MartinHafer "Two Weeks With Love" is very similar to Warner Brothers "On Moonlight Bay" and "By the Light of the Silvery Moon"...a nice turn of the 20th century musical slice of life about a middle class family. So, if you like the Warner films, you're very likely to also enjoy this offering from MGM...though "Two Weeks With Love" is definitely a weaker outing for a variety of reasons I'll get to later in the review.The story revolves mostly around Patti Robinson (Jane Powell) as she is on vacation with her family at a resort. Her number one goal there is to find a man...though her parents seem to do everything they can to stop this as she's only 17. Her younger sister, Melba (Debbie Reynolds) is even younger...and both have visions of handsome suitors coming to them to profess their love. The problem is that with Patti, she's thoroughly embarrassed herself in from of the most handsome bachelor there, a Cuban named Demi (Ricardo Montalban). Do either of the sisters have a prayer or do they need to wait for another summer to pass before they find love?As I mentioned, this is a good film but not the equal to the Warner films because of a couple weaknesses. First, while Jane Powell is probably a lovely person and I would never want to hurt her, her singing in this film is much more operatic and not nearly as much fun as Doris Day and Gordon MacRea in the other films. Secondly, the comedy is simply funnier in the Warner films...with Billy Gray putting on a terrific performance as a pest!Despite a few weak moments (such as with some of the singing as well as some of the fantasy scenes), overall this is a fun little family film. Worth seeing, warts and all.

TheLittleSongbird Not one of my favourite musicals, or one of my favourite films of all time. But 'Two Weeks with Love' is just impossible to dislike and easily one of the most pleasant surprises had over the past few weeks (seeing it on an old VHS belonging to an American friend who is a fellow fan of older musicals), standing above most "golden age Hollywood" musicals seen recently.Don't let the predictability of the story throw you off or that the outcome of the film is not hard to figure out at all early on. Judging it on what it aimed to do and what was expected, 'Two Weeks with Love' succeeds brilliantly and while it is not a masterpiece of the genre or of film when it comes to how well made, performed, enjoyable and easily digestible it is 'Two Weeks with Love' can't be beat.Visually, 'Two Weeks with Love' looks beautiful and was clearly made with love and care. The set and costume designs are sumptuous and elegant, actually feeling more expansive than the studio-bound look. The film is beautifully photographed too and boasts big, bold, rich colour that is just a feast for the eyes without being overdone or overly-garish.The music and songs are lovely and fill one with joy and emotion. The standouts are "Oceana Roll", "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" and "Abba Dabba Honeymoon", while it was wonderful to hear "My Hero" from 'The Chocolate Soldier' too. All are beautifully performed and staged. The choreography from none other than Busby Berkeley is both exuberant and intimate, while it may not have the imagination and wildness of Berkeley's very best work that's in no way a disappointment because more understated Berkeley but still with his usual pizazz and musicality fits better here.Was also surprised at how good the script was, full of genuinely funny humour (the corset stuff that could easily have been repetitive and out of date inducing good amusement still) and emotion. The story may not hold many surprises, but that doesn't matter when the energy and charm were so good, the fun was non-stop and also that some of what it had to say being genuinely sincere and touching. The nostalgic and romantic qualities 'Two Weeks with Love' were similarly handled beautifully. Direction is adroit throughout.Jane Powell captivates in her charm and not only does she sing beautifully but also like it came straight from her heart. Even better is cute, peppy and feisty Debbie Reynolds ('Two Weeks with Love' was seen in her memory too), who injects so much spark effortlessly and without over-doing it. Ricardo Montalban is so handsome and suave with great comic timing and energetic charisma. Louis Calhern is amusing and Ann Harding is no less delightful. Only Carleton Carpenter is a little on the wooden side and he doesn't look comfortable playing a character younger than he.Overall, a sheer romantic musical delight and is likely to have even the most sceptical of hearts swooning. 9/10 Bethany Cox

diannecf A beautiful, innocent show -- well sort of. The turn-of-the-century generation was not naive about sex, they just had a better way of making it subtle.Has nobody guessed? This is the movie which was updated to become, I kid you not, Dirty Dancing. The father-daughter tenderness, the girl who loves to dance and who takes over at the Catskill resort entertainment when the jealous leading lady has a problem, the coming of age of a woman on vacation with the cooperation of an entertainer -- "Mr. Robinson, your child is no longer a child." The parents' yielding to the breakdown of social barriers. It's all there.

Ripshin Believe me, I love the old MGM musicals, but this particular Powell player doesn't work for me. Certainly, the MGM "class" is visible in every frame, even if the back lot is not a convincing substitute for the Catskill Mountains. The architecture and atmosphere simply do not evoke the implied location.Debbie Reynolds is the only spark in this uninspired flick. Supporting performances are basically caricatures, at best.Technicolor always astounds me, even if the material does not.Just TWO years later, Reynolds would star in "Singing in the Rain," an MGM classic that blows this safe, milk toast tid-bit out of the water.