The Hollywood practice of paying a large sum of money for a stage property and then jettisoning many of the elements which made it a success is evidenced in Dream Girl. An amusing but rather delicate play, Dream Girl was cheapened, coarsened and "dumbed down" on its way to the big screen. The basic concept -- a young woman find escape from the hum drum reality of the every day world by way of involved daydreams -- is still there, as are some of the ideas behind the dream sequences. But now things that were whispered on the stage are screamed off the screen; an unnecessary narration has even been added. And changing the financial situation of the heroine was a big mistake. Under the circumstances, it's surprising to report that star Betty Hutton actually turns in an exceptionally winning performance. Hutton's outsized as usual, but it fits the filmmaker's conception -- and crucially, though the screenplay has been seriously broadened, the actress doesn't pander to that. She finds moments of quietness that are very effective. Indeed, Hutton brings charm and sensitivity to a role that otherwise has been stripped of those qualities -- and she makes Dream Girl worth a glance or two.
by Craig Butler
review
