Mad About Music

Mad About Music

Year: 1938

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: English

Director: Norman Taurog

ComedyDramaMusic

A charming new American star delights in this whimsical tale. While attending a girls’ school in Switzerland, a dreamy young woman invents stories and writes letters from an imagined explorer‑adventurer father. When circumstances force her to bring the fictitious father to life, she enlists the aid of a visiting Englishman, leading to a series of amusing and heartfelt complications.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Mad About Music yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Mad About Music (1938)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Mad About Music (1938). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Switzerland (girls' boarding school), Paris, Hollywood

The story unfolds around Gloria's girls' boarding school in Switzerland, moves to the fashionably glamorous world of Paris, and culminates in Hollywood where Gwen Taylor's celebrity life is on display. The Swiss school setting creates a closed environment for Gloria's schemes, while Paris serves as the plot catalyst that brings mother and daughter back together. Hollywood frames Gwen's public persona and the pressures of fame that loom over the central relationships.

❄️ Swiss boarding school 🗼 Paris 🎬 Hollywood

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:42

Main Characters – Mad About Music (1938)

Meet the key characters of Mad About Music (1938), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Gwen Taylor (Gail Patrick)

A famous Hollywood film star who has concealed her status as a widow with a fourteen-year-old daughter. Her public life contrasts with private motherhood, and she ultimately forms a bond with Richard while reuniting with Gloria.

🎬 Celebrity 👩‍👧 Parenting 💫 Romance

Gloria Harkinson (Deanna Durbin)

A fourteen-year-old girl at a Swiss boarding school who invents a fictitious father to feel seen and valued. Her resourcefulness and longing propel the plot, including a daring plan to prompt a mother-daughter reunion.

🎒 Student 🧒 Orphan 💡 Schemer

Richard Todd (Herbert Marshall)

An English composer on holiday who plays along with Gloria's ruse as her 'father' and agrees to visit the school. He becomes Gwen's confidant and an eventual romantic partner, helping to reunite the family.

🎼 Composer 🧭 Romance 🕴️ Guest

Tripps (Arthur Treacher)

Richard's valet/secretary who accompanies him and supports the improvisational ruse, adding a humorous and dutiful presence to the journey.

🤵 Valet 🧭 Sidekick

Felice (Helen Parrish)

A fellow student at Gloria's Swiss school who grows suspicious of Gloria's fabricated father and probes for the truth, representing peer scrutiny within the school setting.

👧 Friend 🕵️‍♀️ Skeptic

Tommy (Jackie Moran)

A boy from a nearby boarding school who has a crush on Gloria, adding a romantic element to the social circle surrounding the girls.

💘 Crush 🏫 Schoolmate

Olga (Marcia Mae Jones)

A fellow student at the boarding school who is part of Gloria's circle; her presence enriches the social dynamics of the Swiss setting.

🎒 Student 🗣️ Peer

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:42

Major Themes – Mad About Music (1938)

Explore the central themes of Mad About Music (1938), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💞 Family & Reunion

A central thread is the bond between Gwen and Gloria, strained by secrecy and distance. The narrative builds toward a tearful reunion at a press conference, emphasizing the transformative power of reconciliation. Gloria’s longing for a real father figure is resolved through genuine parental connection rather than performed acts. The ending blends family with a growing romance, underscoring the importance of authentic relationships.

🎬 Fame & Identity

Gwen Taylor's celebrity status frames much of the drama, highlighting the tension between public image and private life. Gloria's invented father and Richard's willingness to participate blur lines between performance and reality. The plot uses showbiz as a backdrop to explore how fame can complicate personal bonds, and how true connections emerge beyond the glare of the spotlight. Ultimately, identity is tested by honesty and affection rather than appearances.

🕵️ Secrets & Deception

Gloria's creation of a fictitious father drives the central deception, setting the plot in motion. Characters navigate truth versus illusion, risking trust in pursuit of belonging. The tension comes from secret schemes at the Swiss school and the eventual reckoning that reveals real feelings. The resolution relies on disclosure and sincere connections rather than maintained pretenses.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:42

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Whimsical Stories of Innocent Deceptions like Mad About Music

Stories where innocent lies and charming inventions lead to warm, heartfelt resolutions.If you enjoyed the charming fabrication in Mad About Music, you'll love these movies. This collection features similar light-hearted stories where characters invent personas or stories, leading to amusing complications and ultimately warm, satisfying conclusions. Find more films with a playful, nostalgic feel and gentle emotional journeys.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a protagonist, often young or yearning, who creates an elaborate fictional scenario to cope with loneliness, boredom, or a lack in their life. This invention sets off a chain of comedic and tender events, usually requiring the enlistment of an unwitting accomplice. The central conflict is the risk of the deception being uncovered, but the resolution is never tragic; instead, it leads to genuine connection, self-discovery, and the mending of real emotional wounds.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared tone of whimsical charm and their central plot device of a benign, emotionally-driven deception. They share low intensity, steady pacing, and a light emotional weight, ensuring the viewing experience remains sweet-natured and uplifting from start to finish.

Boarding School Coming-of-Age Stories like Mad About Music

Coming-of-age tales set in boarding schools, where imagination bridges the gap to found family.Fans of the Swiss boarding school setting and Gloria's imaginative journey in Mad About Music will appreciate these similar films. Discover movies that capture the unique blend of camaraderie, independence, and emotional discovery experienced away from home, often with a touch of whimsy and a focus on heartfelt personal growth.

nostalgicdreamyheartfeltcoming of agesentimentalcozylonginghopeful

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern revolves around a protagonist in a secluded academic environment—like a boarding school—who feels a sense of isolation or incompleteness, often related to family. Their inner world of dreams and inventions becomes a catalyst for change, bringing unexpected people into their lives who help form a new, supportive familial bond. The story is a gentle coming-of-age arc where the protagonist learns to reconcile their dreams with reality, finding true belonging in the process.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific, evocative setting and a core thematic focus on a young person's emotional development within an institutional 'home'. They are united by a nostalgic, dreamy mood, a steady pacing that allows for character reflection, and a central theme of constructing identity and family through imagination and unlikely friendships.

Unlock the Full Story of Mad About Music

Don't stop at just watching — explore Mad About Music in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Mad About Music is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Mad About Music Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Mad About Music, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Mad About Music Summary

Mad About Music Timeline

Track the full timeline of Mad About Music with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Mad About Music Timeline

Mad About Music Spoiler-Free Summary

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Mad About Music Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Mad About Music

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Mad About Music: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Mad About Music

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