Nessieldwi Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Mandeep Tyson The acting in this movie is really good.

SimonJack Most people in the 21st century who watch Cary Grant movies no doubt think of him as a comedy actor. And, they would be right - he is one of the best actors in sound comedy films through the 1950s. And one of the best all time movie entertainers for that reason. But, before Grant was making the movies that most people remember him for, he also was making some serious films. And this is one of them. "Penny Serenade" of 1941 earned Grant his first of two Oscar nominations. This is a film about romance, sacrifice, family and love. And yet, Grant's Roger Adams infuses humor into the role. It's not the witty dialog or wisecracking that he's so good at, along with comedy antics. Rather here, it's a warm humor of stumbling on furniture, dropping things in the dark, and bumping into doors as he and wife, Julie, care for their newly adopted baby. The film has tragedy as well, and runs the gamut of emotions as Roger and Julie cope and try to make a living. Irene Dunne has top billing for this film, and her superb performance compliments and reinforces Grant's role. Grant makes an impassioned plea to a judge for the couple to be able to keep their adopted daughter. I can't think of a more emotional a scene in any dramatic film. It shows the range of Grant's abilities as an actor. This is a great movie about children, love and family. It matches two of the best stars of the time in a serious film after their successful comedy pairings of 1937 ("The Awful Truth") and 1940 ("My Favorite Wife"). Two very good supporting performers give great roles as well. Beulah Bondi is Miss Oliver who helps the couple adopt a baby. And, Edgar Buchanan is Roger's pressman who also is bitten by the bug of a child around the place. This is good entertainment for the whole family. Parents might use it to educate their children about adoption.Here are some favorite lines from this film. For more dialog see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie. Roger Adams, "But we don't know anything about such little babies." Miss Oliver, chuckling, "Well, no one does until they have them."Roger Adams, "She's yours, dear. Ours, now and forever. Nothing can ever take her from us now."Julie Adams, "Dinner in my own home, and I didn't have to cook it."Trina, "Gee, I don't know what people'd do without Christmas." Julie Adams, "I don't know what we'd do without you, honey."

moonspinner55 Cary Grant and Irene Dunne as a married couple with regrets who tearfully plan to part; the wife's recollections of their union (via her phonograph records!) tell the story: they were childless after lucking into the adoption of a six-week-old baby girl, whose health suddenly grows worse in her formative years. Producer-director George Stevens smoothly steers this star-vehicle from light comedy to tragedy without hitting so much as a bump. The comfortable leads obviously do a lot to make the scenario an involving one, though Morrie Ryskind's script, from an original story by Martha Cheavens, is little more than a novelette. Grant received an Oscar nomination for his work; while Dunne works the audience over with sentiment--with faraway eyes and a faraway voice--Grant's honest, forthright husband connects with the audience in a more direct way. His reluctance to take on an infant--a girl even!--has to be nimbly handled so that this character doesn't come off cold or stubborn. Dunne has a standout bit trying to change the baby's diaper with a crowd watching (it's a funny/emotional scene many new mothers may recognize), but Grant's portrait of the 'ordinary man' with money worries and job troubles becomes the focal point of the picture. With Beulah Bondi as the adoption agent (she's directed to glow with grandmotherly warmth and yet look upon this couple with skepticism, often in the same scene) and Edgar Buchanan, who uses his humorous brand of cracker-barrel wisdom to get through a baby-bath. **1/2 from ****

atlasmb "Penny Serenade" reviews the history of a relationship as told in flashbacks remembered by the wife (Irene Dunne). She is weighing the good and bad times, prompted by music that was part of their history, deciding if she can remain with her husband (Cary Grant).The repeated references to phonograph records might sound tiresome, and some of the scenes can be overly sentimental, but the final product is still a film worth seeing. Dunne displays every emotion possible and Cary Grant turns in what may be the best acing of his career. If you ever doubted his abilities as an actor, watch the scene where he pleads for custody of the child they wish to adopt. No wonder his performance received an Oscar nomination.Edgar Buchanan is terrific as the gruff family friend who is reliable and caring. Beulah Bondi plays Miss Oliver, the adoption agency worker who finds herself emotionally involved with their case.If this film is a weeper, it nevertheless deserves consideration as a fine film.

Howlin Wolf Grant and Dunne give terrific performances, but the film is VERY selective about the events it shows versus the events it leaves out... Perhaps that is the point; to show us that when our memories are tied too closely to music, they end up something of a muddled mess... The script spends ages on silly sequences with creaking staircases and a baby being given a bath (much as I loved the character of Applejack, the scene doesn't need to go on so long to show the audience that he is a more 'instinctive' parent than either one of our main couple prove to be... ) and yet, the most meaty plot development - the death of a child - is handled IN A LETTER?! Perhaps the Hayes Code couldn't be too graphic, but surely there are more poignant ways of communicating such a tragedy? It's the same with the resolution, too - they are broken up by the loss until they get the offer of a second child... and then the movie acts as though this is the fix that cures everything!! We've invested our time in a kid you're prepared to forget about as soon as another one comes along; another one that we DON'T EVEN GET TO SEE! Pick a tone and stick with it; it's by turns both screwball and tragic - and it does neither one of them very well. There're a lot of good scenes played well by the main couple, but these little snapshots don't all blend well into a satisfyingly cohesive, whole movie.