Every Sunday
| Every Sunday | |
|---|---|
Original newspaper advertisement
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| Directed by | Felix E. Feist |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Mauri Grashin |
| Starring | |
| Music by | |
| Cinematography |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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1936 |
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Running time
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11 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Every Sunday (sometimes incorrectly listed as Every Sunday Afternoon or Opera vs. Jazz) is a 1936 American short musical film. It tells the story of two young girls and their efforts to save a public concert series, which was being threatened by poor attendance.
Directed by Felix E. Feist, the film served as a screen test for, and is the first significant screen appearance of, two young actresses who later became major stars, Judy Garland and Deanna Durbin. Although only lightly reviewed at the time of its release, the film has garnered a generally positive reputation among Garland biographers.
Small town friends Edna (Deanna Durbin) and Judy (Judy Garland) are upset. Edna's grandfather and his orchestra, who play free Sunday concerts at a local park, have been fired by the town council because the concerts are poorly attended. The girls hit upon the idea of singing at the concerts and set about promoting the next concert. The following Sunday Edna and Judy join Granddad on the bandstand. Edna's operatic style and Judy's swing bring crowds running from all over the park. The event is a huge success and Granddad's concerts are saved.
Deanna Durbin and Judy Garland were both under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer but the studio had not put them to work in films. With their contracts coming up for renewal, feelings among studio executives were that the studio didn't need two girl singers. Every Sunday would serve as an extended screen test to decide which girl's contract would be renewed.
Durbin recorded the aria Il Bacio for the film. Composers Con Conrad and Herb Magidson wrote a specialty number for Garland, "The Americana."
Following the screening of the short for MGM executives, opinion was divided on whether Garland or Durbin should be retained. Finally, Louis B. Mayer, upon his return from a European trip, decreed that both girls should be kept. However, Durbin's contract option had expired by then. She was signed by Universal Studios, where her first picture, Three Smart Girls, was so successful that it saved Universal from bankruptcy.
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Wikipedia