Johnny Doughboy 1942

Sixteen-year-old film star Ann Winters is tired of playing juvenile roles and decides to run away for a vacation, to the consternation of her manager, Harry Fabian, who has just arranged for her to play a 12-year-old in Ann of Honeysuckle Farm. As soon as Ann drives off, Penelope Ryan, president of the Ann Winters fan club back in Oriole, Nebraska, arrives for a two-week stay as the winner of a lookalike contest that Harry dreamed up. Though she looks just like Ann, Penelope is sweet and agreeable, unlike Ann’s brash and impetuous personality.

Meanwhile, Ann runs out of gas in the mountains at night and seeks help at a private home. The housekeeper, Mammy, lets her in and gives her a bed for the night. Later that night, the owner of the house, Oliver Lawrence, a playwright, enters. Oliver goes along with Ann’s desire not to reveal her true identity, and in the morning Mammy arranges for them to spend Ann’s vacation together, hiking, boating, and dancing. Though she is only 16 and Oliver is old enough to be her father, Ann develops a crush on him.

Back at Ann’s home, Penelope is approached by members of the “20 Minus Club”, a group of ex-child stars who want to put on a show to entertain the troops before they go off to war. The club members explain that they need a name star on their bill, and they persuade Penelope to say yes. They perform their song-and-dance act for Penelope, but when she is asked to sing in a duet with Johnny, Ann’s former sweetheart, Penelope realizes that she can’t do the show and reneges on her promise. She feels awful about it, and as she packs to go back to Nebraska, she confides in Biggy Biggsworth, what she’s done. Biggy hints to her where Ann is vacationing and the “20 Minus Club” drives her there to see Ann.

When Ann sees Penelope for the first time, she is taken aback by their resemblance. Then she confides in Penelope that she has given up film for the theater, and has also taken up with Oliver on a personal level. Oliver hears their conversation from the next room and confronts Ann, convincing her there is nothing between them by having his daughter, Jennifer Lawrence, pose as his girlfriend. Ann runs outside in tears and Johnny, who has been waiting all this time for Penelope to return, finds her. Ann realizes she still is fond of Johnny though the studio broke up their friendship, and she agrees to perform in the show. The final act is the show itself, with Ann and Johnny singing and dancing in the lead. > “If you want a happy ending, you’ve got to go out and grab one.”