Young At Heart(1954)

Young at Heart (1954). Directed by Gordon Douglas. It was a remake of the 1938 film Four Daughters. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Gig Young, Ethel Barrymore, Alan Hale, Jr and Dorothy Malone and was the first of five films that Gordon Douglas directed with Frank Sinatra.

When Alex Burke a song-writer, meets the musically talented Tuttle family, all three daughters are charmed by him him. Laurie Tuttle and Alex seem to be the perfect match. They soon become engaged, that all changes when a friend of Alex's Barney Sloan, comes to the Tuttle home to help with some musical arrangements. That is when the trouble begins.

I thought this was a great film. The puppy scene with Laurie and Alex is very charming.

Loved the set of the Tuttles home. It really looked like a real street with gardens and picket fences and we see it change with the seasons. The the clam-bake on the beach scene, is also very well done scene.

Another scene that stood out for me was when, Barney stays in the background during the family birthday party, showing us that he was not comfortable with family life.

Fun Facts:
The film was untitled until Frank Sinatra's "Young at Heart" became a hit.

Feature film debut of Lonny Chapman.

Ethel Barrymore was very old and feeble during the filming and spent most of her time in a wheelchair. She was getting frail and had to conserve her energy for her onscreen performance. Frank Sinatra threw a surprise birthday party for her on the set.