Listen, Darling (1938) User Reviews

Raining Ten Pins In the Sky

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 28 March 2006]

Judy Garland is concerned that mom Mary Astor might be marrying prim and proper banker Gene Lockhart for all the wrong reasons. She concocts a scheme with friend Freddie Bartholomew to kidnap mom and little brother Scotty Beckett in a motor home and head for the open road so she can see what's out there.

I know it sounds like a crazy plot, but it actually is both funny and charming. Judy gets to introduce one of her standards, Zing When the Strings of My Heart and later on during a thunderstorm she comforts Scotty Beckett with the song It's Raining Ten Pins in the Sky. Of course that is a total ripoff of what Bing Crosby sang in the exact same situation in Pennies from Heaven, but who cares.

On the road the family meets both Walter Pigeon and Alan Hale, both more acceptable choices for the widow Astor. Who does she choose. You'll have to sit through Judy Garland singing some really nice songs in her inimitable style to find out.

Not a bad trade, not a bad trade at all.

Pure Schmaltz! And I loved it every minute of it!

[billnich-1 · 8/10 · 4 August 2016]

This movie is pure unadulterated schmaltz. It was schmaltz before schmaltz was schmaltzy! But was one of the most enjoyable movies I've ever seen. It was great to see the three young actors (Judy Garland, right before her rise with the Wizard of Oz; Freddie Bartholomew, just as his star was starting to face; and Scotty Beckett, a former Our Gang star who played numerous supporting roles in the 30s), hold their own with three seasoned veterans (Mary Astor, Walter Pigeon and Alan Hale, Sr.).

The plot is contrived, the conclusion predictable, the setting a bit outdated (women were only trained to be homemakers, leaving widows with children in danger of poverty) and the situation completely contrived, but there is nothing to not enjoy in this pure piece of entertainment from Hollywood's Golden Age.

Enjoy it, try not to roll your eyes too much, and recommend it to your friends! They just don't make movies like they used to.

Young Judy Shines in Lighthearted, Fun Film

[movingpicturegal · 7/10 · 28 March 2006]

Cute story that got better as it went along of two teenagers (played by Judy Garland and Freddie Bartholomew) who kidnap the girl's broke, widowed mother (played by Mary Astor) before she marries an old man for his money. Driving her away in the back of their camper/trailer in hopes of keeping her away long enough so she doesn't marry the guy - it actually takes these two kids longer than you would think to come up with the obvious - find the mom a single man closer to her age who might be more to her liking. Luckily, within minutes it seems, handsome Walter Pigeon (annoying spell checker keeps changing the last name spelling, sigh, oh well) arrives in the next trailer and seems like the perfect catch for mom.

While the story in this may seem a little silly, the excellent performances by all makes this a charming, fun film. I like the chemistry between Astor and Pigeon, Scotty Beckett does well playing the super brat little brother you "love-to-hate", and Judy Garland's star quality absolutely shines in this film. Giving an emotional, endearing performance, she sings several lively, fun-to-listen-to songs, and when the film starts with a very young and lovely Judy singing a wonderful rendition of "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart", I just knew this film wouldn't be all bad. Two things I wonder about though - first, even though they are shown graduating from "junior high school" in the beginning, Freddie drives the car. Second, how come Freddie wants to hook mom up with old man Alan Hale at one point, almost as old and unattractive as the first man (both are described as rich so it can't be just for the money - and mom doesn't love either one). Yes, this film is fluff, but I quite enjoyed it and as the film ended I had a smile on my face and that's a good thing.

