would have to be one of her Best.
Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming story of true love thanks to Day and Sinatra.
Review: I first saw this movie on t.v. when I was a child and I have remembered it ever since - particularly for Frank Sinatra's earthy performance that added depth to the film. His brooding Sloane gave a complexity to the film that would have been too light without his performance. His acting abilities were never fully appreciated.
Rating:
Summary: Doris Day & Frank Sinatra's Chemistry - WOW!
Review: If you are expecting a DVD that is a big improvement on the video, this will disappoint. But if you absolutely love the film, the DVD is still worth getting. Now, the film itself shows what a terrific chemistry Doris Day and Frank Sinatra had together, and makes one wish they had done more films together, and certainly sang more duets. Doris is superb and Frank deserved an Oscar for his portayal of Barney Sloane, as hip and deep a job of acting as anything James Dean ever did and Dean had made his first film this same year (1954). Sinatra was (and is) so underrated as an actor in the 1950's. Someone put it well, there is no Frank Sinatra in this film, only Barney Sloane.
This movie leaves you wanting more MORE of Day and Sinatra together - that is my only criticism of it! A wonderful film.
|
