When Mona Freeman was given a chance to expand her range on "That Brennan Girl" she jumped at the chance. In the Adela Rogers St. John story she was required to age from 11 to 25 but critics weren't impressed and felt her performance didn't rise to the weighty story. The truth was she looked too young and that seemed to be why her career never got off the ground. Her first part was going to be as Barbara Stanwyck's step daughter in "Double Indemnity" but she was replaced as she photographed like a young teen, another part that was taken from her was as Elizabeth Taylor's older sister in "National Velvet", she was thought to look younger than Taylor so Angela Lansbury replaced her.
If Freeman looked too young - she makes poor James Dunn look ancient!! With his weather beaten face (courtesy of too much alcohol) he looked just too old and careworn to be playing a hot shot con man full of big ideas! He didn't win an Academy Award for nothing (although it did nothing to boost his career) and he really comes into his own and gives out some Irish charm in the scenes with his mother.
This film is a showcase for Mona and from the time she is introduced as her mother's sister she becomes an eager pupil for her mother's creed - which is "don't let your looks go to waste, take men for everything you can get and you can never start too young"!!! After being expelled from school she is plunged into Natalie's world and catches the eye of fast talking Denny (Dunn) who gives her a job convincing customers (usually older, well heeled ones) that when moving house they simply must use "Denny's Removalists" - and that is usually the last people see of their precious possessions!!
When Ziggy meets naval officer, Martin Neilson, she falls for his obvious sincerity but when she finds herself a war widow with a baby it is all too easy to slip back into club life. This movie has more plots than a "soapie" and you just know things are not going to be good when the young high school girl (Shirley Mills) that Ziggy has hired is keener to go riding with the boys than stay put looking after the baby. The juvenile authorities are alerted and suddenly Ziggy is up before a judge on a suspended sentence and the baby is in care!!
It was a big stretch to have beautiful June Duprez (for whom Technicolor seemed to be made ie "The Four Feathers", "The Thief of Bagdad" etc) and who was only 8 years older than Mona Freeman having to play her mother!! She pulled it off though, looking like a big sister in the first scenes but later looking much older as her playgirl lifestyle catches up with her. She was British but quickly went to Hollywood to cash in on her fame and as the British equivalent to Maria Montez but unfortunately her agent asked for too high a salary and she found herself almost unemployable.
If Freeman looked too young - she makes poor James Dunn look ancient!! With his weather beaten face (courtesy of too much alcohol) he looked just too old and careworn to be playing a hot shot con man full of big ideas! He didn't win an Academy Award for nothing (although it did nothing to boost his career) and he really comes into his own and gives out some Irish charm in the scenes with his mother.
This film is a showcase for Mona and from the time she is introduced as her mother's sister she becomes an eager pupil for her mother's creed - which is "don't let your looks go to waste, take men for everything you can get and you can never start too young"!!! After being expelled from school she is plunged into Natalie's world and catches the eye of fast talking Denny (Dunn) who gives her a job convincing customers (usually older, well heeled ones) that when moving house they simply must use "Denny's Removalists" - and that is usually the last people see of their precious possessions!!
When Ziggy meets naval officer, Martin Neilson, she falls for his obvious sincerity but when she finds herself a war widow with a baby it is all too easy to slip back into club life. This movie has more plots than a "soapie" and you just know things are not going to be good when the young high school girl (Shirley Mills) that Ziggy has hired is keener to go riding with the boys than stay put looking after the baby. The juvenile authorities are alerted and suddenly Ziggy is up before a judge on a suspended sentence and the baby is in care!!
It was a big stretch to have beautiful June Duprez (for whom Technicolor seemed to be made ie "The Four Feathers", "The Thief of Bagdad" etc) and who was only 8 years older than Mona Freeman having to play her mother!! She pulled it off though, looking like a big sister in the first scenes but later looking much older as her playgirl lifestyle catches up with her. She was British but quickly went to Hollywood to cash in on her fame and as the British equivalent to Maria Montez but unfortunately her agent asked for too high a salary and she found herself almost unemployable.