Serenading For A Penny
The Backlot Film Series at The Heritage House continues their classic film series with a rare dramatic film from Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. 1941's classic Penny Serenade depicts the struggles of a loving couple who must overcome numerous obstacles to keep their marriage together and raise a child in the process.
As Julie (Dunne) prepares to leave her husband Roger (Grant), she begins to play through a stack of recordings, each of which reminds her of events in their lives together.
One of them is the song that was playing when she and Roger first met in a music store. Other songs remind her of their courtship, their marriage, their desire for a child, and the joys and sorrows that they have shared.
A flood of memories comes back to her as she ponders their present problems and how they arose.
Dunne often said that this was her favorite film because it reminded her of her own adopted daughter.
Grant, one of the cinema's greatest comedic actors, was only ever nominated twice for an Academy Award for Best Actor, in both instances for lesser-known dramatic roles. This was one of them.
The film screens on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Heritage House Arts & Civic Center on Jenkins Road.