100 MEN AND A GIRL

MOVIE INFORMATION:
Universal Studios – 1937
1 Hour, 24 Minutes
Black & White

MAIN CREDITS:
Producer...Joe Pasternak
Director…Henry Koster
Screenplay…Bruce Manning
Music…Charles Previn

MAIN CHARACTERS:
Patsy Cardwell…Deanna Durbin
John Cardwell…Adolphe Menjou
John Frost…Eugene Pallette
Mrs. Frost…Alice Brady
Michael Borodoff…Mischa Auer
Taxi Driver…Frank Jenks
Leopold Stokowski…Himself

MOVIE SYNOPSIS:
John Cardwell is an unemployed musician. After a concert conducted by Leopold Stokowski, he asks the conductor for a job in the orchestra, but he is turned down. Outside the concert hall, John finds a lost purse full of money. He immediately tries to find the owner, but without success. When he returns to his apartment, the Landlady demands the rent, so he pays her the money from the purse he found and tells her he has been hired by Stokowski. John’s daughter, Patsy overhears the conversation and is overjoyed that her father has a job with the orchestra, but John doesn’t tell her the truth. The next day John pretends to go to work. Patsy, without her father’s knowledge, goes to the concert hall to see him rehearse, and is bitterly disappointed when she learns that he has lied to her. She then takes the purse back to the owner, a wealthy woman named Mrs. Frost. Her husband is in the radio business, so Mrs. Frost agrees to sponsor Patsy’s father and his friends if an orchestra can be formed. Mrs. Frost goes on vacation, but forgets to tell her husband about the sponsorship. When Mr. Frost finds out he thinks the whole thing is a prank, but when he realizes the men are serious, he refuses to get involved unless they have a famous conductor. Patsy then asks Stokowski to do the conducting, but he is unable because he is leaving for Europe. While Patsy is alone in his office, she answers a phone call and unknowingly informs a newspaper reporter that Stokowski will conduct the orchestra of unemployed musicians. When the papers carry the story, Mr. Frost agrees to sponsor the orchestra. Stokowski still refuses to conduct, so Patsy sneaks the orchestra into his house. Stokowski is so pleased with their performance that he agrees to conduct the unemployed musicians. He also allows Patsy to sing at the concert and the whole event is a huge success.

It's Raining Sunbeams written by Sam Coslow & Frederick Hollander is the first song Patsy Cardwell (Deanna Durbin) sings in the movie much to the delight of John Cardwell (Adolphe Menjou) and Michael Borodoff (Mischa Auer).



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A Hearts That's Free written by Alfred Robyn & Thomas Railey is performed by Patsy at the home of Mrs. Frost (Alice Brady).



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The butler at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Frost is angry with Patsy after she breaks an expensive vase:

Patsy isn't happy with Mr. Frost (Eugene Pallette) who refuses to sponsor her orchestra of 100 men.



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Marshall (Jack Smart) the doorman would just love to spank Patsy for causing him so much trouble.



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After Patsy sings Alleluia from Mozart's EXSULTATE JUBILATE, she is told by taxi driver (Frank Jenks) that she will be a great singer someday:



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Libiamo Ne' Lieti Calici from Verdi's LA TRAVIATA is the ideal way for Patsy to celebrate the success of the 100 men.



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Deanna's songs for 100 MEN AND A GIRL were recorded by a new method originated by Stokowski. Because the necessary equipment was only available in Philadelphia, Deanna made the trip from Los Angeles to record her singing. In the Philadelphia Academy of Music, as Deanna stood with a score of microphones and 100 musicians around her, the little star knew she was well and truly in the spotlight. Deanna also knew that the recording experiment was costing Universal $5000 a day. She was aware that no one was really sure how the new multiple channel recording system would turn out. Knowing all that, Deanna bravely stepped up to the mass of microphones and sang her little heart out. After singing selections from Verdi and Mozart, the playback registered a perfect recording which showed that Deanna was equal to delivering her best performance even under such immense pressure. The new sound system devised by Stokowski presents music in three dimensions. The method uses a score or more microphones separated into eight sound channels, one of them carrying Deanna's voice and the rest bringing in individual sections of the orchestra. A total of 200,000 feet of songs and instrumental music were placed on the sound track of 100 MEN AND A GIRL.

The 100 musicians seen in the movie were Los Angeles based players doing "sideline" – seen, but not heard, miming to a pre-recorded soundtrack played by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Believe it or not, there was talk of 120 MEN AND A GIRL as the title!

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INTERESTING NOTE: When Deanna arrived in Philadelphia (25th March, 1937) on the Liberty Limited train, it wasn't without incident. At 8:00 am and travelling at 30 mph, the engine and four carriages left the tracks at Belmont Avenue near the corner of Girard Avenue. Deanna and the other 85 passengers weren't hurt.


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A game on the set of 100 MEN AND A GIRL almost resulted in Deanna's early death! She had been playing "catch" with a prop rubber vase between scenes, and was teasing one of the studio workers to catch her. Suddenly, she darted outside the huge sound stage door into the studio street and was struck down by a car whizzing by. Carried into the set, a quick examination revealed only a few bruises. Deanna was soon back at work after a short rest!!

