First Love (1939 film)

First Love
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHenry Koster
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Henry Myers
  • Gertrude Purcell
Produced byHenry Koster
Joe Pasternak
StarringDeanna Durbin
Helen Parrish
Robert Stack
Eugene Pallette
Lewis Howard
June Storey
Leatrice Joy
Marcia Mae Jones
Charles Coleman
CinematographyJoseph A. Valentine
Edited byBernard W. Burton
Music byHans J. Salter
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • November 10, 1939 (1939-11-10) (USA)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budgetover $1 million or $990,000 or $990,000

First Love is a 1939 American musical film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin. Based on the fairy tale Cinderella, the film is about orphan Constance "Connie" Harding who is sent to live with her wealthy aunt Grace and uncle James after graduating from boarding school. Her life is made difficult by her snobby cousin Barbara who arranges that she stay home while the rest of the family attends a major social ball. With the help of James, she makes it to the ball, where she meets and falls in love with Barbara's boyfriend Ted Drake. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Music at the 12th Academy Awards. It was on a preliminary list of submissions from the studios for Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) but was not nominated.