Too Young To Kiss

Too Young To Kiss  stars two actors from the post-war era who seemed to be always coupled together. Van Johnson plays an established impresario whose busy schedule and taste for exotic women leaves him with hardly any time to take talented unknowns seriously. June Allyson plays Cynthia Potter, an excellent musician who is determined to catch his eye despite countless cancellations of appointment on his part. When she hears of a children’s audition that he is sure to attend, she stoops to a new level. She dresses as a little girl, braces, bows and all to impress the man. He’s hooked, astounded that such talent could come from a 12 year old girl named Molly. He signs her to a contract and takes her under his wing, appalled by the way she is treated by her “older sister” Cynthia and “uncle” (really her fiancée). Slowly the two develop an odd relationship and “Molly” begins to feel awful about duping the man. One can’t help but think of how perfect Mary Pickford would have been in this role had it been created in the silent era. Still, Allyson does a wonderful job in the part, not quite believable as a little girl and yet at times, perfect. This half-way acting makes Johnson’s character seem all the bigger an idiot and also gives way for a romantic relationship to bud. Also, did Allyson really do all of the piano performances herself? It would be difficult to have a stand-in do it with some of the shots used. If she did, it is only further proof of how wonderful she was.