review for Daughters Courageous on AllMovie

Although it utilizes virtually the same cast, in roles similar to what they played in the earlier film, Daughters Courageous is definitely not a sequel to Four Daughters. It's also not a great film, but it is a very entertaining one, a family melodrama with room for comedy and some considerably charm. Modern audiences may find it less engaging, being perhaps less willing to embrace Claude Rains' character and to forgive him for abandoning his family for 20 years merely because he's a free spirit and felt the urge to wander. This isn't meant to denigrate Rains, who turns in a first rate performance that is totally winning; it's merely that "deadbeat dads" are too much a part of the social problems landscape nowadays. By the same token, some viewers may become irritated by Priscilla Lane being taken in by John Garfield's charms and not seeing that he is the same kind of man as her wayward father. However, for those who can take these matters in their stride, Courageous can be quite engaging, thanks in large part to its fine cast and their chemistry with each other, as well as to Michael Curtiz' careful, well-maintained direction.