Seven Sweethearts (1942) User Reviews

Cute obscure old movie

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 20 February 2018]

Reporter Van Heflin travels to a small town to write about their annual tulip festival, but as soon as he gets there, he's greeted with nothing but strangeness from the town's residents. First, the head honcho, S.Z. Sakall, sits in the middle of the square and plays the oboe, the local hotel is full of colorful characters, and S.Z's seven daughters all have boys' names!

Since all seven daughters are beautiful, Van has a difficult choice on his hands. The oldest, Marsha Hunt, and the youngest, Kathryn Grayson, are the highest contenders for his affections, and it isn't long before the audience finds out the reason for Marsha's heavy come-on. According to tradition, the oldest daughter has to get married before any of the others can-and S.Z.'s very old fashioned!

Most people probably aren't going to choose to sit down and watch this obscure old movie, but for the few of you out there who remember Kathryn Grayson and love listening to her beautiful voice, she's given plenty of songs to show it off. Her beautiful coloratura soprano voice shines, but if you don't like opera singing, this movie will probably drive you up the wall.

I'm the first to admit I don't usually like Van Heflin, and I usually get him confused with Van Johnson and Arthur Kennedy, but in this movie he's actually a lot more likable than he usually is! I've never seen him in a romantic comedy before, and when he smiles and jokes around, he doesn't seem as grumpy as he normally does. Kathryn is also very sweet and likable, so once again, if you're looking for a film of hers to watch-she didn't make too many unfortunately-you could do a lot worse than Seven Sweethearts.

One more compliment for this light-hearted B movie: S.Z. Sakall, usually cast as a laughable foreigner, was given the opportunity to actually act in this movie, and he did a very good job. As a father terribly attached to his daughters, when he learns they're considering marrying and leaving him, he gets very hurt. If you watch this movie, you'll find out how effective his pouts can be.

Oodles of Charm

[lrrap · 7/10 · 19 April 2013]

A wonderful film to sit back and simply ENJOY---no pretense, no attempts at greatness...just a chance to escape and enjoy the world as it was once-upon-a-time in Hollywood.

This despite a few references to WWII and even the term "goosestep" used in the lyrics to "You and the Waltz", sung by Kathryn Grayson and accompanied on the piano by Carl Esmond's character. And HEY---why were those five strapping young male suitors always hanging around the hotel, instead of off fighting the war?? But...as one reviewer said, this film was meant to take the viewer away from the overseas hostilities during the very dark and turbulent year of 1942.

I would agree that Miss Grayson's singing can be a distraction, but her light, rather quivery ("tremolo" as it's called in the film), somewhat shrill and brittle sound was the taste of the day....and she WAS in fact a very capable coloratura soprano. I wish she would have sung something other than the big "Mignon" aria at the Festival's concert scene...something more in tune with the film itself, more folksy and romantic. Loved the big outdoor Festival scene (the kind which MGM always did so well), the kitschy all-girl orchestra number as dinner music, and the singing of the moving hymn "We Gather Together" in the church; it's so refreshing and touching to see the sincerity of a scene like that appearing in a mainstream film of that bygone era.

SK Szakall is wonderful in this film; a first-rate, substantial performance, requiring lots of humor, split-second timing, and some very tender pathos. Marsha Hunt is stunningly gorgeous as always, even though her role requires that she play a pain-in-the-neck.

And where did the main pair of lovers decide to settle down? One would hope that they chose to stay right there in Tulip Town.

A delightful precursor to "Brigadoon", with certain similarities to "Seven Brides", both of which MGM would be hard at work on a decade later, during the sad decline of the Hollywood musical.

odd little film

[blanche-2 · 5/10 · 22 July 2006]

"Seven Sweethearts" is about a journalist who travels to Holland, Michigan to do a story about tulip time there and falls in love. The owner of the hotel has seven young, lovely daughters, all with men's names, who live in an isolated little world of clogs and tulips. One of them is pretty Billie (Kathryn Grayson) with whom the jaded reporter falls in love. All the girls, with the exception of the ambitious, cold Reggie (Marsha Hunt) have boyfriends and are aching to get married. But tradition states that the oldest girl must marry first.

