''Get Hep to Love'' is a 1942

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 breaks ...

starring

Gloria Jean Gloria Jean (born Gloria Jean Schoonover; April 14, 1926 – August 31, 2018) was an American actress and singer who starred or co-starred in 26 feature films from 1939 to 1959, and made numerous radio, television, stage, and nightclub app ...

Donald O'Connor Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. His best ...

Jane Frazee Mary Jane Frehse (July 18, 1915 – September 6, 1985), was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Professional life Jane, age six, and her 12-year-old sister Ruth formed a singing vaudeville act known as The Frazee Sisters.Robert Paige Robert Paige (born John Arthur Paige, December 2, 1911 – December 21, 1987) was an actor and a TV newscaster and political correspondent and Universal Pictures leading man who made 65 films in his lifetime: he was the only actor ever allowed t ...

and

Peggy Ryan Margaret O'Rene Ryan (August 28, 1924 – October 30, 2004) was an American dancer and actress, best known for starring in a series of movie musicals at Universal Pictures with Donald O'Connor and Gloria Jean. Career Ryan joined her paren ...

. The film was directed by

Charles Lamont Charles Lamont (May 5, 1895 – September 11, 1993) was a prolific filmmaker, directing over 200 titles and producing and writing many others. He directed several Abbott and Costello comedies and many Ma and Pa Kettle films. Biography A Calif ...

Plot

Doris Stanley is an adolescent singer ("14 going on 15") billed as an 11-year-old "child prodigy" by her money-hungry aunt. When Doris finds that her Aunt Addie has reneged on her promise to give her a break from her singing tour, she runs away, and finds herself in a small town. Doris presents herself as a potential adoptee to a young married couple (Ann and Steve Winters). Unbeknownst to Doris, Ann was on the verge of breaking up with Steve due to his preoccupation with golf and refusal to find a real job. Her arrival gives the couple a reason to stay together. Ann makes both friends and enemies at her new high school, as she vies for the affections of Jimmy, who is stuck on a girl (Elaine) who is toying with him. The school's music teacher, Miss Roberts, takes an interest in Doris when she realizes what a good singing voice she has. A newspaper story appears offering a 5,000 dollar reward for finding the missing Doris. The music teacher makes a trip to the city, ostensibly to claim the reward, but really to find out why Doris ran away. She then claims that the girl she knows is not Doris. The aunt is suspicious and sends a detective to follow her back to the small town. Meanwhile, Steve is determined to stay with Ann and to keep their adoptive daughter Doris, but he will need some income for the expected court battle. He applies for an insurance job, and successfully talks a stingy client into buying a large policy, thus securing a good commission and a job. After initially being written out of a music recital, Doris is allowed to perform, wowing the crowd and catching the eye and ear of the detective. The film's climax occurs in the small town courtroom, in which it is revealed that the aunt never properly adopted Doris, and that she is just old enough to freely choose her adoptive parents. She chooses the Winters couple, with the aunt being granted visitation rights. With Jimmy's prospective Prom date down with the mumps (which she caught from another boy), Jimmy sees Doris with new eyes and escorts her to the Prom. The main cast in this film had also appeared in Gloria Jean's previous film, earlier in 1942, '' What's Cookin'?''. Gloria Jean, Donald O'Connor, and Peggy Ryan would star in two more films together during 1942-1943: '' It Comes Up Love'', and '' Mister Big''.

Cast

as Doris Stanley *

as Jimmy Arnold *

as Steve Winters *

as Betty Blake *

Edith Barrett Edith Barrett (born Edith Barrett Williams; January 19, 1907 – February 22, 1977) was an American actress. She was a romantic star on Broadway and in the Little Theatre Movement in New England summer stock from the mid-1920s to the late 1930s ...

as Miss Roberts *

Cora Sue Collins Cora Susan Collins (born April 19, 1927) is an American former child actress who appeared in numerous films during the Golden Years of Hollywood. Early life and career Cora Susan Collins was born on April 19, 1927, in Beckley, West Virginia. ...

as Elaine Sterling *

Nana Bryant Nana Irene Bryant (November 23, 1888 – December 24, 1955) was an American film, stage, and television actress. She appeared in more than 100 films between 1935 and 1955. Biography Bryant was born 1888 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She appeared in ...

as Aunt Addie *

The Jivin' Jacks and Jills The Jivin' Jacks and Jills were a twentieth century American dance group of the World War II era. The group was assembled by Universal Pictures via open audition. The intent was to assemble a group of young dancers with appeal to a teen audience. L ...

as themselves * Ray Walker as Gas Station Attendant

Soundtrack

Romantic composer

Eva Dell'Acqua Eva Dell'Acqua (28 January 185612 February 1930) was a Belgian singer and composer of Italian ancestry. Biography Eva Dell'Acqua was born in 1856 in Schaerbeek, Brussels, Belgium, the daughter of the Italian painter Cesare Dell'Acqua and his wife ...

's song "Villanelle" for

coloratura Coloratura is an elaborate melody with runs, trills, wide leaps, or similar virtuoso-like material,''Oxford American Dictionaries''.Apel (1969), p. 184. or a passage of such music. Operatic roles in which such music plays a prominent part, an ...

soprano appeared on the soundtrack of the film but was uncredited.IMDB listing
/ref>

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Get Hep To Love 1942 films 1940s musical drama films American musical drama films American black-and-white films Films directed by Charles Lamont Universal Pictures films 1942 drama films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films