British producer Herbert Wilcox came to Flynn's financial rescue, signing him to a two-picture deal. Both films were vehicles for his wife Dame Anna Neagle, a popular actress, singer and dancer since the mid-1930's whose own career was on the wane as she entered her 50's. She was still youthful-looking and in this film, covering the era from one world war to the other, plays both Flynn's wife and her daughter, (she was 5 years older than Flynn, who of course looks older than his actual years).
The story more unravels than unfolds. He's a music hall star before the first war, discovers her and makes her a star, then goes off to war and finds he can't get his career going again afterwards while she's become a bigger star than he ever was. He can't handle the situation and goes off to Hollywood, where he becomes a big star in the new medium. But he misses her and the re-unite. She agrees to fly out to Hollywood when her run in her current play is over but dies in a plane crash. Some years later, the daughter is trying to decide which of two men to marry and Daddy helps her to decide and puts her on a plane with the right guy. Along the way, the daughter dreams of being two famous historical characters Neagle had played back in the 30's, Nell Gwynn and Queen Victoria, in basically irrelevant sequences. I guess it's her husband's tribute to her career, which was winding down.
'Lilacs in the Spring' is the British title, a reference to a picnic the elder Neagle character had with Flynn's character before he goes off to war. 'Let's Make Up' is vague American title, where the film bombed. I see another reviewer has suggested that based, on the character we see him playing here, Flynn might have made a good Norman Maine in "A Star is Born", (which was done at Flynn's old studio). The thought occurred dot me, too. He would certain have understood that character. James Mason makes Maine more pathetic than sympathetic. Flynn could have brought some poetry to that role. It certainly would have been a better fate for him than to be in this much lesser film.
The story more unravels than unfolds. He's a music hall star before the first war, discovers her and makes her a star, then goes off to war and finds he can't get his career going again afterwards while she's become a bigger star than he ever was. He can't handle the situation and goes off to Hollywood, where he becomes a big star in the new medium. But he misses her and the re-unite. She agrees to fly out to Hollywood when her run in her current play is over but dies in a plane crash. Some years later, the daughter is trying to decide which of two men to marry and Daddy helps her to decide and puts her on a plane with the right guy. Along the way, the daughter dreams of being two famous historical characters Neagle had played back in the 30's, Nell Gwynn and Queen Victoria, in basically irrelevant sequences. I guess it's her husband's tribute to her career, which was winding down.
'Lilacs in the Spring' is the British title, a reference to a picnic the elder Neagle character had with Flynn's character before he goes off to war. 'Let's Make Up' is vague American title, where the film bombed. I see another reviewer has suggested that based, on the character we see him playing here, Flynn might have made a good Norman Maine in "A Star is Born", (which was done at Flynn's old studio). The thought occurred dot me, too. He would certain have understood that character. James Mason makes Maine more pathetic than sympathetic. Flynn could have brought some poetry to that role. It certainly would have been a better fate for him than to be in this much lesser film.