Lord James Broadbent (Rex Harrison) and his wife Sheila (Kay Kendall) are an English couple preparing for the arrival of James’ American daughter from a previous marriage, Jane (Sandra Dee), for an extended visit. There’s no “evil stepmother” to worry about, for Jane. She and Sheila get along great.
Very American Jane finds the concept antiquated, but reluctantly goes along with it, with plenty of drama to follow as the London season drags on.
The Reluctant Debutante was directed by Vincente Minnelli. The screenplay was written by William Douglas Horne, from his own play.
This film has such a strong cast. That was part of the reason I tuned in for it, and part of the reason I enjoyed it so much! Angela Lansbury is a delightfully snide gossip. Sandra Dee is the all-American teen, making a great choice for the role of an American girl among unfamiliar Londoners and their traditions. (Side note: Her gorgeous costumes were designed by Helen Rose.) Rex Harrison is hilarious in his role as Sandra Dee’s father.
More than just a simple tale of an American girl’s London debut, The Reluctant Debutante morphs into a tale of romance and mishap when Jane meets American drummer David Parkson (John Saxon). She’s smitten, but he doesn’t have the best reputation, leading Sheila to push her toward a duller David, David Fenner (Peter Myers).
Dee and Saxon are pretty adorable together, bonding over their dislike of boring debutante balls, as well as over their shared admiration for tribal dance, and their half-American heritage. (He has an American father and Italian mother.) There’s no question who the viewer or Jane roots for in the David-vs.-David battle.