Director: Michael Curtiz
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Top Billed Actors: Claude Rains, John Garfield, Jeffrey Lynn
Won 0 Oscars
Nominated for 5 more:
Outstanding Production - Warner Bros.-First National
Best Director - Michael Curtiz
Best Supporting Actor - John Garfield
Best Screenplay - Lenore Coffee and Julius J. Epstein
Best Sound Recording - Nathan Levinson
Plot: A guy convinces another guy to let him live with his four beautiful daughters. As he's about to marry one of them, she runs off with a suicidal homeless man instead.
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Top Billed Actors: Claude Rains, John Garfield, Jeffrey Lynn
Won 0 Oscars
Nominated for 5 more:
Outstanding Production - Warner Bros.-First National
Best Director - Michael Curtiz
Best Supporting Actor - John Garfield
Best Screenplay - Lenore Coffee and Julius J. Epstein
Best Sound Recording - Nathan Levinson
Plot: A guy convinces another guy to let him live with his four beautiful daughters. As he's about to marry one of them, she runs off with a suicidal homeless man instead.
After the enormous success of The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Michael Curtiz and Errol Flynn needed a nice cool down picture. Flynn eventually didn't join Curtiz, but Four Daughters (1938) was just what the doctor ordered. Flynn's role went to Jeffrey Lynn, which further put this film in a category of lower prestige. Curtiz and the studio simply wanted to produce this modest film so he could move on to his next bigger endeavor, Angels with Dirty Faces (1938). When it was all said and done, Daughters garnered more Oscar nominations than Angels. Oddly enough, Curtiz was nominated for both of these films for Best Director. This wouldn't be done again until 2000, when Steven Soderbergh accomplished the feat. Three of the four daughters, the Lane sisters, were actual siblings who were in a musical act. They would go on to star in films with the same cast, creating a sort of franchise. Claude Rains and John Garfield round out the main cast. Although there was sentiment for an experienced character actor like Rains, who plays the father, to be recognized by the Academy, it was newcomer Garfield who got the nod.
In a film chock full o' characters, Garfield is an actor who stands out. His somber outlook brings the story down to earth when there's a lot of heartfelt moments. Just when the tone starts getting a bit too sweet and positive, Garfield is there to dampen the mood. Another performance that stands out is Priscilla Lane, the sister the script focuses on the most. She convincingly plays a girl who's hard to get but not annoyingly so. She also has to juggle her love between one of her sisters and two men who are polar opposites. She has to react very differently to Garfield's woe-is-me demeanor and Lynn's bright and cheerful attitude. Like those two men, I thought it was a joy to be around her no matter the situation. Another standout feature is the overall pace. On the surface, a story about love triangles and girls wanting to get married sounds rather dull. But there's enough humor and change-ups that move the film forward and it's never stale. Although the scale might be described as humble, it also can be described as simply charming.
Although this is perfectly solid in most aspects, the film never ventures into that realm of greatness. There isn't much insight to glean from the story. Sure, it's entertaining (which is always an accomplishment!), but there isn't much to grasp on to at the end of the day. Aside from Garfield's character and fate, this is a nice lighthearted affair. There really isn't much to complain about aside from some outdated dialogue that might hinder the comedy.
Overall, John Garfield and Priscilla Lane stand out in an ensemble cast. A humble, charming film that provides some romantic twists and turns will never leave you at a lack of enjoyment.
My Score: 7/10
In a film chock full o' characters, Garfield is an actor who stands out. His somber outlook brings the story down to earth when there's a lot of heartfelt moments. Just when the tone starts getting a bit too sweet and positive, Garfield is there to dampen the mood. Another performance that stands out is Priscilla Lane, the sister the script focuses on the most. She convincingly plays a girl who's hard to get but not annoyingly so. She also has to juggle her love between one of her sisters and two men who are polar opposites. She has to react very differently to Garfield's woe-is-me demeanor and Lynn's bright and cheerful attitude. Like those two men, I thought it was a joy to be around her no matter the situation. Another standout feature is the overall pace. On the surface, a story about love triangles and girls wanting to get married sounds rather dull. But there's enough humor and change-ups that move the film forward and it's never stale. Although the scale might be described as humble, it also can be described as simply charming.
Although this is perfectly solid in most aspects, the film never ventures into that realm of greatness. There isn't much insight to glean from the story. Sure, it's entertaining (which is always an accomplishment!), but there isn't much to grasp on to at the end of the day. Aside from Garfield's character and fate, this is a nice lighthearted affair. There really isn't much to complain about aside from some outdated dialogue that might hinder the comedy.
Overall, John Garfield and Priscilla Lane stand out in an ensemble cast. A humble, charming film that provides some romantic twists and turns will never leave you at a lack of enjoyment.
My Score: 7/10