Saturday, February 28, 2015

Movie review - "Romance on the High Seas" (1948) **

No slowly-working-your-way-up-the-cinematic-food-chain for Doris Day - like Errol Flynn before her, her first Hollywood film was a well-funded, specifically-crafted starring vehicle (though one I assume was devised for another star) and a hit, launching her straight away. And why not - she sings like an angel, is perky and pretty, full of good humour. 

The film isn't much, despite some superb colour - the plot was really confusing, with married Janis Paige getting Day to take a trip pretending to be Paigein order to find out if Paige's husband Don de Fore is cheating on her, and de Fore getting private Jack Carson to go on the trip as de Fore to find out if Paige is cheating on him. Therefore there are no stakes because you know one honest chat will clear everything up - it's like the weaker Astaire-Rogers musical plots; like those movies there's a lively support actor, Oscar Levant, as piano player in love with Day.

De Fore and Paige are pretty uninspiring, I got Carson and De fore mixed up at times and Caron is an odd person to have in a musical - he sings a song and tries, but just felt weird. Levant was fun even if he too looked similar to de Fore and Carson. Day is a delight, bubby and fun and gets to sing some nice tunes. 

There is some Hollywood backlot recreation of Caribbean ports including one number "The Tourist Trade". Day sings "It's Magic" which became a hit for her. Day fans will want to catch this; others not so much.

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