This movie seemed very long to me, strange, and somewhat boring. It's filled with B actors, with the exception of Heflin, Grayson, and character actor S.K. Sakall, who hands in one of the best acting scenes toward the end of the film when he has a confrontation with Billie. Grayson had a thin, fluttery coloratura soprano that nevertheless possessed some beautiful high notes and pianissimos, and she entertains throughout with songs and arias such as "Je suis Titania." She's good in her role. Heflin seems out of place but is quite likable.

For those who don't know, the oldest girl marrying first was and perhaps still is a tradition in many cultures. The ending is cute, but this is still a cloying film, and it's hard to believe that this family had no relatives in Holland that they were concerned about during wartime. I suppose the idea was to take everyone out of the war for a while.

Making his way thru the tulips....

[dbdumonteil · 3 September 2009]

An American man from NYC arrives in a small town where Dutch people live.This is a very strange place to be ,predating Minnelli's "Brigadoon" .A place where time stood still:you do not pay when you are staying at the hotel,the girls all bear boys' name -cause dad wanted boys-and they can 't get married till the eldest does.By no means one of multi-talented Borzage's greatest achievements (most of them were behind him at the time),his movie retains freshness , a "Carpe Diem" spirit ,a good antidote to stress .My favorite scene takes place in the church.Good performances by the whole cast,particularly Van Heflin who learns to like another way of life.

Cute and pleasant but too much singing by Kathryn Grayson!!

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 18 October 2007]

This is one of those films that is best enjoyed by just turning off your brain and letting yourself get into the film despite a very silly and impossible plot. Considering the film has considerable charm (and Cuddles Sakal), I could do this quite easily--at least until Kathryn Grayson sang too many songs that it spoiled mood! While I am not a huge fan of musicals, this isn't exactly a musical as all the numbers are strictly Grayson singing in a very operatic style that you either love or hate--guess which category I fell into! The silly plot is about the fictional town of New Delph, Michigan--and I assume it's a thinly disguised version of Holland, Michigan, as this town is famous for their bulbs and Dutch heritage. The town is like a little piece of Holland transported to America, as the homes look very Dutch and they keep alive their heritage through cultural festivals.

Van Heflin is a reporter and arrives for the annual Tulip Festival. The first person he meets is the odd but very sweet Cuddle Sakal who runs the local hotel. The hotel is staffed by his seven daughters--all who have boys' names! And, of course, all are very beautiful and charming (with one exception). Van falls for the youngest one (Grayson) but the family tradition is that none of them can marry until the oldest marries (Marsha Hunt). Unfortunately, Hunt is a rather vain and obnoxious lady and Heflin is stuck because he wants to wed Grayson and break the very strong family tradition.

The whole contrived plot works because of the charming nature of the film. Sakal, as usual, is a cute and endearing character and the film is well-written (at least when it comes to dialog). About the only deficits are the silliness of the plot and the over-abundance of singing by Grayson. Without the singing, this film would have earned at least a 7!

A Pleasant Comedy

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 6 March 2022]

This wartime musical comedy is very charming, in part due to its unusual story line. Credit to director Frank Borzage and the writers for including many whimsical elements.

Songstress Kathryn Grayson plays the youngest daughter (Billie) of a Michigan family and carries the biggest load due to her vocalizing. When a New York photojournalist (Van Heflin as Henry Taggart) comes to their small town to cover the local tulip festival, he is caught off guard by the innkeeper's seven daughters, each a stunning beauty.

"Cuddles" Sakall is the father who runs his inn in an unconventional manner, but still clings to traditions. He is a lovable character with plenty of personality.

Though the story has its conflicts, it never feels heavy. This is a quirky film that is fun to watch.

