Starring Rita Hayworth, Larry Parks, James Gleason, and Roland Culver
Directed by Alexander Hall
Music by Doris Fischer; Lyrics by Allan Roberts
This week, we move from 20th Century Fox to Columbia for two of Rita Hayworth's lesser-known vehicles. Fantasy was all the rage in the 40s as people looked to escape from World War II and the escalating Cold War tensions after it ended. One of the first of these fantasies was the comedy Here Comes Mr. Jordan, about a prize fighter who is sent back to Earth in another body by the angel of the title.
It made sense at the time to do a follow-up with Columbia's biggest star. Hayworth was known as "The Love Goddess" to her many fans, who made her the number one star and top pin-up girl in the world. How does this movie manage to cross angelic Jordan and her unearthly charms with a decidedly less heavenly story of a muse who takes over a Broadway show? Let's begin with that show, Swinging the Muses, in rehearsal and find out...
The Story: Muse of Dance Terpsichore (Hayworth) is appalled at the show, which depicts her and her sisters as man-hungry bimbos fighting over two pilots who crashed on Mount Parnassus. She begs Mr. Jordan (Culver) to take her down to New York and let her deal with the play's director and writer, Danny Miller (Parks). Jordan agrees to send her down with his assistant Messenger 7013 (Edward Everett Horton) to keep an eye on her.
In New York, Terpsichore goes under the name Kitty Pendleton. She lands the part, then convinces former boxing agent Max Corkle (Gleason) to represent her. Danny falls hard for her charms, and she does manage to convince him to change the play from a low-down farce to a high-brow ballet. That doesn't go over well with audiences. Not only is the cast furious, but it turns out Danny convinced gangsters to finance his show, and they'll kill him if it's not a success. Now Terpsichore has to give up her high-handed reputation in order to save the man she loves and prove that the Muses are neither bimbos, nor forces to be reckoned with.
The Song and Dance: This one is all about Hayworth and the gorgeous production. The Technicolor is absolutely stunning, showing off fiery Hayworth with her rich scarlet lips and ginger hair to best advantage. She's backed by the stunning sets and glorious jewel-toned costumes, especially for the show itself. Horton and Gleason come off the best of the supporting cast as the dithering assistant angel who wishes this muse would inspire less trouble and the agent who gets mixed up in the insanity.
There's also the mild turn into film noir territory the film takes mid-way through when Kitty realizes just what Danny's really gotten himself into. It's surprisingly dramatic for the light film that came before it and is handled relatively well. In fact, I give them credit for going with a very original twist on the backstage story, even if it is a sequel.
Favorite Number: We open with "Kiss of the Muses," as those heavenly ladies in vibrant purple with the strange bulbous headgear singing of how desperate they are to land a man, any man. "The Can't Convince Me (You're Not a Dream)" Danny croons to Kitty in the prop department after he's been smitten with her. "This Can't Be Legal" is the bizarre dance number with the on-stage Terpsichore deciding to keep both of her mortal pilot suitors. The big ballad "Let's Stay Young Forever" is heard several times, notably by Kitty at rehearsal. Kitty also gets a big instrumental dance routine with the chorus at the rehearsal that's so spirited, it convinces Danny to make her Terpsichore on the spot.
The major numbers here are a study in contrasts between the two styles of dance routines in musicals of the 40's and 50's. "The Greek Ballet" is airy, arty posturing showing Terpsichore's idea of what really happens on Mount Parnassus. It may put the audience in the film to sleep, but the dancing is well-choreographed and the costumes are gorgeous. "People Have More Fun Than Anyone" is the show's big finale. The muses literally let their hair down as they join their now-deployed suitors in a make-believe Grammercy Park, riding down slides and tossing fall leaves everywhere.
Trivia: Horton and Gleason reprise their roles from Here Comes Mr. Jordan. Culver replaces Claude Rains as Jordan.
What I Don't Like: I appreciate the originality...but this is ultimately even stranger than the movie it later inspired, Xanadu. It also shares some of the same problems as that film, starting with a leading man who is totally at sea and can neither sing, nor dance - Parks was dubbed by Hal Derwin. Hayworth is dubbed by Anita Ellis, leading to a rare situation where both leads in a musical are dubbed. The songs are dull, and in the case of the ballet and "This Can't Be Legal," truly bizarre.
The movie makes even less sense than Xanadu. Terpsichore comes off as a bit of a witch until Jordan gets through to her that Danny won't live long if she doesn't go with what he wanted. Speaking of, as intriguing as the gangster plot in the second half is, it comes out of left field and seems to be there only to give Terpsichore a real reason for staying besides romance. Platt was an excellent dancer who could have been given a lot more to do than just pointing out to his best friend that changing the show because a lady said so wasn't in his best interest.
The Big Finale: Mainly recommended for huge fans of Hayworth, the Technicolor fantasies of the 40's and 50's, or those who want to try something a little different in their splashy 40's musicals.
Home Media: The solo DVD is in print, but pricey. You're better off streaming this one or picking it up as part of the Mill Creek 20 Musicals collection.
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