A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
                   
Director: Tay Garnett
Year: 1949
Rating: 5.5
There is old-fashioned and then there is old-fashioned. This one is as old-fashioned as my father's shoes. It creaks. But it looks great having been shot in Technicolor with some decent sets and costumes. It did well back in 1949 but it was a challenge to stay focused while watching it. How much Bing Crosby can one man take? I kept hoping Bob Hope would show up. This actually would have made a decent film with Hope as his squire. Instead, we get William Bendix who I love as a heavy but in a light musical, not so much. On the other hand, the interest of romance is Rhonda Fleming - known as The Queen of Technicolor. I would say Maureen O'Hara gives her a good run for that sobriquet, but with her flaming red hair contrasting against her pale white skin and green eyes, she is rather magnificent.

 

This is based on Mark Twain's book of 1889 but they take all of his political and religious satire out and heap on the romance and songs. There had actually been a musical rendition of the book on Broadway in 1927 but those songs were composed by the legendary Rogers and Hart. These songs are by Heusen and Burke and are pretty forgettable. I would be curious to hear the Rogers-Hart songs. They must be on the Internet somewhere. Isn't everything? My Heart Stood Still and Thou Swell I am familiar with.

 

As in the book the protagonist is Hank Martin, a simple blacksmith in 1912 who is trying to stay up on the advances in technology like cars. He gets clunked unconscious during a lightning storm and wakes up in King Arthur's time in a country faraway. At the point of a lance being wielded by Sir Sagramore (Bendix) who takes him captive and presents him to the Court as a demon who changed from a dragon to a wolf to a man. He is rightly condemned to be burnt at the stake. King Arthur is an elderly man (Cedric Hardwicke) who listens to his magician Merlin. Using a piece of glass from his watch, Martin sets a fire and pronounces himself a magician as well, more powerful than Merlin.



He is smitten with the niece of Arthur and she with him, but she is betrothed to Sir Lancelot (Henry Wilcoxon) and Martin has to joust him in a duel. No idea where Guinevere was during all this. He should have warned Arthur. Fleming was a fine singer who later formed a gospel quartet with Jane Russell, Connie Haines and Beryl Davis. That would be interesting to see. I have no idea why I clicked on this to watch it - it was just there and I was too lazy to move on. Crosby is his usual super relaxed casual performer that made him so popular back then.