Nice Film for Garland & Cast

[Michael_Elliott · 21 June 2010]

Listen, Darling (1938)

*** (out of 4)

Far-fetched but cute comedy/drama from MGM has a single mother (Mary Astor) struggling to make ends meet after her husband dies without any insurance. She's about to marry a man (Gene Lockhart) who she doesn't really love so her daughter (Judy Garland) and her friend (Freddie Bartholomew) decide to kidnap her and take her away. Once on the road they look for better husbands and think they might find on in Richard (Walter Pidgeon). There's certainly nothing Earth-shattering or Oscar-worthy here but this is pleasant enough of a film and it's terrific cast makes it well worth watching. I think if you're a fan of anyone in the cast then you're going to be drawn into the story no matter how silly it is. In fact, the characters are build up to be so "together" and "happy" that I'm surprised MGM didn't try to turn this into a longer running series. It certainly shares a lot in common with the Andy Hardy series but perhaps Garland just got too big with other projects (plus the upcoming THE WIZARD OF OZ) that everyone decided to just leave it at this one. Garland clearly steals the film with her tender performance as she manages to be cute but also touching in her more dramatic scenes worrying about her broke mother. She also gets some songs to sing including the charming Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart, Ten Pins in the Sky and On the Bumpy Road to Love, which also gets a second take at the end of the film with the entire cast singing along. Astor and Pidgeon are dependable as always and they come across with some nice chemistry that makes us believe they're really falling for one another. It seems Bartholomew has film buffs debating his merit whenever they discuss him but I thought he was fine here even though he's pretty much playing the same type of character he did in all of his movies. Lockhart is good in his few scenes as is Alan Hale. The film runs a short 75-minutes and for the most part there isn't any slow moments to be found. This is pretty much the type of family film you'd get from MGM as you get romance, comedy, a little drama and the typical family is the most important message. If you fans as Garland, Astor or Pidgeon it's worth sitting through.

The immortal Judy Garland at 16

[dapplez · 6/10 · 12 February 2011]

To fully enjoy this movie you need to imagine you are a teenager back in 1938 watching a matinée on a Saturday afternoon. It is the tail end of the Great Depression, with World War II in Europe only a faint rumble in the distance. Someone looking for light entertainment would find it in Listen Darling.

The plot is hackneyed now: children trying to help their widowed mother find a good husband she will love and they will like. But back in 1938 I suppose it was still fresh, especially the conflict of mom marrying for money versus love in the Depression. While camping, they just happen to find a clone of mom's deceased husband, plus a jolly good millionaire. I'll bet the kids watching this were rooting for the banker or millionaire to be their new father! (If this had been one of those saccharine sweet Disney movies, the millionaire would have won.)

I like movies like this as a cinematic time capsule. Anyone who has owned a travel trailer will love seeing the insides of these two old gems. The idea of going camping in a trailer was probably still novel back then. This is the first trailer movie I can think of. Lucille Ball's wonderful "The Long, Long Trailer" is next.

If it weren't for the first-rate cast, this might have been a B movie. Judy Garland and Freddie Bartholomew were two of the most famous young actors of the time. See Captains Courageous for Bartholomew's best. And The Wizard of Oz was just a year away for Judy, who is reunited with Charlie Grapewin as her uncle. Judy was one of the finest singing actress ever, and it shows here, even at the age of 16. I'll bet every teenage boy fell in love with her in this movie.

After watching this, I said, hey, isn't that the Alan Hale in Gilligan's Island? Sure looked like him. But, of course, it was his father. You can see the resemblance, even in mannerisms.

Walter Pidgeon was a fine actor from the period, largely forgotten today, with a distinguished style like Gregory Peck. See him in How Green Was My Valley.

Mary Astor is fine, the sort of mother you wish you had, but a dozen other actresses could have done as well.

It was odd seeing Bartholomew driving, and not being asked for his drivers license by the police. Perhaps they hadn't created drivers licenses yet. Bartholomew is cast as Judy's cousin from Canada, I guess because of his very proper British accent.

I watched this because I had read it was filmed using experimental stereo sound. There is no evidence of this in the print I watched. The music in The Wizard of OZ was recorded using multiple tracks (recorded separately on film), and reissues have stereo sound in sections. Fantasia was recorded with six track audio. It would be nice to see Listen, Darling remastered and reissued, especially to better appreciate Judy's singing.

Movies like this were commonplace entertainment in the 1930s. It is still enjoyable and worth watching today as a reminder of life in a different era.