Dutch Theme Park

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 1 December 2015]

Seven Sweethearts has Van Heflin as a news reporter sent on a puff assignment to cover the famous Tulip Festival in Delft, Michigan. Then as now Michigan has a large Dutch population, at the time it was represented in the US Senate by Arthur Vandenberg. But this particular town has turned into a veritable Dutch Theme Park.

All presided over by the local innkeeper S.Z. Sakall whose hotel staff includes his seven lovely daughters and Louise Beavers. All have some kind of talent, but Sakall wants to keep them near. The oldest daughter is Marsha Hunt and Sakall if he has to lose them wants them married off in descending order. He pushes Heflin and Hunt together who just wants to get out of Delft and go on the stage.

But Heflin has eyes for Kathryn Grayson. The plot premise is the same as in the Fred Astaire/Rita Hayworth classic You Were Never Lovelier being done the same year at Columbia. It's a much better film than Seven Sweethearts, having those two as leads and a Jerome Kern score give it an insurmountable boost over this film.

Not that Seven Sweethearts isn't bad. It's the kind of romantic tale that Frank Borzage loved and while this isn't one of his classics it's passable enough entertainment. Kathryn Grayson sings some nice melodies nothing special though. And Van Heflin is a favorite.

Seven Sweethearts is old fashioned, but still good entertainment.

Watchable (just)

[Philipp_Flersheim · 6/10 · 28 October 2021]

If I called 'Seven Sweethearts' not a bad little film I would be damning it with faint praise and that is not my intention. It is a nice film. It is slow and enjoyable, a pleasant fantasy for wartime with a happy ending for everyone. On the other hand: Kathryn Grayson is no Deanna Durbin, not by a long chalk. Her soprano is too thin for my taste; I could have done with less of her singing. Van Heflin tries too hard to be the tough newspaper man; as a result he comes across as distinctly unlikeable. Then again, S. Z. Sakall gives a convincing anxious father. On balance, there are more up- than downsides to this film - but only just.

No classic, but a lot of fun!

[silenceisgolden · 10/10 · 26 September 2002]

I just saw this movie a few days ago on TCM (Turner Classic Movies), and I was not disappointed. I wasn't expecting much so I was pleasantly surprised to come away from this film with a smile on my face. The acting was even good for the type of film it was, I have not been the biggest Van Heflin fan but he is actually very likeable in this film, so much so that I think I may be a fan of his now. ;-)

The stand-out performances came from Heflin, Hunt, and Sakall but Grayson was very cute, although I am not a fan of her singing it wasn't THAT bad this time. Although still a little too high and chirpy sounding for me.

I must praise Marsha Hunt though, she seems to be good in every film she's in, even when the role doesn't call for her to do much of anything. In this role she really gets to show a comedic side that I've never seen from her before, and it gave me even more respect for her. It's such a pity she didn't become a bigger star cause she had the beauty and the talent for it.

I recommend this film if you're in the mood for some light entertainment, Toots. ;-)

Another Country?

[B24 · 3/10 · 12 April 2006]

Yikes! Sixty-some years after first seeing this movie as a child, I remembered only how cool I thought the bed in the wall was. Now that TMC is recycling it, no other positive memory comes to mind. I regret in a way having to rate it so low, but this really is a very flaky production even for the desperate years in which it was made.

The first and most important fact to keep in mind if you have the good fortune to view it is that it is a turkey masquerading as a fantasy. It cries out for deconstruction. Giving boys' names to the seven eponymous knockout beauties is a Freudian howler. Especially when the gals are matched with an odd assortment of young male actors who had somehow avoided the draft long enough to appear on this 1942 set. And the real Holland, Michigan today is to a large extent a Spanish-speaking community that reflects how quickly times change in the real world -- not that it ever was in the first place anything close to what this film fantasy conjures up. Indeed, the image of tulips and windmills seems calculated to stand in stark relief to the reality that was the Netherlands under the Nazi heel in 1942, ironically demonstrating that the generally pro-German neutrality in that country and in the real Holland, Michigan during the years between WWI and WWII was a fool's paradise.

