Main Cast: Bing Crosby, Jane Wyman, Ethel Barrymore, Robert Arthur, Natalie Wood
Release Year: 1952
Country: US
Run Time: 104 minutes
Plot
Just for You is based very loosely on Stephen Vincent Benet's Famous. Widowed Broadway producer Jordan Blake (Bing Crosby) is too busy with work to pay much attention to his teenaged kids Jerry (Robert Arthur) and Barbara (Natalie Wood). One thing he hasn't noticed is that Jerry isn't really a kid any more. This point is driven home when Jerry develops a crush on Blake's latest leading lady--and erstwhile sweetheart--Carolina Hill (Jane Wyman). Only Allida de Bronkhart (Ethel Barrymore), owner of the girl's school attended by Barbara, is wise enough to figure out a satisfactory solution to everyone's dilemmas. Capitalizing on their previous successful musical teaming in Here Comes the Groom, Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman perform several sprightly tunes, both solo and in tandem. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Although hardly a classic, Just for You is an engaging little song-and-dancer that will please fans of stars Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman, as well as musical film aficionados looking for something slightly off the beaten path. Those who want a musical in which the songs are crucial to the plot, though, will be disappointed. A backstager, the songs are mostly respites; when they are used to further the plot, it's still in a performance setting in which the song that's being sung is secondary to the fact that ANY song is being sung. But with Crosby and Wyman handling the lion's share of the songs, they're certainly well done. Harry Warren and Leo Robin's score is sprightly and entertaining, if less than top notch, and "Zing a Little Zong" still gets some nods of recognition even today. The screenplay is rather perfunctory, although it at least brings up the issue of Crosby's character's failures as a father; for the most part, the scenes work and do their job, but without having any real dramatic impact. Aside from the stars, there's also Ethel Barrymore in one of her typical scene stealing performances, and fine work from Natalie Wood and Robert Arthur. The cast and musical numbers, along with the yummy color photography and nifty costumes, keep Just for You afloat and worth a viewing. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Roland Anderson - Art Director, Hal Pereira - Art Director, Helen Tamiris - Choreography, Edith Head - Costume Designer, Elliott Nugent - Director, Doane Harrison - Editor, Harry Warren - Composer (Music Score), Emil Newman - Musical Direction/Supervision, George Barnes - Cinematographer, Pat Duggan - Producer, Ray Moyer - Set Designer, Sam Comer - Set Designer, Robert Carson - Screenwriter, Stephen Vincent Benét - Book Author
