Two Weeks with Love

Two Weeks with Love is a 1950 romantic musical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Roy Rowland and based on story by John Larkin, who co-wrote the screenplay with Dorothy Kingsley.

Two Weeks with Love
Film poster
Film poster
Directed byRoy Rowland
Written byJohn Larkin (story)
Dorothy Kingsley and
John Larkin (screenplay)
Produced byJack Cummings
StarringJane Powell
Ricardo Montalbán
Louis Calhern
Ann Harding
CinematographyAlfred Gilks
Edited byCotton Warburton
Music byGeorge Stoll
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
November 10, 1950
Running time
92 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,405,000
Box office$2,795,000 (distributor rentals)

Set in the early 20th century, the film focuses on the Robinson family. Patti (Jane Powell) and Melba (Debbie Reynolds), the daughters, are both accomplished in the performing arts, while the Robinson boys love fireworks and mischief. Mrs. Robinson (Ann Harding) is charming and very wise in the ways of young love. The Robinson family leaves their home in New York City to stay at "Kissimmee in the Catskills," a resort hotel in upstate New York, where love strikes both of the Robinson daughters.

Plot

The Robinson family is at the Stanley House Hotel, located in "Kissamee-in-the-Catskills", a resort town, for their annual two-week vacation. The resort owner's son, Billy, is enamored with Patti, who declines all of his invitations, considering him too young at 16 since she has just turned 17. Younger sister Melba is interested in Billy, but he is determined to chase after Patti.

Patti and her friend Valerie, a slightly older actress, compete for the attention of Demi, a handsome Cuban newly arrived at the resort. Valerie gives Patti poor advice on dealing with men and frequently points out that Patti is still a child.

Mr. Robinson overhears Billy and Patti complaining: Billy, because his father refuses to let him wear long pants, and Patti, because her mother refuses to let her wear a corset. Despite his wife's objections, Mr. Robinson buys a corset for Patti, inadvertently selecting a Surgical Corset (Back-brace corset) which has steel bone corsetry stays that lock up when the wearer bends too far.

At the variety show, Valerie convinces the resort owner to cut Patti from the show, but when Valerie cannot find her dancing shoes, she refuses to perform and Patti takes her place in a dance with Demi. During the dance, Patti's corset locks up and she is carried from the stage.

Mrs. Robinson releases Patti from the corset and promises to buy her a proper corset the next day. Demi receives permission from Patti's parents to call on her when they return to the city.

Cast

Musical numbers
Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter singing "Aba Daba Honeymoon"

Reception

Estimates by Variety estimated the film would bring in $2,400,000 in distributor rentals, based on 1950 rentals (share of gross box office to the distributor) between its November 10 release and December 31 year end.[1] Final data, from MGM, records the film made them $1,695,000 in the US and Canada and $1,100,000 elsewhere, for a total of $2,795,000 in distributor rentals, resulting in a profit of $199,000.[2]

When the 1914 song "Aba Daba Honeymoon" became a huge hit after the release of this film, MGM sent Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter on a multicity personal appearance tour of Loews theaters to capitalize on its success, beginning at the Oriental Theater in Chicago.[3]

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Soundtrack album
Two Weeks With Love
Soundtrack album by
Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Carpenter, George Stoll and the M-G-M Studio Orchestra
Released1950
Genre
LabelMGM Records

Two Weeks with Love, the soundtrack album to this film, was issued in a 10-inch LP format on MGM Records catalog E-530. All tracks are backed by the M-G-M Studio Orchestra under the direction of Georgie Stoll.[5]

Track listing

Side one
  1. "A Heart That's Free" (Robyn - Railey) – performed by Jane Powell
  2. "Row, Row, Row" (Monaco - Jerome) – performed by Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter
  3. "Oceana Roll" (Denni - Lewis) – performed by Jane Powell

Side two
  1. "By The Light Of The Silvery Moon" (Edwards - Madden) – performed by Jane Powell
  2. "Aba Daba Honeymoon" (Donovan - Fields) – performed by Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter
  3. "My Hero" (Straus - Stange) – performed by Jane Powell

Comic book adaption

References
  1. "Top Grosses of 1950". Variety. January 3, 1951. p. 58.
  2. The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  3. Reynolds, Debbie (2013). Unsinkable: A Memoir. HarperCollins Publishers. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-06-221365-5.
  4. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  5. Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Carpenter, George Stoll (1950). Two Weeks With Love. MGM Records. E-530.
  6. "Movie Love #6". Grand Comics Database.
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