Listen, Darling Folksy Fun

[CitizenCaine · 6/10 · 5 November 2012]

Judy Garland stars as 'Pinkie' Wingate, a teenager trying to steer her mother Dottie (Mary Astor) toward happiness with the help of 'Buzz' Mitchell (Freddie Bartholomew). Along the way they deal with brother Billie's (Scotty Beckett) antics, and shop for a husband in the form of Walter Pidgeon and Alan Hale in order to avoid Gene Lockhart's overtures. Freddie Bartholomew as Buzz offers focus for Judy's 'Pinkie', but other viewers may find it a bit much that he attempts to advise Dottie about her affairs. Scotty Beckett as Billy is as much annoying as he is attention-getting. Mary Astor and Walter Pidgeon create some measure of brief magic while on screen together. Charley Grapewin, who would soon play Uncle Henry in The Wizard Of Oz, plays Uncle Joe here. Judy sings her signature tune Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart, The Bumpy Road To Love, and Ten Pins In The Sky. The film is a fast-moving, escapist, comedy drama with a family viewing perspective. **1/2 of 4 stars.

Everyone Believes in Insurance!

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 6 March 2014]

The title for my review comes directly from this movie, as voiced by Freddy Bartholomew. Talk about your intrusive product placement! Listen Darling is a film that seems slapped together, giving us 75 minutes of romantic mayhem that feels like they deleted every other five minutes. Mary Astor(as the mother of Pinkie) tries to hold his production together. In the midst of incomprehensible character actions, she struggles to maintain some integrity, but this B film takes her under with the rest of the cast. The two main characters are Pinkie (Judy Garland) and Buzz (Freddy). They try to derail Pinkie's mother's decision to marry a nice guy who offers little more than financial security. Yes, Mary is willing to settle for that settled feeling and the kids will have none of it. So they kidnap her. Yes, you read that right. They load her into a rickety old travel trailer and light out for the open road with her screaming protests ringing in their ears.

Along the way, Pinkie gets to sing some songs. Freddy gets to exude bucketloads of earnestness (This seemed more adorable in Captain's Courageous or in any film made by Shirley Temple). The script feels hijacked, too, though it ends predictably. Fortunately, Judy rebounds quite nicely the very next year in her journey to Oz.

I have difficulty figuring out how this film was green-lighted. But I have a theory. Here is one side of a phone conversation that might have taken place mid-1937:

"Ed Marin, here. Oh hi, Sam. How's my favorite agent? I'm not going to like what? C'mon just spit it out. They took Gable?! You've got to be kidding me! He's what holds the entire story together! And without him I've got no chance to break out of second features! Tell me what happened.

Yeah, yeah...Fleming? Of course he wants him. Gable is box office boffo; who wouldn't want him. Yeah, I know. Fleming is Sam's fair-haired boy right now. What's the name of their film? 'Test Pilot'? Never heard of it. Does Gable want to do it? Yeah, well who's in the cast? Loy...Tracy...Barrymore...Main. Okay, I can see the attraction. So who does that leave us with? Sam said that, huh? Okay, who does he have for us? Freddy Bartholomew?! Is he kidding? He's supposed to romance Mary Astor? Well I should hope not! The kid's only 13. Oh yeah? Instead of Gable kidnapping Mary to win her heart, Bartholomew kidnaps her to get her away from the banker boyfriend? But Freddy's British; they realize the film takes place in the good ole U.S., don't they? The scriptwriters are going to have their hands full. Okay, then who is supposed to be the new boyfriend if Gable is out? Walter Pidgeon! But he's British too! I'm trying to stay calm!

You realize Judy is 15 now...? Oh, he's shot up like a weed, huh? But he's still only 13! Can he drive? Okay, but what about that scene where the police stop him? The audiences will buy it? I don't know about that.

What? There's more? They can't take 'Listen, Darling' too! Without that song, the title of the film won't make any sense. Sure, sure...audiences will accept anything. I get it.

