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Young at Heart (1954 film)

Young at Heart
Young-at-Heart-1954-Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Produced by Henry Blanke
Written by Lenore J. Coffee
Julius J. Epstein
Fannie Hurst (story)
Starring Doris Day
Frank Sinatra
Gig Young
Ethel Barrymore
Cinematography Ted D. McCord
Edited by William H. Ziegler
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • January 1, 1955 (1955-01-01)
Running time
117 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $2.5 million (US)

Young at Heart is a 1955 musical film starring Doris Day and Frank Sinatra, directed by Gordon Douglas, and featuring a supporting cast including Gig Young, Ethel Barrymore, Alan Hale, Jr. and Dorothy Malone. The picture was the first of five films that Douglas directed involving Sinatra and was a remake of the 1938 film Four Daughters.

When songwriter Alex Burke (Gig Young) enters the lives of the musical Tuttle family, each of the three daughters falls for him. The family lives in the fictional town of Strafford, Connecticut. Alex's personality is a match for Laurie Tuttle (Doris Day), as both she and Alex are seemingly made for each other. When a friend of Alex's, Barney Sloan (Frank Sinatra), comes to the Tuttle home to help with some musical arrangements, complications arise. Barney's bleak outlook on life couldn't be any more contradictory to Alex's, and Laurie tries to change his negative attitude. Meanwhile, Laurie's two other sisters, Fran (Dorothy Malone), who is engaged to Bob, and Amy (Elisabeth Fraser), have feelings for Alex. The family welcomes Barney into their lives, but a feeling of genuine self-worth escapes him, though he is falling in love with Laurie. Alex proposes to Laurie and she accepts, which causes Fran to finally marry Bob, and devastates Amy. Aunt Jessie is the only one who knows Amy loves Alex. When Laurie goes to see Barney about attending the wedding, he tells her he loves her and that Amy loves Alex, but Laurie doesn't believe him until she goes home and sees Amy crying. She then leaves Alex at the altar and elopes with Barney. At Christmas, Laurie and Barney go home for the holiday. Laurie tells Amy how much she loves Barney and that she is pregnant, though she hasn't told Barney yet. Amy has since fallen in love with Ernie. Alex is also there for the holiday and has found success. With a black cloud perpetually hanging over his head, Barney decides to go with Bob to take Alex to the train. He drops Bob off at the store and after dropping Alex at the train, decides to kill himself, feeling that Laurie would be better off with Alex, as he would be a better provider. Barney drives into oncoming traffic during a snowstorm with his windshield wipers off. Barney lives, and with a newfound affirmation of life, finally writes the song he had been working on, finding his self-esteem in the arms of Laurie and their new baby.


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