This a photo of Deanna Durbin on the set of 100 MEN AND A GIRL with Henry Koster and Joe Pasternak:

Because Deanna Durbin was under 18 years of age, she had to do her school work between scenes.

MEMORABLE LINES:

Patsy says to Marshall, "You don't have to push me. I know the way. I've been thrown out of here before - and so has my father."

A photo of a scene ready for filming:

Deanna Durbin with Henry Koster during the production of 100 MEN AND A GIRL:

Deanna enjoyed working with Leopold Stokowski who was paid $80,000 by Universal for his services. Also, Paramount Pictures gave Stokowski a hard time because he decided to work for Universal Studios. He had an agreement with Paramount to be available to them for ten weeks a year for three years without working for any other studio. Stokowski argued that it was only a verbal agreement and consequently not binding.



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Here Henry Koster is directing Deanna Durbin while she examines the lost purse:

This is a photo of Henry Koster directing Deanna Durbin in the scene when the 100 unemployed muscians play for Leopold Stokowski at his house:

During the filming of 100 MEN AND A GIRL, Henry Koster was told by studio executives that he was three days behind schedule and that scenes would have to be cut. The studio wanted to cut the scene where Stokowski conducts the unemployed musicians at the top of the stairs in his home. The set would cost a massive $6000 to build and the executives felt the scene wasn't even necessary. Koster got very upset and told them that it was the main scene of the picture. It was a hard effort to convince the studio to leave the staircase scene in the picture, but with the help of Joe Pasternak, Koster finally got his way!

There's a funny story about the filming of the scene at the start of 100 MEN AND A GIRL when Leopold Stokowski walks down a corridor to his office and people are asking for his autograph. Henry Koster with his crew were following Stokowski with a dolly and rolling camera. The conductor stopped at a door marked "Orchestra" and opened it. There was nothing behind it, just a studio wall. Stokowski said, "Gentlemen, you were superb tonight and I want to thank you." And he closed the door and went on. Koster said, "Cut! Mr. Stokowski, there is nobody there, and there is no room there. All you have to do is walk straight through to your office." Stokowski said, " I never finish a concert and go home before I have thanked my musicians."



On another occasion, Koster told Stokowski that he wanted a close-up shot of him conducting the orchestra. The moment came, but Stokowski was still in his dressing room. After a number of failed attempts to get him onto the set, Koster himself went to get him only to discover the celebrated conductor polishing his shoes to an inch of their lives. Koster told Stokowski that his shoes would not be visible in the filming of the scene, but Stokowski said, "I want to be prepared for anything. Suppose you pan the camera down on my feet while I'm conducting?" Even though Koster reassured him that the shoes would not be filmed, believe it or not, Stokowski said, "But suppose you do?"

Deanna Durbin being coached by Henry Koster for a scene in 100 MEN AND A GIRL:

Deanna Durbin with her fellow cast members from 100 MEN AND A GIRL:

Deanna Durbin and Edith Heckman (sister) attending the premiere of 100 MEN AND A GIRL at the Pantages Theatre on September 10, 1937:



EYEWITNESS REPORT OF THE PRIEMIERE:

Since sunset the crowd had been gathering. Now it packed the sidewalks and overflowed into the street where the police, sweating in the hot blue-white glare of the arc lights, struggled to push fans back within the roped off bounds around the entrance to the playhouse. "Biggest crowd we've ever had at this theatre," one of the officers grunted as he heaved a bulging segment of the crowd back to the sidewalk, out of the way of limousines which were discharging passengers at the curb. In the lobby of the theatre, flashlights flared as celebrities of the screen arrived with their escorts. A murmur as each star made their way through the photographers to the microphone to say a few words to the radio audience. Inside the theatre, even celebrities awaited the arrival of the star of the film whose premiere they were attending. They remained in the foyer, refusing to be seated until their own curiosity had been satisfied. They were as eager to glimpse the star of the film as were the milling thousands of spectators outside the playhouse. And now a black sedan drives up to the curb before the theatre entrance. Even before the door is opened the crowd senses the arrival of the person of their interest. There's a roar of approval and shouting. "There she is!" they cry. "That's Deanna Durbin!" Thus, exactly one year after she started work on her first feature film, 15-year-old Deanna Durbin arrives for the premiere of 100 MEN AND A GIRL as a recognized star of the silver screen.

Deanna holds hands with her beloved sister at the premiere of 100 MEN AND A GIRL:

Japan judged 100 MEN AND A GIRL the best film of 1938-1939 and presented director Henry Koster with a wood cut inlaid with gold. The award may be called Japan's Academy Award.

After the filming of 100 MEN AND A GIRL, Stokowski presented Deanna with a full set of his recordings.

The Durbin & Stokowski Dream Team:

These are some of the mistakes found in ONE HUNDRED MEN AND A GIRL:

The mirror with pegs in the Cardwell apartment changes position from one scene to another.

When Stokowski is conducting the orchestra, the trombones too often push their slides out for a high note.

The position of Patsy's hands when she is crying on the bed.

When Stokowski is conducting the unemployed musicians in his home, the handkerchief in his coat pocket has a different number of folds from one camera shot to another.

The beginnings of a great movie:

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS:
Best Picture
Best Film Editing
Best Writing Original Story
Best Music Score
Best Sound Recording