Maybe if I talk to Gable? Oh really? I don't know why that should make him sore...just because they used his picture in that Dear Mr. Gable bit...oh, he didn't get paid for that? Okay, then I can see how he might be sensitive about sharing a bill with Judy.

Okay, I guess we'll just have to figure out a way to get Mary and the kids out in the countryside within the first couple of minutes. And a way to resolve the ending quickly, too, so we an bring it in under 75 minutes. Then we can move on to the next film. Do you think we can get Tracy?"

It could have happened. For another review that points out some shortcomings of this film, see the review by charlytully.

Pinkie Wingate

[btreakle · 7/10 · 22 August 2021]

One of Judy garlands earlier films. Her and Freddie Bartholomew are great in this 1938 film. Highly recommend.

comedy

[vesselofthelord · 10/10 · 29 March 2001]

Judy and Freddie team up and kidnap Judy's mom ( Mary Astor ) in a trailer in an effort to prevent her mother from marrying the town banker , which the mother does not love. In route they meet a photographer ( Walter Pigeon ) who falls in love with Judy's Mom. The scenes with her little brother are really funny coupled with Judy singing "Zing, Went the Strings of my Heart" made this a treat for my daughter and myself to watch. A great movie to watch on a quiet afternoon or late at night.

Charming RomCom

[syerramia-61598 · 7/10 · 10 February 2022]

Yes, it's predictable and far-fetched, but utterly charming. What a pleasant way to while away an hour or so. It's my first time seeing Mary Astor in one of her mum roles & she radiated so much warmth. Walter Pidgeon is also very charming. Lovely to see a young Judy Garland - that voice - and an older Freddie Bartholomew. The low point was the youngest kid who was a real brat. Like a number of films of that era, the ending felt a bit rushed. It's almost as if they said: Oops, we've hit the hour mark. Let's wrap this up. I definitely recommend it. 😀

Taking Judy for a ride on that bumpy road to love...

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 12 April 2014]

One of Judy Garland's biggest early song hits was a jazzy rendition of "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart". If "Dear Mr. Gable (You Made Me Love You") established her as the top young vocalist of the late 1930's, then this song confirmed it, and when she sings it in this movie, it is obvious then that a future star was in the making, and even if she had never taken on the role of Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz", something else would have come for her to do that job.

Judy is aghast here that her widowed mother (Mary Astor) would dare to marry a man she doesn't like (Gene Lockhart), so what does she scheme to do with her pal Freddie Bartholomew? Kidnap mom, of course, and find a man she does approve of! That man turns out to be Walter Pidgeon, and after some hedging, the possibility that mom and Mr. Right will hit it off does seem a likely bet.

This is early Judy at her perkiest, and while the plot may be fluff and the gags corny, it is certainly entertaining, and Judy never fails to disappoint. Mary Astor could go from kindly mom to deadly dame with no blinks in her eye, and here, she is as apple pie as her femme fatale in "The Maltese Falcon" was dangerous. Judy's future "Uncle Henry" (Charley Grapewin) is her "Uncle Joe" here, and watch his expressions as Judy sings, first imitating Bartholomew's love-starved look, then his disgust with Gene Lockhart sitting next to him. Judy gets another song, too, the bouncy "On the Bumpy Road to Love". There would be no bumps in the road on her career in the next few years, rising straight to the top. Judy, you know you made us love you.

Listen, Darling was one of the most enjoyable of the early Judy Garland vehicles

[tavm · 8/10 · 11 January 2015]

I had previously watched this back in the '90s when I borrowed this VHS version from the library and I remember enjoying it but when I watched it again on YouTube, I had forgotten much of the plot. As a result, I enjoyed this even more now with young Judy Garland in all her natural glory whether singing or doing her dramatic scenes. The reason I watched this again, however, was since I was reviewing various Our Gang shorts and other films featuring at least one of that group's members in chronological order, this was next on the list since another of this movie's players was Scotty Beckett-a former member from the early '30s. He was funny here. Also liked Walter Pidgeon as a potential love interest for Judy and Scotty's mother-Mary Astor, Freddie Bartholomew as a family friend, and Alan Hale Sr. as another potential family friend. So on that note, I highly recommend Listen, Darling. Oh, and that's Charley Grapewin-future relative of Garland in The Wizard of Oz-as the guy at the gas station.

