Nobody's Darling
Cast & Crew
Anthony Mann
Mary Lee
Louis Calhern
Gladys George
Jackie Moran
Lee Patrick
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Ugly duckling Janie Farnsworth is a student at Pennington High School, an exclusive boarding school for the children of famous Hollywood entertainers. She has a crush on Charles Grant, Jr., who is the writer and producer of the upcoming school play, but Chuck thinks that she is too untalented and unglamorous to have a part in his production. Janie's life is further complicated by her parents, Curtis Farnsworth and Eve Hawthorne, a famed acting couple who have paid more attention to their careers than to their daughter. Although Curtis is still big at the boxoffice, Eve's popularity has waned as she has gotten older, and the studio wants to re-team Curtis with a younger actress. Rather than let Eve know, Curtis decides to retire, and brings Janie home from school for moral support on the day he informs Eve of his decision. Eve, believing that Curtis is ruining her career, is distraught and the couple have a terrible fight. When Janie returns to school, she auditions for Chuck, but he derides her lack of acting and dancing ability. Later that evening, however, Chuck discovers that Janie has a terrific singing voice and makes her the star of his show. Janie is dismayed by the taunting of the other kids, however, who tease her about reports that her parents are separting. When Eve confirms that the rumors are true, and that she is going to vacation at the Lake Arrowhead ranch of her friends, Jason and Julia Rhodes, Janie is determined to get her mother to pay attention to her. The school principal, Miss Pennington, arranges for the kids to rehearse their show at the ranch, but Janie still has trouble getting her mother to listen to her sing. While trying to cope with her mother, Janie misleads the other kids into thinking that Chuck has given her his pledge pin. Her mission with Eve a failure, Janie returns with the other kids to the school, where her attempts to "glamorize" herself with makeup, false eyelashes and high heels result in laughter. Janie tries to run away, but Chuck, alerted by Janie's roomate, Texas Gleason, finds her. They are photographed by a newshound, however, and the resulting publicity about a potential elopement horrifies their parents. Eve, Curtis and Charles Grant, Sr. descend on the school and demand that their children be withdrawn at once. As Janie and Chuck discover that they really are attracted to each other, Eve and Curtis reconcile while packing Janie's things. Miss Pennington gently convinces the parents that they have not been looking after their childrens' best interests, and that they should let Chuck and Janie stay for the show. Eve, Curtis and Grant then join the appreciative audience as Janie and Chuck star in the hit show, during which Chuck gives Janie his pin.
Director
Anthony Mann
Cast
Mary Lee
Louis Calhern
Gladys George
Jackie Moran
Lee Patrick
Bennie Bartlett
Marcia Mae Jones
Roberta Smith
Lloyd Corrigan
Jonathan Hale
Sylvia Field
Billy Dawson
Beverly Boyd
Betty-jean Hainey
Pat Bishop
Billy Benedict
Irene Tedrow
June Lepre
Patty Lou Arden
Jane Isbell
Frank Wyrick
Bucky Comer
Hugh Sheridan
Robert Homans
Frank Darien
Charles Jordan
Dick Elliott
Syd Saylor
Herbert Vigran
Alan Bridge
Charles Sullivan
William Newell
Charles Williams
Crew
George Blair
Harry Carroll
Nick Castle
Olive Cooper
Ken Darby
Dorothy Fields
Harry Grey
F. Hugh Herbert
Isham Jones
Gus Kahn
Russell Kimball
E. O. Lyte
Jack Marta
Joseph Mccarthy
Jimmy Mchugh
Ernest Nims
Adele Palmer
Cole Porter
Walter Scharf
Otto Siegel
Marlin Skiles
Dick Tyler
Ern Westmore
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Dancing Debs. According to a contemporary news item, Republic purchased the screenplay from Paramount, which had intended to star Susanna Foster in its production. Hollywood Reporter news items noted that director Anthony Mann was borrowed from Paramount for the film, and that Lee Patrick replaced Marjorie Gateson in the role of "Miss Pennington" when Gateson was detained by work in another picture.