But enough of that. Baby-faced Van Heflin in his over-sized fedora playing the role of a hard-nosed photo-journalist seems in any event miscast. His best role would come a decade later in the movie Shane. And warbler Kathryn Grayson would later stand out in the classic 1951 movie version of Showboat.

Even as sheer entertainment in its own time, this film is unadulterated escapism, worthy of no more than a glance by film historians.

Smell the Tulips with Kathryn Grayson. Tulips Don't Smell! Who Cares!

[JLRMovieReviews · 10/10 · 19 June 2013]

The oldest daughter must marry first is the usual protocol in families. Who says so? Well father S.Z. Sakall does here. At least it's expected to happen that way. Marsha Hunt, as the oldest daughter, gives a very memorable performance as a diva who gets her way and thinks she's the center of attention and the Queen of Sheba. But when reporter and photographer Van Heflin comes to cover the tulip festival in this small Dutch community in Michigan, he falls for another daughter, played by the lovely Kathryn Grayson. And, what a voice. And, she sings some very creative and imaginative songs. There aren't a lot of well-known recognizable names or faces in this film, but it has fun, sweetness, and good music abound. I had never seen this before and was very pleased with it. Its cute and old-fashioned ways make the viewer feel good and more than make up for any flaws this film may have. I have no criticisms of it. This is a special place where time seems to stop and where there are no cares and when you think you're getting mad, you pull on your ear. (That usually works.) I could make a habit of watching this infectiously happy little film. You should too.

Curiosity Set in Holland--Michigan

[LeonardKniffel · 5/10 · 5 August 2020]

Tulips have no scent, Kathryn Grayson says in "Seven Sweethearts," and oddly enough neither does this film. Despite the charms of S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, Grayson's lovely voice, and Van Heflin's strangely cynical turn as a reporter who ends up in Holland, Michigan, during the tulip festival, the movie proves to be monotonous and predictable with little clever or witty dialogue coming to the rescue. Cute maybe. Great not all.

I helped restore a boat that the movie was being made on .

[Rwwood48 · 10/10 · 22 November 2008]

I helped restore a boat that Van Heflin,and Kathryn Grayson were on.The movie was made in Saugatuck,Michigan.This boat was named the "Karab" at the time.Was owned by Karl Irwin. In 60 yrs this boat has only had 4 owners ! It is listed as the third oldest boat still on the Great Lakes. The picture shows the movie crew on the boat,and the other sisters that were in the movie when it was docked at the "Badlands" hotel which burned down. This boat was a 1923 Defoe built in Bay City,Michigan. I looked for over a year to find the movie.Didn't know it was a musical. I had to get help from MGM to find out what type of movie it was. I have a poor quality of the movie,and the boat was not seen in the movie. I like good musicals with a good story line,and this was done just right.

Holland

[Aegleaphrodite · 8/10 · 9 November 2006]

This story was set in Delft, Michigan and oddly enough resembles the tulip time in Holland, Michigan, unlike what was previously written, there are a lot of dutch families in Holland; There is few Spanish families there. This movie is cute, it doesn't lack any informality of its time, it delights in the old ways of the dutch. The characters are genuine and the set is typical of its era, it has the quality of film noir. A delightful classic that should be appreciated. It is Not desensitized by propaganda films or shoved into a shelf with out consideration for shadow, camera angles, and well played out script.

Michigan is one of the few locales in which it is common . . .

