My family happened upon this movie rather accidentally. It was showing at the Avalon Theater (mentioned in another blog) as the second feature to another movie we were excited to see, and to this day, none of us can remember what that other movie was. “Two Weeks With Love” captured our hearts completely.
Jane Powell plays Patti, a seventeen-year-old girl teetering on the brink of womanhood. Her lifelong sorrow is that she is not yet allowed to wear corsets. Her father is absolutely dead-set against them and will not hear of it. Melba, Patti’s younger sister (played to the hilt by a young Debbie Reynolds) thinks that corsets are stupid, but what does Melba know? She’s only fifteen and isn’t nearly a woman. The family is getting ready for their yearly trip to Kissimee in the Catskills, and all Patti can think about are the dances and other social get-togethers. Everyone will know she’s not wearing a corset and everyone will call her a baby.
When they arrive at the hotel, Melba immediately seeks out Jimmy Flinders, son of the owner. She’s had her eye on him for some time, but he only has eyes for Patti. Never one to be discouraged, Melba decides to make herself indispensable, and follows Jimmy around wherever he goes.
It’s not long before a flashy car pulls up and out jumps Demi Armandez (Ricardo Montalban) All the girls at the hotel swoon as he makes his appearance, but Patti is especially affected. With his dark hair and exotic looks, he’s the kind of man she could go for, but he must be at least twenty-one, and she’s not even wearing a corset.
During dinner that night, she manages to embarrass herself terribly by dumping a tray of dessert all over Demi, and goes to hide in the small lounge where all the other teenagers are hanging out. We are treated to a couple of musical numbers, and then we discover that Demi has been looking for Patti to make sure she’s all right.
Valerie, a spoiled young woman who is also a guest at the hotel, has set her cap for Demi as well. Seeing the two of them out for a stroll, she interrupts them and insinuates herself into their conversation.
The movie takes some hysterical twists and turns as Patti does everything in her power to keep Demi from finding out she’s not wearing a corset. She won’t let him put his arm around her, even though he’d like to. And when word gets out to the other teenagers, they all make fun of her. She’s so humiliated. This leads to one of the best scenes in the movie – she has a dream where she appears on the steps of the hotel, adorned in a beautiful pink corset, and shows it off for everyone to see. Later, she has another dream. Demi reaches to kiss her, but once his arm slips around her waist, he is appalled. “What?” he says incredulously. “No corset?” She tries to explain, but he fades away before she can.
Meanwhile, everyone at the hotel is preparing for the talent show. Demi and Valerie are going to do a ballroom dance number, but right before curtain, Melba, aided by Jimmy, steals Valerie’s dance shoes. Patti takes her place – she’s been spying on the rehearsals and knows all the steps. Just before she’s to go on stage, her father presents her with a gift – a corset! A real corset! She happily puts it on and goes out to perform. There’s just one problem – it’s a medically prescribed corset for poor posture. If you bend over too much, it locks into place. Poor father didn’t know that.
You can imagine what takes place next. You will laugh at everything poor Patti goes through and you’ll feel her embarrassment right along with her. I heartily recommend this movie as a sweet romance, coming of age movie, and a great musical – the song “Abba Dabba Honeymoon” came out of this unfairly obscure film.
Related Blogs:
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