While not especially logical, it is enjoyable.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 19 December 2021]

Billy is too obnoixous and evil.

"Listen, Darling" is a most enjoyable film though the plot really isn't logical in many places. It's a story you best watch with an open mind and try not to think it through too much.

When the story begins, you learn that Dottie (Mary Astor) is a widow with two children. The youngest is a crazed sociopath...and you see this later in the film. The oldest is sweet Pinkie (Judy Garland)...though she and her odd friend Buzz (Freddie Bartholomew) are meddlers. How do they meddle? Well, mom is looking to remarry a rather dull but decent and well to do man...and Buzz and Pinkie are devious and are planning on finding her a man she will feel passion for and it will be a love match. So does their plan work and who is the sucker?

The biggest logical problems were the youngest son (Scotty Beckett) who just seemed like a psychopath AND the ending...which seemed very abrupt and should have been stretched out a bit more. Not bad despite these deficits....as the acting is good and you like the characters....except for the psychopath!

Zing! Went the Strings of Her Heart

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 19 June 2011]

At a school ceremony, plucky Judy Garland (as "Pinkie" Wingate) sings after boyfriend Freddie Bartholomew (as Herbert "Buzz" Mitchell) delivers a speech. The teenagers fret about Ms. Garland's widowed mother Mary Astor (as Dorothy "Dottie" Wingate) deciding to marry a stuffy banker Gene Lockhart (as Arthur Drubbs), for financial security. To prevent the wedding, Mr. Bartholomew conspires with Garland to "kidnap" Ms. Astor and cute little Scotty Becket (as Billie Wingate).

The quartet ride around in a trailer. They meet distinguished Walter Pidgeon (as Richard Thurlow) and wealthy Alan Hale (as J.J. Slattery), both prospective husbands for mother Astor. An excellent studio version of Garland's "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" was recorded for Decca in 1939; for some reason, it was unreleased as a hit single until 1943. The tune is a highlight. The songs in "Listen, Darling" have more "Zing" than the script, but the young co-stars are engaging.

***** Listen, Darling (10/18/38) Edwin L. Marin ~ Judy Garland, Freddie Bartholomew, Mary Astor, Walter Pidgeon

family fun

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 16 August 2021]

Schoolmates Pinky Wingate (Judy Garland) and Buzz (Freddie Bartholomew) are best friends. Her family is in money trouble. Her daydreaming father died without leaving behind any insurance. Her widowed mother Dottie (Mary Astor) is in a relationship with a stuffy banker who she knows can take care of her children. Pinky is desperate to stop her from a loveless marriage and convinces Buzz to help her kidnap Dottie and her little brother Billie. They drive the RV out into a country camping site. They encounter Richard Thurlow (Walter Pidgeon), J. J Slattery (Alan Hale), and a skunk.

This is basic kids setting up romances for adults like a lot of those Disney movies. It's simple family fun and a silly non-sense story. Judy and Freddie are at the top of their game. He has a few more childhood roles before failing to transition into adult roles. Judy's next movie would put her at the top of the mountain. This is a big stepping stone although a small failure.

fun bit, big names. half the cast died young.

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 14 December 2021]

Judy garland, JUST before wizard of oz. 14 year old fred bartholomew. Some other HUGE names as well.. mary astor, walter pidgeon, alan hale senior, gene lockhart. Buzz and pinkie (back when everyone had a wacky nickname) plot to keep her mother (astor) from getting remarried. Little brother bill keeps getting caught up in their schemes. But if i yelled and screamed like that, my mother would have walloped me. That shrill, high pitched voice gets on your nerves after a while. Clearly, this is aimed at a younger audience. The story line isn't so important, but its great to see all those giants of hollywood history in one film. And we get to hear miss judy sing a couple songs that aren't over the rainbow. It's silly but good! Directed by ed marin. He directed a pretty wide selection of films, including a couple of the Maisies. Died young at 52. Scott becket (plays little brother bill) died at 38 from an overdose. And of course, miss judy died at 47. Mary astor would win her oscar for great lie, and make a couple films with bogart. Pidgeon was nominated for two films in the 1940s. With everything that alan hale senior did, how did he NOT win a lifetime achievement oscar?? Sadly he also died young at 57.

