''That Certain Age'' is a 1938 American

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 ...

directed by

Edward Ludwig Edward Irving Ludwig (October 7, 1899 – August 20, 1982) was a Russian-born American film director and writer. He directed nearly 100 films between 1921 and 1963 (some under the names Edward I. Luddy and Charles Fuhr). Ludwig was also one ...

and starring

Deanna Durbin Edna Mae Durbin (December 4, 1921 – April 17, 2013), known professionally as Deanna Durbin, was a Canadian-born actress and singer, who moved to the USA with her family in infancy. She appeared in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s. With t ...

and

Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg, April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the romantic comedy ''Ninotchk ...

. Based on a story by

Aleen Leslie Aleen Leslie (née Wetstein; February 5, 1908 – February 2, 2010) was a screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. She died in 2010, three days before her 102nd birthday. At that time, she was the oldest member of the Writers Guild of American-We ...

(Wetstein) that was adapted by F. Hugh Herbert, the film is about a dashing reporter who returns from covering the Spanish Civil War and is invited to spend time at his publisher's home, where his adolescent daughter develops a crush on him. The family does their best to sway the young girl's feelings away from the reporter, but it is a challenge, as she is at "that certain age". Distributed by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

, the film received Academy Award nominations for Best Music and Best Sound Recording.

Plot

Alice Fullerton is the 15-year-old daughter of newspaper publisher Bill. She becomes involved with a group of boy scouts, who is led by Ken Warren. Ken wants to put on a show to raise money in order to go to scout camp. Alice helps him out with giving him permission to use the family home to rehearse. She is very helpful to them and is eventually given permission to be a part of the act. Meanwhile, Bill offers the house to reporter Vince Bullit, who intends on finishing an article in peace and quiet. Alice fears for her new friends being kicked out of the house and decides to try to scare Vincent away. She tries to scare Vincent by pretending the house is haunted by evil ghosts. However, Vincent sees through the hoax and confronts Alice. She tells him the whole truth. Vincent sympathizes with them and decides to leave the house, but Bill doesn't want him to. Alice changes her mind when she discovers Vincent is ill. She takes care of him and develops a crush. Ken, who has a crush on Alice, becomes jealous and tries to infuriate her by replacing her with singer Mary Lee. When an upcoming party is announced, Alice is determined to buy Vincent an expensive gift. She sells some of her stuff and buys a cigarette lighter. At the night of the party, she secretly borrows a dress from her mother to look older. She demands her to take her dress off. Enraged, Alice refuses to talk to anyone. Ken tells Vincent and Alice's parents that she is in love with Vincent. Alice's mother tries to discourage Alice, but she is determined to marry him. At the night of the party, Alice's mother tells a lie to discourage her daughter. She tells Alice Vincent is married to a reporter called Grace Bristow. Alice finally gives up her crush and is allowed to take over the part in the show when Mary Lee becomes ill.

Cast

as Alice Fullerton *

as Vincent Bullitt *

Jackie Cooper John Cooper Jr. (September 15, 1922 – May 3, 2011) was an American actor, television director, producer, and executive, known universally as Jackie Cooper. He was a child actor who made the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first ...

as Kenneth 'Ken' Warren *

Irene Rich Irene Rich (born Irene Frances Luther; October 13, 1891 – April 22, 1988) was an American actress who worked in both silent films and talkies, as well as radio. Early life Rich was born in Buffalo, New York. At age 17, she wed Elvo Elc ...

as Dorothy Fullerton *

Nancy Carroll Nancy Carroll (born Ann Veronica Lahiff; November 19, 1903 – August 6, 1965) was an American actress. She started her career in Broadway musicals and then became an actress in sound films and was in many films from 1927 to 1938. She was t ...

as Grace Bristow * John Halliday as Gilbert Fullerton *

Jackie Searl John E. Searl (July 7, 1921 – April 29, 1991) was an American actor. He portrayed bratty kids in several films, and often had only small roles, such as "Robin Figg" in 1934's ''Strictly Dynamite''. Early years His name is sometimes written ...

as Tony *

Juanita Quigley Juanita Quigley (24 June 1931 – 29 October 2017) was an American child actress in motion pictures of the 1930s and 1940s. She had a sister, Rita Quigley, who was also a child actress. Career Juanita Quigley was billed as "Baby Jane" in severa ...

as The Pest (Butch) * Charles Coleman as Stevens * Peggy Stewart as Mary Lee

Production

Deanna Durbin made the film when she was fifteen. Her character had a chaste romance in her previous film, '' Mad About Music''. Universal said prior to filming that "there will be a very slight romance for Deanna" in the film. "There will be two boys instead of one and Miss Durbin will indicate a preference for one of them, a good, substantial lad instead of the wealthy, somewhat spoiled youngster. The studio will not allow, naturally, anything resembling a mature romance for the star, one reason being that her vast audience of children over the country do not like it, being prone to smack their lips in derision at the screen." Jackie Cooper was cast in May; under the deal he agreed to do two more films for Universal.Anne Shirley to Star in "The Chi House": Cohen Plans Pictures Cooper Opposite Deanna Los Angeles Times (3 May 1938: 8. Word got out that the plot would include Deanna eloping and having a screen kiss. Universal were deluged with protests and these elements were removed.HOLLYWOOD PONDERS A PARADOX Churchill, Douglas W. New York Times 21 Aug 1938: X3. Filming stated on 15 May 1938. Outdoor scenes were shot on an estate in Pasadena.

Awards

The film was nominated for two

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

: * Best Original Song (Jimmy McHugh, Harold Adamson, for the song "My Own") * Best Sound Recording (

Bernard B. Brown Bernard B. Brown (July 24, 1898 – February 20, 1981) was an American sound engineer and composer, who wrote the scores for many early animated cartoons produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions for distribution by Warner Bros. Pictures. ...

)

References

External links

* {{Edward Ludwig 1938 films Films directed by Edward Ludwig 1938 musical films 1930s English-language films American black-and-white films Universal Pictures films Films with screenplays by Billy Wilder Films with screenplays by Charles Brackett Films produced by Joe Pasternak American musical films Films with screenplays by F. Hugh Herbert 1930s American films