1h 41min | Animation, Comedy, Music | 16 April 1949 | Color
Director: Michael Curtiz
Stars: Jack Carson, Doris Day, Lee Bowman, Adolphe Menjou, Eve Arden, S.Z. Sakall.
LeRoy Prinz ... choreographer
Watched online, decent print, a little blurry.
10 songs in the Soundtrack identified as performed; many more identified in score. 1 of her songs is a Dick Powell retread, but not from the antecedent film.
Remake of Twenty Million Sweethearts (1934), also a musical (found online now) which I haven't seen; 1 song in common that I can spot. Cast parallels:
Pat O'Brien::Jack Carson
Dick Powell::Doris Day
Ginger Rogers::Lee Bowman
Typical showbiz plot of girl singer (DD) wanting to make good, agent (JC) discovers her. But, something like Easter Parade ('48), he gives her the wrong songs to sing until he hears her sing a lullaby to her son. Meanwhile, something like A Star is Born ('37), the male singer (LB) he used to represent goes downhill from drink. DD thinks she loves LB, but finally learns his true nature, and turns to JC at the end.
EA provides a few wisecracks, but mostly just support. AM only appears in the beginning and end of the film. Cuddles is the sponsor who likes LB's singing, then finally hires DD when she's presented properly and LB malfunctions.
The choreographer must have been for the hula number DD & a few chorus girls perform in a "clip joint".
DD was 3rd billed in her 1st film; already moved up to 2nd. In the next, she's 1st, but doesn't stay there until films 8-16. After that, about 9 more films have her on top than 2nd billed; only a male costar was big enough to get top billing.
DD is clearly a star in the making. Unfortunately, most songs she sings here are cutesy novelties, which she does well. Even the ballads are meh. They showcased her voice better in her first film.
Warner, dir. Curtiz; 6+