Very cute and sweet

[HotToastyRag · 8/10 · 14 March 2019]

This movie is so cute! It'll seem enormously silly and campy, and that's exactly what it turns out to be, even in the literal sense. Widow Mary Astor feels pressured for financial reasons to marry Gene Lockhart, whom neither she nor her teenaged daughter Judy Garland love, so in order to prevent the marriage, Judy and her boyfriend Freddie Bartholomew kidnap Mary and camp out in a trailer in the woods. See, it's silly and campy!

Granted, the story itself is ridiculous, but the heart of the movie lies with the characters, each likable and sweet in their own way. Mary wants the best for her family, but when she meets the handsome, charming Walter Pidgeon, she realizes she hasn't given up on love. Walter is carefree and likes his independence, but he can't help but feel connected to Mary's unusual family. Freddie's devotion to his best girl is quite adorable, and it's not hard to imagine that in a few years, he and Judy will get married. Plus, how cute is it to see David Copperfield driving a car and camping in a trailer? Judy is the noblest of all, who puts her mother's happiness above everything, even the law. Before the kidnapping plan is set in action, Judy tells Freddie, "She was crying again last night," with a tearful warble in her voice. No matter who her stepfather is, whether it's Walter, Gene, or Alan Hale, Judy just wants her mother to be happy.

Speaking of Alan Hale, he gets the chance to sink his teeth into a different type of role. He's not Little John or anyone's loud, embarrassing father in this movie. He's a millionaire with a heart of gold, and he's gentle and sensitive. So, since you've got five good reasons to watch this movie, what are you waiting for? Here's one more reason: You'll get to hear Judy sing the famous "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," and Freddie, Mary, and Walter join in during the very silly song "On the Bumpy Road to Love."

I do not give EVERY Judy Garland movie 8, 9 or 10!

[charlytully · 5/10 · 5 July 2011]

Though I have not seen EVERY Judy Garland film, I have watched more than half of her feature efforts at least once, and LISTEN, DARLING is by far the least entertaining of these. From an awkward beginning to the strangely truncated end, this movie seems a mere vehicle for a few largely forgettable vocalizations on Garland's part, with such concerns as plausibility, continuity, appropriate casting choices, and a passable script vague afterthoughts at best, and total SNAFUs at worst. At age 14, Freddie Bartholomew may be taller than his older contemporary, Mickey Rooney (Andy Hardy), but as a foil for Garland (in admittedly her most neurotic teen role), Freddie is less than half the fun. Further, Walter Pidgeon as Richard Thurlow appears as scant improvement upon Gene Lockhart's Arthur Drubbs when it comes to being a match for Judy's mom, Mary Astor's Dottie Wingate. Along with its matricidal kidnapping and echoes of pedophilia, LISTEN, DARLING is full of continuity goofs that make absolutely no sense (for example, the kids walk twenty yards from their "camp site" to the Slattery mansion at one point; later the same distance becomes a two mile drive!), and the songs are pretty lame (the repeated "Bumpity" song doesn't hold a candle to "On the lop-sided, ramshackle bus"). Sure, Judy's appearance here with Charley Grapewin (who becomes her "Uncle Henry" one year later in THE WIZARD OF OZ) is a footnote to movie history, but a much better use of time viewing an OZ precursor would be to watch Frank Morgan, the wizard himself, using those same inflections in THE DANCING PIRATE (1936). If you need proof beyond my word of what a minor effort LISTEN, DARLING actually represents, click on its "full cast and crew" listing on IMDb. In most Garland movies, this will bring up dozens of uncredited bit players upon whom Hollywood historians and\or diligent relatives have bestowed their 15 seconds of fame. With LISTEN, DARLING, the only name added is that of Edgar Dearing as one of the motorcycle cops who flag down Dottie's trailer.

