April Love

This is the type of picture I still love.I saw this at the pictures when it came out in West London in 1957 and again fell in love with Shirley Jones. I loved this type of film, wonderful music as usual from the Fox studio,no violence. I just bought the DVD from Amazon and really enjoyed it. I would love to know if the houses uses in this picture and the track still exist. I would take this film with me when Icheck out to that great race track in the sky. Thank you residents of Kentucky for your input here especially about the trainer getting the job. I do hope that somebody reads this and thanks everybody there for the contribution to this picture.

Beautiful landscapes, good music, lovely couple, wonderful horses, nice love story and a bit of secrecy make this movie a pleasure to watch. The story about a boy (nice Pat Boone) coming to his uncles' farm quitting conflicts with law (movie's only flaw: Pat Boone does not convince as a juvenile delinquent. But soon forgotten: it works as a mere excuse for him going to the country) where he becomes a man training a racing horse and falling in love with neighbour (Shirley Jones) is both appealing and entertaining. A new version of Winston Miller novel already filmed back in 1944 entitled Home in Indiana. Both are nice. This one, more sweetened has lovely songs added, spectacular technicolor landscapes of Kentucky and a more sophisticated mise-en-scène, including a refreshing amusement park scene. Delightful entertaining especially for a summer afternoon.

Having ran across this film on the Fox movie channel on a lazy Friday afternoon, I can think of no better way to spend a lazy Friday evening then putting in my two cents worth. Especially when you consider the lack of user comments on it. Doesn't every movie, good or bad deserve more than four comments? And this movie isn't bad at all.

The first thing to keep in mind when watching a film like April Love is to remember the era from which it came, in this case the late fifties. Films were pretty much a happy medium back then. The cinemas were devoid of tragedy while the screens were filled with wide screen Technicolor films in order to pry people away from the gray glare of the evil medium in a box called television. I don't know how many people were pried away from the boob tube to see this one, but it managed to capture my attention for 97 minutes.

Teen Idol Pat Boone plays Nick Conover, a young teen sent to live with his Aunt Henrietta (Jeanette Nolan) and Uncle Jed (Arthur O'Connell) out in the country after being put on probation for stealing a car. It seems that his Aunt and Uncle have lost their own son (Jed Jr.)so Uncle Jed seems has lost his zest for living. Aunt Henrietta is hoping that Nick being on the farm will somehow bring Jed out of his doldrums. Story lines like this being what they are, Jed and Nick don't really care for each other too much of course. Nick then proceeds to meet up with the neighbors, Fran (Dolores Michaels)and Liz (Shirley Jones)Templeton. Immediately Nick develops a crush on Fran, and of course I don't have to tell you that Liz develops a crush on Nick. Then there's the matter of Uncle Jed's horse, a trotter who has turned wild and won't let anyone handle him since the death of Jed Jr. You could probably fill in everything that happens from that point on your own, seeing as how there are no real surprises. Doesn't matter though, you'll enjoy yourself anyway.

Once you get over the image of squeaky clean Pat Boone, as a supposedly bad boy, you'll have no trouble with the rest of the film. Considering that, Boone does turn in a surprisingly good performance as Nick. Certainly the role doesn't require much depth, but still it's a nicely done job when you would least expect it. As Jed, Arthur O'Connell is the perfect choice for the role. In the early going, he is unreachable and cold, but as he slowly warms up to Nick, we see that he's really a pretty good guy. Jeannette Nolan is a lot of fun as Henrietta, who is constantly playing the part of mediator between Jed and Nick. Shirley Jones takes a break from Rodgers And Hammerstein and gets a few opportunities to grace us with her singing talents. As Liz, she's gorgeous to look at, great to listen to, and quite funny at times. Dolores Michaels as Fran, who is a bit more on the wild side, is equally entertaining.

The best thing about April Love, is that there is not a true mean conniving character of any sort on the screen. Not one true villain in the whole thing. Everybody is so darn likable you can't help but enjoy the film. I truthfully find it quite refreshing, sort of like putting your troubles behind you and enjoying a summer picnic with friends. Think of it as the old Andy Griffith show with musical numbers, a little more plot, and wide screen Technicolor. The songs are a mixed bag, with the title song April Love being the best of them. Another thing I really liked is that they didn't fall back on using blue screen backdrops during the horse racing sequences, and they quite a bit more entertaining and exciting because of it. As a matter of fact, you'll find the whole film beautifully photographed and it was nice to see they didn't skimp in that department. The chemistry between Jones and Boone is good. Best of all is how the dislike between Nick and Jed is portrayed as each try in some way to gain the others respect.

This movie will never be confused with great cinema. Yet, sometimes instead of going to Disneyland, one just needs a nice outing in the park, and that's what April Love is.

My Grade: B+

It was hard to avoid hearing April Love during 1957, it was number one on the charts for a bit. With every minute that Pat Boone sang this song on the radio it was just free advertising for the film that this was the title song for.

Pat plays a kid from Chicago who's been sent out to his uncle and aunt's farm while he sits out a bit of juvenile joy riding in a stolen car for which he's gotten probation and a suspended license. After a bit of trouble he proves useful around the farm and makes the acquaintance of neighbor sisters Dolores Michaels and Shirley Jones. They both kind of like Pat, but it's Jones he makes the music with.

Besides April Love Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster wrote a bunch of other songs for Pat and Shirley to sing. Nothing anywhere near as memorable as the title song. It got the only Oscar recognition for April Love, a nomination for Best Original Song. It however lost to All The Way in 1957.

What Pat also does is take up harness racing the way Lon McCallister did in Home In Indiana for which April Love is a remake. A sore subject in the house as O'Connell and Nolan lost their own son and this was his thing.

April Love holds up well after 60 years. As I write this it's one of the few films of the era where both leading man and woman are still with us. Doubt it will be remade though, you don't get singers like Pat Boone and Shirley Jones any more.

I have seen this film dozens of times ever since it was released when I was a kid. Of course I was, and still am a Pat Boone fan and I also like Shirley Jones. What you get is two very wholesome, attractive young people in a delightfully happy story which rekindles memories of an age of innocence and respect. Maybe that is why it is so refreshing in the 21st century The tunes especially the title track were recorded when Boone's voice was at its best. It is no major drama but the characters are likable and believable and its charm is in it's feel-good factor. I have met Pat Boone and he is a genuinely nice guy on and off the screen. This movie is one which will always rekindle fond memories.And for that, I will always be grateful.