MGM kept trying to revive the past in the 60s... Connie Francis was in a hit with Where the Boys Are so they tried her in a few follow ups, of which this was one, but never had much luck.
This is a remake of Get Crazy which had Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. here they've got Francis and Harve Presnell. There are also lots and lots of musical acts - some contemporary, some based on Gershwin songs, which indicates a film unclear of it's aim. The script was by Sam Katzman regular scribe Robert Kent, and is confused and murky like that for their earlier MGM collaboration, Get Yourself a College Girl.
Presnell is awful. He's got a Ken Doll look and can sing but is stiff and awkward. He undermines the whole plot because he's meant to be a playboy who is sent out west by his father to shape up - but Presnell comes across as a bank manager. He really should have played, say, a boring love interest of Francis not the lead - the lead needed to be someone like Jim Hutton or George Hamilton or a pop star like Elvis or even Peter Noone from the Herman's Hermits, who are in the film.
Francis is okay but needs protection - she's no Paula Prentiss. She sings well but lacks energy. Mind you she doesn't have a character to play.
I loved the bright and colourful look - it's easy on the eye. I enjoyed the musical acts including turns from Liberace and Louis Armstrong.I didn't really enjoy the stand up comedy bit from a boxer - that was weird. But there's a perfectly decent dance number when they're building a barn and seeing it I thought "that's what this film needed more of - to be a proper musical with dancing". Then I saw I pop act and thought "well it could go that way too". But it tries to have it both ways and fails. And wastes a whole heap of time at the end with a pointless car chase with no stakes - Presnell think his ex is going after him but actually she just wants to explain that she's moved on.
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