1h 16min | Comedy, Musical, Romance | 13 March 1942 | Color
Director: Walter Lang
Stars: Betty Grable, Victor Mature, Jack Oakie, Thomas Mitchell.
Hermes Pan ... dances staged by
Angela Blue ... assistant choreographer (uncredited)
bootleg, fuzzy.
Set on a remote Hawaiian island that is used for cattle ranching, but that doesn't have a decent port for loading the steer for export; they swim them out to the ship (so they lose weight) and hoist them out of the water. (So why raise them on that island?) TM owns the real estate that would make for a better port, but he wants to preserve the island as is for the natives.
No mention was made of war, and this was set in contemporary times because at one point VM was supposed to be on a plane that departed the island.
We get several dances, all with ensembles backing BG, or their housekeeper, or dancing without a lead. With BG: one is a hula-style in bare feet, another is a combination Irish jig and hula in tap shoes. Very cute. Glad I have this film, if only for these 2 dances. While watching the jig/hula number, I thought that BG had a very high kinesthetic IQ. Surprised this isn't in the Tap! Appendix.
Jack Oakie has little to do besides being pursued by the O'Brien's native housekeeper for marriage. Thomas Mitchell is convincing as the Irishman gone native.
Fox, dir. Lang; 6+
