Directed by
Harry Keller.
In this emotional romance, the young backwoods girl Tammy lives in a houseboat on the river. She is very sad because she hasn't heard from her college-student boyfriend in ages. Determined to be near him, she cruises her boat down to his university and enrolls. To pay expenses she gets a job. Her new boss is pleased and ends up borrowing Tammy's boat for a short vacation. She then gives the girl an expensive necklace. Tammy soon finds herself pursued by a handsome professor. Later, the niece of Tammy's boss becomes worried at her wealthy aunt's mysterious disappearance and organizes a search party. When she sees Tammy wearing her aunt's necklace, she assumes the worst and has the girl arrested. Later the conniving niece has her aunt tried for mental incompetence. Fortunately, Tammy's pleas are heard by the compassionate judge, her boss is deemed sane, and peace is restored. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
lost interest.
Teen-aged girls flocked to Tammy Tell Me True in 1961, anxious to see what life had in store for their favorite houseboat-living sweetheart. It's hard to imagine modern teens having much of an interest in this sweet but rather dull romance, although their younger sisters might eat a lot of it up.
Tammy is a wholesome little film, and its sincere story features some very nice people having to sort out their various entanglements before getting to a happy ending. If only the screenplay had a little more originality, a dash more wit, or if the direction were more inventive rather than merely serviceable. If only also the comic bits worked better; only the can't-miss baby-sitting episode really scores. The other comic bits are humorous, but not really funny. Fortunately,
Tammy has
Sandra Dee. Not quite as good an actress as
Debbie Reynolds in the original, Dee is nonetheless a very appealing personality, and she knows how to make her scenes land with the desired impact, even when the script gives her little help. She's spunky and pert and has an essential sincerity that is vital to the project's success.
Beulah Bondi is also on hand to provide some professional savvy in a large supporting role, and
Cecil Kellaway and
Edgar Buchanan turn in some nice turns along the way as well. Not a bad film,
Tammy just isn't particularly exciting. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide