TCM Movie: Lady on a Train (1945)

Deanna Durbin was the classical vocalist in the 1936 MGM short "Every Sunday" to Judy Garland's jazzier stylings. Whether it was Louis B. Mayer or Laemmle, who saw the short and compelled to hire Garland, MGM got the triple force actress and Universal took Durbin under their wing. Immediately, the classically trained singer was given the lead in "Three Smart Girls" (1936) which made her an immediate star. 

By the early '40s, Deanna was in her '20s and clearly growing out the bouncy teenager trope that made her so popular with pre-WW2 audiences. Paramount writer Leslie Charteris started a writing a screenplay after his honeymoon with actress Audrey Long that would end up diversifying Durbin's image. Producer Felix Jackson made this "Lady on a Train" a part of a two-film deal along with "Christmas Holiday" (1944). Donald Cook, Robert Paige, and Franchot Tone were considered to be the leading man, but David Bruce, who had already played supporting roles in Durbin's last two films, was chosen instead. While there was some exterior shots done on the New York subway in November 1944, filming was pushed back until January 17, 1945.

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times was not impressed. "The sooner Deanna Durbin and her producers realize that she is not a dramatic actre nor even a fair farceuse, the sooner we'll all be spared the bother of such embarrassments as "Lady on a Train." And embarrassment is just the word for it, for this picture [...] exhibits the little lady falling flat on her histrionic face. True, the yarn which Universal concocted for this display would not render even Ginger Rogers sufficient theatrical support, so we can't altogether blame Miss Durbin for the unholy show that she makes. It's an empty and careless little fable, intended to be a mystery farce, about the wholly incredible mix-up of a debutante in a murder plot."

"Lady on a Train" will be on TCM on Sunday, December 15th 11:00 am CST/12:00 pm EST