#32: Something in the Wind

Starring: Deanna Durbin, John Dall, Donald O'Connor
Dir: Irving Pichel (1947)

Boy do I love me some Deanna Durbin. Look at her! Isn't she adorable?!? Hope you're ready for shit-tons of screencaps and a horrible synopsis!
In Something in the Wind, Deanna plays Mary Collins, host of a radio program that's about to go off the air due to lack of funds. Poor little Mary, the program just consists of her sitting barefoot on a desk, spinning her own records and singing her own songs. She sure could use some money! And shucks, she seems like a nice girl.

In case you missed it, this is DEANNA DURBIN we're talking about. She is a TALENTED LADY.

One day Mary is met outside her studio by Donald Reed, wealthy heir of a local millionaire, who informs her that his Grandfather Reed has died and the financial relationship existing between Papa Reed and herself must now come to an end. There are a few unsavory hints about the nature of this relationship (as in SEX FOR MONEY). Mary has no idea what he's talking about, he hints insultingly a few more times, she tells him to piss off, he storms out, end of scene. Fast forward and Mary's elderly aunt confesses to her that when she was a governess in the Reed household, she and Papa Reed fell in love and he has been supporting their family with monthly checks ever since. This explains why the Reed estate would be cutting them off, but not why Mary is being accused of having an affair with Pops. Poor Mary hardly has time to digest this fact, however, before she is KIDNAPPED BY THE REED FAMILY!!

"I realize how hard it must be for this family to get people to come calling, but this really is too much!"

WHOA! Turns out all the Reeds are under the impression that Mary was a mistress of the late Reed Senior, and are now prepared to buy her off in order to subdue any scandal!! Yeesh! This family is INTENSE! Papa Reed, peeps should just be honest with each other, am I right? There ain't no baby.

Mary would at first like very much to remove this misunderstanding, but, realizing that a great deal of money is actually being offered to her (she could save her radio program!) and deciding that the Reeds pretty much suck anyway, she decides to play along as the fallen woman. She quickly invents a lovechild and demands a million dollars to keep her mouth shut. She shamelessly enjoys sending the whole horrible family into hysterics with threats of bad publicity, refusals to sign any settlement papers, and vivid descriptions of Donald's "darling baby uncle."

Mary bears up under vicious attacks on her character.

Mary and poor cousin Charles (Donald O'Connor) become fast friends during this process. Charles is in love with Donald's fiancee, and since Mary already hates Donald for insulting her, the two team up to destroy Donald's engagement and cause general misery. Creepy Uncle Chester chooses this moment to pop out from some behind some furniture. He's the same guy who played Deanna's dad in Three Smart Girls, isn't that funny? This family is all over the place.

What are you doing, Uncle Chester? "Hiding!"

The plot speeds up now as Charles takes matters into his own hands, convinced he can split up Donald's engagement faster if he can just persuade Donald to seduce Mary (?) and then arrange for this seduction to be witnessed by Clarissa, the fiancee. Donald is sort of stupid and agrees to go along, because... if Mary likes him... she will take his money? Or something. Don't ask questions. This is basically an excuse to take Deanna to a fashion show and have her wear this incredible sequin-y get-up, along with buckets of innuendo at Donald's expense. 

"You want it to get around town that I am Mrs. Reed? Why Donald, this is so sudden."

Deanna is a far cry from muffins and milk in this movie, and may I say I find her adorable?! In this scene she sings a wonderful song about mistresses and gets to sit on Donald's lap. Clarissa walks in and of course sees the whole thing, so TA-DA engagement over! I really want to recount this full scene blow-by-blow because it is actually hilarious, but I'm afraid to ruin it. 

"I'm insanely jealous." :D

JUST WATCH IT. 

Okay now moving on.

Back at the house, Donald tries once more to fake-seduce Mary. This time it works. There is a full moon, Charles hires a band to play outside the window, Mary wears one of her new fancy boob-enhancing gowns from the fashion show, and Donald turns off the lamps. Watching a poor woman's Jimmy Stewart try to nuzzle up and bust a move is definitely one of this movie's biggest selling points.

Donald: "You seem to be a very intelligent person, Miss Collins - Mary - 

and, if I may add, very attractive."

Mary: "Well, I wouldn't know! Personally, I've never appealed to myself in that way."

Before you know it, the movie magic takes its hold, Mary sings a song with the band, and BOOM! Fireworks! They kiss! And... it's the real deal!!

Donald looks like a great kisser. And look, he accessorizes!

They confess their true attraction to each other (as a viewer you just shut up and take it) and Mary goes to bed that night blissfully in love. Unfortunately, Mother Reed has witnessed this all from her bedroom window. She comes to Mary's room to convince her that any romance with Donald is impossible (blah blah blah poor, blah blah blah family duty, blah blah blah fake bastard child). Mary is finally subdued and leaves the house the next morning without saying goodbye to Donald. WILL THEY EVER BE TOGETHER AGAIN??

I'm going wrap up the rest with a slideshow so as not to spoil the wonderful ending! Well, okay, some hints too: Jail. Alcohol. Duet. And... ballet?

In this scene, Charlie drinks the soda and Donald drinks the alcohol. They both get drunk.

Deanna sings her way out of jail again. This time it's Il Trovatore with Jan Peerce of the Metropolitan Opera.

Another great kiss with Donald!

"That's just a sample of the work done on this machine."*

There you go!

WATCH IT.
IT IS FUNNY.

Stars: 4.5 out of 5

*I'm not making that up. He actually says that.