This is a very pleasant little romantic comedy, similar in storyline and tone to a lot of other unpretentious films of the 1930s. What distinguishes it, in my mind, is the acting of the two romantic leads, Joe Morrison and Dixie Lee. While Burns and Allen receive top billing, the film really belongs to this romantic couple. George and Gracie are always lots of fun, as they are here, but, to my surprise, I found myself enjoying the love story more. When you think of the love interests in 30s comedies, such as in the Marx Brothers films, you can't help but think of the words 'sappy,''bland,' and 'obnoxious.' But Morrison and Lee are actually very charming, and give a poignancy to the story that lesser actors couldn't do.
Morrison has an easy manner, a nice voice, and an appealing personality. He really makes you believe in this nice guy. A popular radio singer, he seems to have made few films. He is good in "The Old Fashioned Way," 1934, with W.C. Fields, and in "Four Hours to Kill!", 1935, among others. It's a shame he didn't have a longer career.
Dixie Lee is sensational. Aside from being incredibly gorgeous, she has a beautiful voice, an even more appealing manner, and is an excellent actress. It would be easy to coast through a part like this-- that of the hard-boiled (but softhearted) dame, looking for love in the big city. But she invests the part with real tenderness and pathos, and one feels the tragedy of her attempts to shake off her seedy carnival past. She is a very sensitive actress, and uses her face, body, and voice in very effective ways. And watch how expressively she uses her eyes. She has beautiful eyes, and you can really feel her emotions in them. Not always an easy thing for an actor to do. She is so wonderful in this part, that one can't help regretting that she didn't make more pictures. I imagine she was pretty busy being Mrs. Bing Crosby, and raising a family. But she would have been good in some of the other light romances Paramount made so well, perhaps even co-starring with her husband.
Dixie reminds me of those other early 30s stars Nancy Carroll, Ann Dvorak and Mae Clarke, whose careers also petered out by the middle of the decade. Perhaps along with Carroll and Dvorak, Dixie has been largely forgotten by people today. Clarke is remembered for her more famous movies, like "The Public Enemy," "Waterloo Bridge," and "Frankenstein," and Carroll and Dvorak do have some similarly memorable films. But Dixie Lee only made a handful of films, as leads and second leads, and some of them have been lost. So she doesn't have a large body of work to study. A few of her other films are around- the Fox all-star musical "Happy Days," 1929; "No Limit," 1931, as the sidekick of Clara Bow; "Night Life in Reno," 1931, in a small part as a sexy husband stealer; "Quick Millions," 1931, in an unbilled bit as a secretary, (in a scene with George Raft), and a couple of others. She sings a charming song in "Manhattan Love Song," 1934, which is available on DVD. It's interesting in that when she married Bing Crosby, she was a bigger star than he was, and by 1935, he was a superstar, and her career was over. But she was good, and she shines in this film.
Actor/director Elliott Nugent made a number of good films, including five Bob Hope movies (such as "My Favorite Brunette)," as well as "She Loves Me Not," 1934, starring Dixie's husband Bing. His father, J.C. Nugent, plays Vi's father here. Elliott acted in a number of films, including Lon Chaney's last film, "The Unholy Three," in 1930, and "The Last Flight," 1931. He was reportedly one of Bob Hope's favorite directors.
"Love in Bloom" isn't a major film from that stellar year, 1935, but it is an appealing one, and it has real heart. In a story that could have just been clichéd and sappy, it manages to make you care for this Depression-era couple. And there is just enough humor to keep it from getting too maudlin. Burns and Allen fans might be disappointed that they don't have bigger parts, but they are also good here, and help advance the story. George in particular is quite sympathetic, and plays it straight in a number of scenes. And Gracie, zany as usual, has some wonderful bits as well.
So don't be put off by this film. Give it a chance, and take it for what it is. And watch Dixie Lee. She really was a wonderful actress. And, reportedly, a wonderful person as well. You can understand why Bing was so smitten with her. She was adorable.
Morrison has an easy manner, a nice voice, and an appealing personality. He really makes you believe in this nice guy. A popular radio singer, he seems to have made few films. He is good in "The Old Fashioned Way," 1934, with W.C. Fields, and in "Four Hours to Kill!", 1935, among others. It's a shame he didn't have a longer career.
Dixie Lee is sensational. Aside from being incredibly gorgeous, she has a beautiful voice, an even more appealing manner, and is an excellent actress. It would be easy to coast through a part like this-- that of the hard-boiled (but softhearted) dame, looking for love in the big city. But she invests the part with real tenderness and pathos, and one feels the tragedy of her attempts to shake off her seedy carnival past. She is a very sensitive actress, and uses her face, body, and voice in very effective ways. And watch how expressively she uses her eyes. She has beautiful eyes, and you can really feel her emotions in them. Not always an easy thing for an actor to do. She is so wonderful in this part, that one can't help regretting that she didn't make more pictures. I imagine she was pretty busy being Mrs. Bing Crosby, and raising a family. But she would have been good in some of the other light romances Paramount made so well, perhaps even co-starring with her husband.
Dixie reminds me of those other early 30s stars Nancy Carroll, Ann Dvorak and Mae Clarke, whose careers also petered out by the middle of the decade. Perhaps along with Carroll and Dvorak, Dixie has been largely forgotten by people today. Clarke is remembered for her more famous movies, like "The Public Enemy," "Waterloo Bridge," and "Frankenstein," and Carroll and Dvorak do have some similarly memorable films. But Dixie Lee only made a handful of films, as leads and second leads, and some of them have been lost. So she doesn't have a large body of work to study. A few of her other films are around- the Fox all-star musical "Happy Days," 1929; "No Limit," 1931, as the sidekick of Clara Bow; "Night Life in Reno," 1931, in a small part as a sexy husband stealer; "Quick Millions," 1931, in an unbilled bit as a secretary, (in a scene with George Raft), and a couple of others. She sings a charming song in "Manhattan Love Song," 1934, which is available on DVD. It's interesting in that when she married Bing Crosby, she was a bigger star than he was, and by 1935, he was a superstar, and her career was over. But she was good, and she shines in this film.
Actor/director Elliott Nugent made a number of good films, including five Bob Hope movies (such as "My Favorite Brunette)," as well as "She Loves Me Not," 1934, starring Dixie's husband Bing. His father, J.C. Nugent, plays Vi's father here. Elliott acted in a number of films, including Lon Chaney's last film, "The Unholy Three," in 1930, and "The Last Flight," 1931. He was reportedly one of Bob Hope's favorite directors.
"Love in Bloom" isn't a major film from that stellar year, 1935, but it is an appealing one, and it has real heart. In a story that could have just been clichéd and sappy, it manages to make you care for this Depression-era couple. And there is just enough humor to keep it from getting too maudlin. Burns and Allen fans might be disappointed that they don't have bigger parts, but they are also good here, and help advance the story. George in particular is quite sympathetic, and plays it straight in a number of scenes. And Gracie, zany as usual, has some wonderful bits as well.
So don't be put off by this film. Give it a chance, and take it for what it is. And watch Dixie Lee. She really was a wonderful actress. And, reportedly, a wonderful person as well. You can understand why Bing was so smitten with her. She was adorable.