"Men on Her Mind" (1944) is a PRC movie – and that alone should relegate it to the "Worst" basket. But, by the humble standards of PRC, it's actually not too bad. On the other hand, it's not all that good either. It's the sort of film that will just pass if you're really desperate for entertainment but you've watched all your other DVDs and there's nothing worth your attention on TV. And the film does have around five or six songs. I was looking forward to getting the details on IMDb, but no such luck. The vocalist, presumably Mary Beth Hughes herself, is very able indeed, and it's a pity to find such top-of-the-range singing incorporated in such a weak story – or rather stories, plural, for the movie is actually a portmanteau offering that is about four or five years ahead of its time when films such as Quartet, Trio and Encore became all the rage. In this one, neither the stories themselves nor the leading men (Alan Edwards, Ted North and Edward Norris) are particularly interesting. On the male side of the ledger, it's left to Luis Alberni (who could actually play the piano, even though director Wallace Fox seems to be happily unaware of this fact) to make the most impression! Available on a very good Alpha DVD.
4 Reviews
soap opera
dbborroughs21 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Successful singer looks back on her life as she tries to figure out which of her three fiancés to marry.
Good melodrama about the woman and the men in her life. In all honesty this is a good film but its not really my cup of tea, I was watching it only because the film was on a double feature DVD. I'm not one for films like this, I'm not really in to what is essentially a romantic soap opera. My reservations aside this is a well made and well acted B film about the choices one must make if one is trying to reach the top and one's dreams. If thee plot is something that interests you give it a shot, other wise stay away
Good melodrama about the woman and the men in her life. In all honesty this is a good film but its not really my cup of tea, I was watching it only because the film was on a double feature DVD. I'm not one for films like this, I'm not really in to what is essentially a romantic soap opera. My reservations aside this is a well made and well acted B film about the choices one must make if one is trying to reach the top and one's dreams. If thee plot is something that interests you give it a shot, other wise stay away
When She's Not With The Man She Loves She Loves The Man She's Near
boblipton19 March 2024
Mary Beth Hughes has just gotten a job singing on the radio. Her sponsor, wealthy Alan Edwards, wants to marry her. Up pop two other boyfriends, wealthy Edward Norris, and songwriter Ted North, both of whom want to know why she left. We then get her history, including why she bailed.
This soap opera, with a couple three songs sung by Miss Hughes, is a dull and stupid affair, with clumsily spoken dialogue. Given that all four performers have proven themselves capable of speaking convincingly, I blame screenwriter Raymond Shrock and director Wallace Fox, as well as the budgets from PRC, which undoubtedly made rehearsal a purely theoretical idea.
Some nasty thoughts should be reserved for the costume director, who insists on putting Miss Hughes in hideous hats. Whoever that is was smart enough not to take a screen credit.
This soap opera, with a couple three songs sung by Miss Hughes, is a dull and stupid affair, with clumsily spoken dialogue. Given that all four performers have proven themselves capable of speaking convincingly, I blame screenwriter Raymond Shrock and director Wallace Fox, as well as the budgets from PRC, which undoubtedly made rehearsal a purely theoretical idea.
Some nasty thoughts should be reserved for the costume director, who insists on putting Miss Hughes in hideous hats. Whoever that is was smart enough not to take a screen credit.
Mary Beth Hughes was beautiful
vilenciaproductions29 September 2020
I was lucky enough to find a beautiful 16mm reduction print of this flick starring beautiful Mary Beth Hughes, at her youngest - best! She was so easy on the eyes! Never stop enjoying this flick on the big screen! You might call it a 1944 "Click Flick" Told in flashback with her adventures with different men that of course all want her! (badly) One funny interesting segment when she is thumbing a ride and is picked up by a country bumpkin. I can't remember the actors name, but in the story he falls head or heels in love with her. The dinner with the family was typical of hillbilly white trash of that time, with the radio blasting country music. Her character Lily goes from one situation after another and of course each time some guy falls in love with her! Love these 1940's"B" movies! Best of all there are
no cell phones, computers, women with colored hair and tattoos all over their body! See it on film if you can? Luis Alberni was a good addition to any picture, he was good solid actor and had a long career in motion pictures, and it's always fun to see him show up in these "B" flicks. Claire McDowell who plays Mother Goodwin starting in pictures in 1908 through to 1945 with 375 films to her credit!
Another plus it's only 67 minutes in length and that's good! That's seven reels of 35mm film! I'm sure they lost the nitrate negative or let it rot in a storage unit in Hollywood.
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