One Hundred Men and a Girl
| One Hundred Men and a Girl | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Henry Koster |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | Hanns Kräly |
| Starring | Deanna Durbin |
| Music by |
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| Cinematography | Joseph A. Valentine |
| Edited by | Bernard W. Burton |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
One Hundred Men and a Girl is a 1937 American musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin. Written by Charles Kenyon, Bruce Manning, and James Mulhauser from a story by Hanns Kräly, the film is about the daughter of a struggling musician who forms a symphony orchestra consisting of his unemployed friends. Through persistence, charm, and a few misunderstandings, they are able to get famed conductor Leopold Stokowski to lead them in a concert, which leads to a radio contract. One Hundred Men and a Girl was the first of two motion pictures featuring Leopold Stokowski, and is also one of the films for which Durbin is best remembered as an actress and a singer.
John Cardwell (Adolphe Menjou), a trombone player, is only one of a large group of unemployed musicians. He tries unsuccessfully to gain an interview and audition with Leopold Stokowski, but not to disappoint his daughter, Patricia (Patsy) (Deanna Durbin), he tells her that he has managed to get the job with Stokowski's orchestra. Patsy soon learns the truth, and also learns that her father, desperate for rent money, has used some of the cash in a Lady's evening bag he has found, to pay his debts.
The irrepressible and willful Patsy seeks an interview with Mrs. Frost, whose bag it was, and admits her father's actions. Mrs. Frost (Alice Brady), a society matron and wife of rich radio station owner John R. Frost (Eugene Pallette), lightheartedly offers to sponsor an orchestra of unemployed musicians. Taking her at her word, Patsy and her father recruit 100 musicians, rent a garage space and start to rehearse. Realizing that Patsy took her seriously, Mrs Frost flees to Europe.
Mr. Frost tells John and his friends that he will not sponsor them, as they had supposed, unless they can attract a well-recognized guest conductor to give them a 'name' and launch them on their opening night.
Patsy, undaunted, sets out to recruit none other than Leopold Stokowski to be that conductor. Stokowski at first definitely refuses—though when Patsy sings as the orchestra is rehearsing Mozart's "Alleluia" from Exsultate, jubilate, he strongly suggests that she seek professional voice training and eventual representation.
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