Hoping to match
the success of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes from two years before, this revolves
around two single women in show business looking for love. Both films were
based on novels by Anita Loos. The film brings back Jane Russell and a cascade
of musical numbers, but it is missing one very important ingredient. Marilyn
Monroe. Nothing against either Russell or her co-star Jeanne Crain, but Monroe
singing Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend in a pink gown they aren't. No
one was. Monroe's performance in that film had put the hormones of the American
male on alert. Without Monroe this film slogs along. In Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes they managed to get by using two innocuous uninteresting male actors
as the romantic partners.
They try the same formula here, but Scott
Brady and Alan Young? Seriously? Scott Brady made a career out of playing
gruff no nonsense bad guys and Alan Young may have had great chemistry with
a talking horse (Mr. Ed), but much less so with a female. The film never
takes off; the plot is tired, the musical numbers uninspired and it just
lumbers along. They even manage to make My Funny Valentine into more of a
dirge than an expression of playful love. Oh, and let's not forget the thrilling
presence of Rudy Vallee. Russell and Crain play two sisters in show business.
Crain is the serious one while Russell keeps accepting proposals of marriage
from anyone with trousers.
When they get a telegram for a job in Paris,
they accept. It has been sent to them by two down on their heels American
talent agents - Young and Brady. They bring in Vallee who has the money.
Vallee once starred in a revue with their mother and her sister. They had
been the toast of the town. Now the daughters are back. And surprise, surprise
- within a few minutes Young and Crain are in love and so are Russell and
Brady. Some nice location shooting in Paris and Monaco and a series of stunning
gowns. Russell and Young sing in their own voices while Brady and Crain are
dubbed. Sad to say, but the black-face number was probably the best.
