Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

This Is the Life

  • 19441944
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
56
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Louise Allbritton, Susanna Foster, Patric Knowles, Donald O'Connor, and Peggy Ryan in This Is the Life (1944)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Music
18-year-old Angela, reared in a New England town by her Aunt Betsy, receives an inheritance which she uses to go to New York, ostensibly for voice training, but she is pursuing the object of... Read all18-year-old Angela, reared in a New England town by her Aunt Betsy, receives an inheritance which she uses to go to New York, ostensibly for voice training, but she is pursuing the object of her infatuation, Army surgeon Major Hilary Jarret. Her departure depresses her childhood ... Read all18-year-old Angela, reared in a New England town by her Aunt Betsy, receives an inheritance which she uses to go to New York, ostensibly for voice training, but she is pursuing the object of her infatuation, Army surgeon Major Hilary Jarret. Her departure depresses her childhood friend Jimmy Plum. Dr. Plum devises an errand that sends his lovesick son to New York, whe... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
56
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Felix E. Feist
  • Writers
    • Sinclair Lewis(play: Agatha is 22)
    • Fay Wray(play: Agatha is 22)
    • Wanda Tuchock(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Donald O'Connor
    • Susanna Foster
    • Peggy Ryan
Top credits
  • Director
    • Felix E. Feist
  • Writers
    • Sinclair Lewis(play: Agatha is 22)
    • Fay Wray(play: Agatha is 22)
    • Wanda Tuchock(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Donald O'Connor
    • Susanna Foster
    • Peggy Ryan
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Susanna Foster, Patric Knowles, and Donald O'Connor in This Is the Life (1944)
    Louise Allbritton, Patric Knowles, and Donald O'Connor in This Is the Life (1944)
    This Is the Life (1944)
    Bobby Brooks, Judy Clark, Susanna Foster, Donald O'Connor, Sally Payne, Eddie Quillan, and Peggy Ryan in This Is the Life (1944)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Donald O'Connor
    Donald O'Connor
    • Jimmy Plumas Jimmy Plum
    Susanna Foster
    Susanna Foster
    • Angela Rutherfordas Angela Rutherford
    Peggy Ryan
    Peggy Ryan
    • Sally McGuireas Sally McGuire
    Louise Allbritton
    Louise Allbritton
    • Harriet West Jarrettas Harriet West Jarrett
    Patric Knowles
    Patric Knowles
    • Maj. Hilary Jarretas Maj. Hilary Jarret
    Dorothy Peterson
    Dorothy Peterson
    • Aunt Betsyas Aunt Betsy
    Jonathan Hale
    Jonathan Hale
    • Dr. Plumas Dr. Plum
    Eddie Quillan
    Eddie Quillan
    • Gusas Gus
    Frank Jenks
    Frank Jenks
    • Eddieas Eddie
    Frank Puglia
    Frank Puglia
    • Music Teacheras Music Teacher
    Maurice Marsac
    Maurice Marsac
    • Leonas Leon
    Virginia Brissac
    Virginia Brissac
    • Mrs. Tiggettas Mrs. Tiggett
    Ray Eberle
    • Orchestra Leaderas Orchestra Leader
    • (as Ray Eberle and His Orchestra)
    Ray Eberle's Orchestra
    • Ray Eberle Orchestraas Ray Eberle Orchestra
    Bobby Brooks
    • Bobby Brooksas Bobby Brooks
    Bobby Brooks Quartet
    • Quartetas Quartet
    Ben Carter
    Ben Carter
    • Ben Carteras Ben Carter
    Joel Allen
    • Army Sergeantas Army Sergeant
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Felix E. Feist
    • Writers
      • Sinclair Lewis(play: Agatha is 22)
      • Fay Wray(play: Agatha is 22)
      • Wanda Tuchock(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    Chip Off the Old Block
    6.9
    Chip Off the Old Block
    Get Hep to Love
    6.7
    Get Hep to Love
    Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
    6.2
    Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
    Mister Big
    7.8
    Mister Big
    It Comes Up Love
    6.7
    It Comes Up Love
    Follow the Boys
    5.9
    Follow the Boys
    Bowery to Broadway
    7.2
    Bowery to Broadway
    Give Out, Sisters
    7.0
    Give Out, Sisters
    Walking My Baby Back Home
    6.1
    Walking My Baby Back Home
    Pardon My Rhythm
    6.4
    Pardon My Rhythm
    Private Buckaroo
    5.8
    Private Buckaroo
    Yes Sir, That's My Baby
    7.1
    Yes Sir, That's My Baby

