First Love

First Love

Year: 1939

Runtime: 84 mins

Language: English

Director: Henry Koster

ComedyRomanceMusic

Orphan Connie Harding moves in with her wealthy aunt and uncle after boarding school. Her snobbish cousin Barbara tries to keep her home when the family is invited to a grand ball. With her uncle’s help as a fairy‑godfather, Connie attends the ball and meets her Prince Charming, Ted Drake, her cousin’s boyfriend.

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Timeline & Setting – First Love (1939)

Explore the full timeline and setting of First Love (1939). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

New York City, Miss Wiggins' School for Girls, Clinton family's home

Connie is taken to New York by a Clinton family butler and moves from Miss Wiggins' school into a metropolitan social circle. The story shifts between the school's classrooms, the Clinton household, and the ball scene in the city. The settings contrast the stark world of the snobbish upper class with the warmth of the servants' quarters that surround Connie.

🏙️ City 🏫 School 🏡 Upper-class home

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:22

Main Characters – First Love (1939)

Meet the key characters of First Love (1939), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Constance 'Connie' Harding (Deanna Durbin)

An unhappy orphan who is treated as an outsider by her aunt and the Clinton circle. She remains hopeful, uses her musical talent to shine, and relies on the servants’ kindness when rejected by the upper crust. Connie’s resilience and sincerity drive her journey from misfit to a worthy love interest.

🎭 talent 💖 romance 👣 resilience

Barbara Clinton (Helen Parrish)

Connie's cousin who embodies snobbery and prejudice within the Clinton family. She wields social power to ostracize Connie and broadcasts lies that block Connie from attending the ball. Barbara's actions reveal the cruelty of status-conscious youth.

🎭 snobbery 👑 privilege 😒 manipulation

Ted Drake (Robert Stack)

A member of the Drake family who takes an interest in Connie. He represents romantic possibility against the constraints of class and family pride. Ted’s charm and curiosity help Connie open up and believe in a future with someone from outside her circle.

💘 romance 🎶 music 🌟 charm

James Clinton (Eugene Pallette)

Connie's aloof uncle and a pillar of wealth in the Clinton family. He is concerned with appearances and social standing, often failing to see Connie’s humanity. His critique and authority shape the family dynamics throughout the story.

🎩 wealth 🕴️ formality 🏛️ authority

Grace Clinton (Leatrice Joy)

Connie's aunt figure who embodies indifference or casual acceptance toward Connie. She mutters about propriety but plays a limited role in the core romance. Her attitude highlights the family's inconsistent support for Connie.

👗 propriety 💬 social pressures 🚪 boundaries

George, Clinton's Butler (Charles Coleman)

A steady, loyal servant who organizes Connie’s introduction to the world beyond Miss Wiggins' school. He embodies the bridge between servitude and social bridging, helping Connie navigate the Clinton household. His quiet competence and discretion keep the household running.

🧭 loyalty 🧰 discretion 🕰️ service

Miss Wiggins (Kathleen Howard)

Headmistress who embodies the formal world of Miss Wiggins' school and its strict codes. She represents discipline and order, offering Connie a path back to learning and self-improvement after the events of the ball. Her influence frames Connie's early education and ambitions.

🏫 academy 📚 discipline 🎓 aspiration

Mrs. Parker (Doris Lloyd)

Member of Connie's world in the Clinton orbit, possibly a householder or chaperone figure. Her presence helps set up the domestic sphere and relationships surrounding Connie. She contributes to the social atmosphere that shapes Connie's experience.

🏡 household 👩‍🏫 support 🤝 social roles

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:22

Major Themes – First Love (1939)

Explore the central themes of First Love (1939), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🏛️ Class

The film centers on social hierarchies and the barriers between the privileged Clinton family and Connie, an outsider. It highlights how status shapes opportunities, judgments, and interactions at school, in the home, and at the ball. The servants’ loyalty and resourcefulness challenge the rigid class norms without changing the superficial surface.

💕 Love

Connie's secret love for Ted drives the plot and motivates her resilience in the face of snobbery. Their courtship unfolds amid formal dances, social constraints, and a race against time at the ball. The story culminates in a pivotal kiss and a symbol—her lost slipper—that tests fate and recognition.

🤝 Loyalty

The servants form a clandestine support network for Connie, funding a fashionable dress, arranging transportation, and safeguarding her dignity. Their solidarity exposes a softer side of the social machinery and reframes who truly holds power in the narrative. Loyalty ultimately helps Connie reclaim her place and happiness.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:22

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First Love Summary

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First Love Summary

First Love Timeline

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First Love Timeline

More About First Love

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