Two weeks with sex

I'm getting close to the end of the movies that I recorded while Debbie Reynolds was TCM's Star of the Month back in March. This time, it's another of her supporting roles from early in her career: Two Weeks With Love.

As this was early in Reynolds' career, she was not yet the star here; that honor goes to Jane Powell. She plays Patti Robinson, eldest daughter in a middle-class family from the turn of the last century. The family goes up to the Catskills for a summer vacation at the same resort every year, and Patti, just having turned 17, is at the point where she wants to be treated like an adult and is none too pleased by having to go to this resort with her family. She's also irritated with other ways she's not treated like an adult, such as not yet being allowed to wear a corset. Dad (Louis Calhern) loves his family, but like a lot of fathers, doesn't quite know about teenage daughters, while Mom (Ann Harding) doesn't see Patti as an adult. Younger daughter Melba (Debbie Reynolds) is definitely not grown up, and there are two even younger brothers here for comic relief.

The Robinsons aren't the only people who go to the resort every summer at the same time, and the proprietor, Mr. Finlay (character actor Clinton Sundberg) knows all of them, while many of the guests, such as budding actress Valerie (Phyllis Kirk), a year or two older than Patti, looks forward to seeing Patti again. Meanwhile, Finlay's son Billy (Carleton Carpenter) is in the same position as Patti in that he's on the cusp of adulthood but his father won't treat him like a man yet. Billy has a thing for Patti, but she's not into him; instead, it's Melba who would like Billy.

There's one new guest at the resort: Cuban Demi Armendez (Ricardo Montalbán). He's apparently got enough name recognition, and is glamorous enough that any young woman would love to be approached by him. So it's no surprise that both Valerie and Patti express an interest in Demi. Patti, however, screws things up by tripping in the dining room and sending the contents of Billy's serving tray onto poor Demi! Demi forgives her though, and is willing to go with Patti for an ice cream soda, if only Mrs. Robinson weren't there to inform Patti that it's her bedtime. Valerie, of course, has no such curfew, and is there to pick up the pieces.

But Jane Powell is the star here, so we can expect that she's going to end up with Ricardo Montalbán in the final reel. However, it's going to take some twists and turns. Also, it's going to require both of the parents to come to their senses and realize their "little" girl is growing up. Likewise, you can expect Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter to end up together, especially when they sing the big hit "Abba Dabba Honeymoon".

Two Weeks with Love is an enjoyable piece of fluff, showing the sort of movie that the studio system could churn out and imbue with charm back in those days, and the sort of thing that I don't think could possibly be made today. Sure, it's all backlot stuff, and a latter-day version would look more realistic, but a version made today just wouldn't have the charm. So definitely catch Two Weeks with Love.