    Storyline

    Edit
    18-year-old Angela, reared in a New England town by her Aunt Betsy, receives an inheritance which she uses to go to New York, ostensibly for voice training, but she is pursuing the object of her infatuation, Army surgeon Major Hilary Jarret. Her departure depresses her childhood friend Jimmy Plum. Dr. Plum devises an errand that sends his lovesick son to New York, where he discovers that Angela thinks she's Jarret's fiancée. Jimmy also renews acquaintances with a group of show people, including Sally McGuire, who attempts to console him. Jimmy meets Jarret's divorced wife, famed photographer Harriet. Jimmy engineers a meeting of Jarret and Harriet with Angela present, which forms the beginning of an understanding that Jarret is not for her. Jimmy is inducted into the Army. —Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
    • photographer
    • voice training
    • surgeon
    • aunt
    • inheritance
    • 46 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • YEAH! That "Top Man" threesome is glee-some again! in Leap Year's leapin'est love meet" (original poster)
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Music
    • Certificate
      • Approved
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was offered to but rejected by Deanna Durbin before Foster was cast.
    • Quotes

      Sally McGuire: Hello, glamour boy.

      Jimmy Plum: Hello Sally.

      Sally McGuire: What's dragging you down?

      Jimmy Plum: Well, I was out with my girlfriend and her boyfriend and we bumped into his wife and she said...

      Sally McGuire: Wait a minute. Say that again and say it slower.

    • Connections
      Featured in Frances Farmer Presents: This is the Life (1958)
    • Soundtracks
      L'amour, toujours, l'amour
      (uncredited)

      Music by Rudolf Friml

      Lyrics by Catherine Chisholm Cushing

      Sung by Susanna Foster

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    This Is the Life was a partly amusing and entertaining enough musical starring Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan
    Even though they made lots of musical comedies for Universal during World War II, this is the last of the Donald O'Connor-Peggy Ryan movies I'm reviewing on this site since the studio blocked many of the others from being uploaded on YouTube. As in many of them, Peggy has a torch for Donald but he has it for someone else, here being Susanna Foster. She in turn, has the hots for a medical Major (Patrick Knowles) who ends up being turned down for another service round because he's no longer physically able enough. Then there's his former wife (Louise Albritton) who's an independent photographer to deal with. But never mind all that and just enjoy Donald and Peggy in their dances and songs and even Ms. Foster when doing her operatic numbers. There's also a handsome young male singer (Ray Eberle) singing "All or Nothing at All" and an African-American quartet (Bobby Brooks Quartet) warbling a song in falsetto with one of them then talking in baritone! So on that note, This Is the Life was a very enjoyable B-musical for the era. P.S. Jonathan Hale, playing O'Connor's father, was in between playing Mr. Dithers from what was originally supposed to be the final entry of the Blondie movie series-Footlight Glamour-to the new beginning one of a year later called Leave It to Blondie. And I just watched again on YT, Peggy's number-"Let's Play House"-from Here Come the Co-eds which was a wonderfully comic number with Lou Costello in which he says, "I feel just like Donald O'Connor!"
    helpful•1
    1
    • tavm
    • Jul 9, 2015

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 2, 1944 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • För full orkester
    • Filming locations
      • Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Actress Peggy Ryan Dies
    Actress Peggy Ryan Dies
    Nov 3WENN

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Louise Allbritton, Susanna Foster, Patric Knowles, Donald O'Connor, and Peggy Ryan in This Is the Life (1944)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for This Is the Life (1944)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:14
    The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.