A fun and funny hunt for the right man for Dottie

[SimonJack · 8/10 · 8 March 2021]

"Listen, Darling" is a very good comedy drama and family picture, with a wonderful cast of known adult and child actors of the day. The plot is about a plot by Pinkie Wingate and her good friend, Buzz Mitchell, to kidnap Mrs. Wingate. They want to get her away from home for awhile where local banker, Mr. Drubbs, is about to pop the question to Dottie. She is a widow raising Pinkie and her young brother, Billie. Buzz came up with idea of tricking Dottie and Billie into the family's small trailer, locking the door on them and then he and Pinkie driving out of town and to a distant camp ground. They figure that once out in the wilds for a few days, they would be able to look around for other eligible males for Dottie.

Well, obviously, such a silly plot leads to a fun and sometimes very funny escapade. And do they ever meet some eligible men for Dottie. All of the characters in this film are worth smiles.

Judy Garland is Pinkie, and is 16 and not quite yet the star she would be within a year. She was on her way though, having made the first of the Andy Hardy films with Micky Rooney just before this one. "The Wizard of Oz" was just around the corner. Judy sings two tunes here. And, joining Judy as Buzz is Freddie Bartholomew. He was just 14 at the time, but a good size for his age and a perfect teen friend for Pinky. Even little Scotty Beckett is more cute than annoying as Pinkie's brother, Billie - at around 8 or 9 years of age - his real age at the time.

Mary Astor plays the mom, Dottie Wingate. She hasn't had a lot to smile about since her husband's death some years before. She struggles to make ends meet, which is why she's inclined to say "yes" to Mr. Drubbs if he asks her hand in marriage. But Pinkie knows she doesn't love the man, and she wants her mother to be happy.

Well, the men they meet camping out include Walter Pidgeon as Richard Thurlow, Alan Hale as J.J. Slattery, and Barnett Parker as Abercrombie.

This is a warm, funny and entertaining comedy. It is a good family film that most older movie buffs, especially, should enjoy.

Here are a couple of favorite lines from the film.

Buzz Mitchell, "Ah, I might as well try to reason with a piece of cheese as women."

Dottie Wingate, "Buzz, I think the two of you are mad - absolutely mad. It's the craziest, silliest, most ridiculous senseless thing I've ever heard of in my life. But I love you for it."

It's a 'bumpy road' for young Judy...

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 18 August 2012]

Youngsters Judy Garland and Freddie Bartholomew interfere in the love life of Garland's unattached mother, Mary Astor. Bland excuse by MGM to utilize their contract talent. Judy sings "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart", as well as the jolly "On the Bumpy Road to Love", but is otherwise used for her tear-ducts and trembling lips. Her budding womanhood is interesting to view in this scrubbed-clean context, but the familial relationships on-screen never jell. If Garland is ill-used, then Bartholomew seems really out of place as 'Buzz', Judy's best friend/substitute brother. Bartholomew doesn't quite fit the Mickey Rooney bill playing pal to a young woman, and his trained, affected speech and articulate manner make him seem dropped in from a different picture. ** from ****

Now that most Americans are on their second or third marriages . . .

[pixrox1 · 8/10 · 28 January 2021]

. . . LISTEN, DARLING seems quite prophetic in outlining how to handle all of these three-dimensional Match Games: Just put the kids in charge of mate selection. As this flick documents, often a young teen will be the best judge of which suitor makes Mom the happiest in the sack. If a dating widow or divorcee has a daughter in middle school, the maternal parent will never have a need to wait for a reply from Dear Abby. LISTEN, DARLING features a banker behind Door #1, while the second portal offers a big city lawyer with an insurance company president looming in the third. Pretty good pickings for the height of The Great Depression, leaving Mom Dorothy Somewhere over the Rainbow.