[oscaralbert · 8/10 · 7 August 2020]

. . . for parents to pop out five, six or even seven daughters (with nary a son). The state's reproductive philosophy seems to be based upon the current Wolverine football coach's attitude toward the Buckeyes: Even after losing four or five in a row, you must try, try again. Though SEVEN SWEETHEARTS valiantly attempts to put a positive spin on its catastrophic plethora of skirts for one hapless dad, this film details how having so many wenches underfoot does NOT make for a happy household. If you can imagine filling your bathtub with half a dozen plus sharks, you can see why no such sorority dads would feel safe dipping so much as a toe into the roiled water. Families overrun with girls are NOT known for their serene sewing circles. In baseball it's "Three strikes and you're out." Why-not dads should take this Golden Rule to heart, or at least move to the so-called "Mitten State," since Misery loves company.

Fun with the Van Maaster girls: George, Albert, Peter, etc.

[SimonJack · 8/10 · 29 August 2021]

"Seven Sweethearts" is a very entertaining film. While only billed as a musical and romance, comedy raises it two notches on the entertainment scale. The comedy ranges from warm and humorous, to hilarious and wacky. The setting is the annual Tulip Festival in Little Delft, Michigan. That's identified as Nelis' Dutch Village in Holland, Michigan - the tulip capital of the U. S. None of it was filmed there, of course - but in MGM studios in California. But the sets, costumes and screenplay give a Dutch feel to the story.

Kathryn Grayson has the main lead, with Van Heflin opposite her. But six other females play prominently along with Grayson as daughters of Mr. Van Maaster who owns the hotel. S. Z. Sakall is the master of the hotel and dad who gave all of his girls male names. Each time Mrs. Van Maaster, now deceased, became pregnant, they expected a son so they picked out a male name. And, when each girl came along, they gave them that name anyway. That makes for a lot of confusion but wonderful humor when Heflin's Henry Taggart checks into the hotel on assignment to cover the tulip festival for a magazine.

Grayson is Billie Van Maaster, the youngest of the clan but a singer who leads their family band and performs for the festival. The other girls are Reggie, Victor, Albert, Peter, George and Cornelius. Marsha Hunt plays Reggie, the oldest and a snooty wannabe Broadway star. She is very good and very funny. All the rest of the girls have their young men friends and are anxious to get married. But they must wait on the family and ethnic tradition of the eldest daughter marrying first. Mr. Van Maaster first thinks that Taggart would be the man for his Reggie, but Taggart and Billie are drawn to one another. A couple other actors have significant roles that add to the humor and warmth of the story. Isobel Elsom is Miss Abagail Robbins, a 15-year resident of the hotel. And Carl Esmond is Carl Randall, a music composer who has written some songs for the family band and the festival.

Van Heflin is okay in this film, but comedy is not his forte. He made only one other comedy before and after this film. His is a role that Melvyn Douglas, Fred MacMurray or Franchot Tone would have added some spark to, and more humor.

Here are some favorite lines from this film.

Mr. Van Maaster, to the gang of his daughter's suitors, "Gentlemen, when a man says good night, he doesn't mean hello."

Reggie, "You flew here, father?" Mr. Van Maaster, "What's so unusual about that? Wasn't there a Dutchman before who did some flying?"

Reggie, "All right, I'll leave. And I'll make good, too." Mr. Van Maaster, "Of course you will. After all, an audience won't be full of papas who, who you can fool."

Miss Abagail Robbins, "I picked out a nice school. Efficient, hard work, strict regulations, and right across the street from the PCWO." Reggie, "PCWO --- what's that?" Miss Robbins, "Prudence Club for Women Only. I lived there once myself." Mr.. Vann Maaster, "Isn't she wonderful? She will really be a second mother to you." Miss Robbins, "I've been waiting for this a long time."

Mr. Van Maaster, "She will handle all your personal matters" Miss Robbins, "Money!" Mr. Maaster, "Study hours." Miss Robbins, "Other hours." Mr. Maaster, "Associations!" Miss Robbins, "Men!" Mr. Maaster, "She will always be with you." Miss Robbins, "Night and day." Carl Randall, "And the rest of the time, I'll be there." Reggie, "You?" Mr. Randall, "Yes."