1h 30min | Musical, Romance | 25 December 1948 | Color
Director: Raoul Walsh
Writers: James Hagan (play), Robert L. Richards
Stars: Dennis Morgan, Janis Paige, Don DeFore, Dorothy Malone, Alan Hale Jr.
LeRoy Prinz ... choreographer
Remake of non-musicals One Sunday Afternoon (1933) and The Strawberry Blonde (1941).
Alan Hale was in the '41 version as Old Man Grimes; Alan Hale Jr. was in the '48 version as Marty.
Here's how the principals compare, character::'33::'41::'48 in the cast order of '48.
Biff Grimes::Gary Cooper::James Cagney::Dennis Morgan
Virginia Brush::Fay Wray::Rita Hayworth::Janis Paige
Hugo Barnstead::Neil Hamilton::Jack Carson::Don DeFore
Amy Lind::Frances Fuller::Olivia de Havilland::Dorothy Malone
Here DM plays a suffragette version of Amy (don't remember the other 2 well enough), but she turns out to be faking her liberation, and sings Girls Were Made to Take Care of Boys. JP plays a "fast" version of Virginia (again, don't remember) who marries DDF.
9 songs listed in Soundtracks; only 1 lists a performer. Plenty are sung.
Rated the '33 version 7 on 2012-04-01; no rating on the '41 version; 6 on 2012-04-01 for this one. I'm not in the mood to watch '41 again right now.
The characters don't engage me, and knowing the basic plot doesn't help (nor does it hinder).
This is shruggable, as looking at the cast would signal to me. I don't remember any professional dancing; no one plays a performer here, and although they sing plenty, they don't dance to express themselves. No idea what LP did, and his dance credit is prominent onscreen.
Warner, dir. Walsh; 6-
