The Reluctant Debutante (1958): cast, story & where to watch
1958 · Film · ★ 6.9
Released in 1958, The Reluctant Debutante is a comedy and romance film directed by Vincente Minnelli, running about 94 minutes. “MGM presents the Comedy-Romance in luscious COLOR!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Jimmy and Sheila Broadbent, welcome to London Jimmy's 17-year-old daughter, Jane. Jane is from Jimmy's first marriage to an American and has come to visit her father and the step-mother she has never met. While visiting Sheila has the idea of making Jane a debutante, an idea Jane resists. Difficulties range from Jane's apathy to being placed on the marriage block, the determined efforts of Sheila's cousin, Mabel Claremont, to win wealthy David Fenner for her debutante daughter Clarissa, and Jane's attraction to David Parkson, an American drummer who plays in the orchestra at the coming-out balls.
Who’s in it. The Reluctant Debutante stars Rex Harrison as Jimmy Broadbent, Kay Kendall as Sheila Broadbent, John Saxon as David Parkson and Sandra Dee as Jane Broadbent, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, The Reluctant Debutante has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Reluctant Debutante page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Reluctant Debutante tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Reluctant Debutante (1958)?
- In US, The Reluctant Debutante is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Reluctant Debutante worth watching?
- The Reluctant Debutante holds an audience score of 6.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Reluctant Debutante?
- The Reluctant Debutante stars Rex Harrison, Kay Kendall, John Saxon, Sandra Dee and Angela Lansbury.
- When was The Reluctant Debutante released?
- The Reluctant Debutante was released in 1958, with a runtime of about 94 minutes.