''Smilin' Through'' is a 1941

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MGM

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as brea ...

based on the 1919 play of the same name by

Jane Cowl Jane Cowl (December 14, 1883 – June 22, 1950) was an American film and stage actress and playwright "notorious for playing lachrymose parts". Actress Jane Russell was named in Cowl's honor. Biography Cowl was born Jane Bailey in Boston, Mas ...

and Jane Murfin. The film was a remake of a previous 1932 version by MGM and was the third and final film version of the play. It starred

Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', '' Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow'' and '' On ...

Brian Aherne William Brian de Lacy Aherne (2 May 190210 February 1986) was an English actor of stage, screen, radio and television, who enjoyed a long and varied career in Britain and the United States. His first Broadway appearance in '' The Barretts of ...

, Gene Raymond, and Ian Hunter. It was filmed in

and was remade as a musical for MacDonald with several older songs interpolated into the story.

Plot summary

The plot remained essentially the same as in the play and previous film versions. Kathleen (

) is a young

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

woman in love with an American, Kenneth Wayne (

Gene Raymond Gene Raymond (born Raymond Guion; August 13, 1908 – May 3, 1998) was an American film, television, and stage actor of the 1930s and 1940s. In addition to acting, Raymond was also a singer, composer, screenwriter, director, producer, and decorat ...

). The romance, however, is opposed by her adopted father John Carteret (

), who recalls the painful memory of his tragically thwarted love for Kathleen's aunt, Moonyean Clare (the roles of Kathleen and Moonyean are both played by MacDonald).

Cast

References

External links

* * * * 1941 films 1940s romantic musical films American romantic musical films Films directed by Frank Borzage American films based on plays Remakes of American films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films produced by Frank Borzage Films with screenplays by Donald Ogden Stewart Films produced by Victor Saville Films based on works by Jane Cowl Films based on works by Jane Murfin 1940s English-language films 1940s American films Films with screenplays by John L. Balderston {{romantic-musical-film-stub