IT'S A GREAT FEELING (Warner Brothers, 1949), directed by David Butler, is not exactly a first love romance story but a title tune for one of several songs used in this amusingly produced Technicolor musical set mostly inside a movie studio best described by an off-screen narrator during its opening commentary: "Just a few miles from Hollywood is the largest studio in the world, the home of Warner Brothers Pictures." After an aerial view of the legendary studio, the story gets underway as Raoul Walsh, King Vidor, Michael Curtiz and David Butler turning down offers to direct the upcoming motion picture production of "Mademoiselle Fifi" because actor Jack Carson is set to appear. With no director available, and against his better judgment, producer Arthur Trent (Bill Goodwin) assigns Jack Carson himself to direct, with his best pal, Dennis Morgan as the leading man. With no actress cast in the title role, Morgan and Carson soon encounter Julie Adams (Doris Day), a blonde commissary waitress from Gerky's Corners, Wisconsin, hoping for a chance in the movies. Already in Hollywood for three months with no prospects, through some encouragement and a chance to appear in "Mademoiselle Fifi," Morgan and Carson do their best giving Julie the build-up, only to have everything go wrong. Discouraged, Julie plans on returning home to marry her boyfriend, Jeffrey Bushdunkel, but Morgan and Carson have other plans in store.
Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson, using their actual names as part of their characters, are quite amusing spoofing themselves. Playing rival pals in the best Bing Crosby/Bob Hope tradition from those popular "Road to" comedies for Paramount, the idea certainly echoes what might have developed into "The Road to Hollywood" had Paramount thought of such a story first. Aside from the antics from both Morgan and Carson playing tricks on one another, and Doris Day caught in the middle, there's also popular guest stars popping in and out of the story doing their cameo bids as Gary Cooper("Yup"), Ronald Reagan, Sydney Greenstreet, Jane Wyman (and her daughter, Maureen), Danny Kaye (looking like Harpo Marx), Joan Crawford, Edward G. Robinson, Patricia Neal, Eleanor Parker and Errol Flynn. Unlike Warner Brothers' earlier of its all-star musical formats of THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS (1943) and Hollywood CANTEEN (1944), the song interludes/production numbers do not go to its guest stars, but to its acting trio. In fact, the cameos are done for laughs, especially Crawford (doing her "Mildred Pierce" interpretation); Robinson (retaining his tough guy image), and the swashbuckling Flynn coming off best in hilarious fashion. Also worth mentioning is a very amusing sequence involving character actor Irving Bacon playing the information booth clerk at the Union Station.
As with the Hope/Crosby "Road" comedies, IT'S A GREAT FEELING has its share of "in-jokes" along with song interludes (by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn)including: "It's a Great Feeling" (sung by chorus/Doris Day, during opening credits); "Give Me a Song With a Beautiful Melody" (sung by Dennis Morgan); "Blame My Absent-Minded Heart" (sung by Dennis Morgan and Doris Day); "That Was a Big Fat Lie" (sung by Doris Day, with the "T" unheard from her vocalization of "FaT"); "That Was a Big Fat Lie" (With Jack Carson impersonating Maurice Chevalier); "That Was a Big Fat Lie" (audio mix vocals by Morgan and Day); "Fiddle Dee Dee" (sung by the Mezonne-Abbott Dancers); "At the Café Rendezvous" (sung by Doris Day impersonating French actress, Yvonne Amour); "There's Nothing Rougher Than Love," "Blame My Absent-Minded Heart" (both Doris Day vocals); and "It's a Great Feeling" (reprise during "The End" title close).
IT'S A GREAT FEELING, sometimes funny, often silly but always entertaining 85 minutes, once available on video cassette and later in the DVD format, can be seen occasionally on Turner Classic Movies for viewing enjoyment (understanding the "in-jokes" and familiarity of the actors helps). And be sure not to miss the surprise finish, that's certainly leaves a great feeling and laughs besides. And that's not a big fat lie. (**1/2)
Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson, using their actual names as part of their characters, are quite amusing spoofing themselves. Playing rival pals in the best Bing Crosby/Bob Hope tradition from those popular "Road to" comedies for Paramount, the idea certainly echoes what might have developed into "The Road to Hollywood" had Paramount thought of such a story first. Aside from the antics from both Morgan and Carson playing tricks on one another, and Doris Day caught in the middle, there's also popular guest stars popping in and out of the story doing their cameo bids as Gary Cooper("Yup"), Ronald Reagan, Sydney Greenstreet, Jane Wyman (and her daughter, Maureen), Danny Kaye (looking like Harpo Marx), Joan Crawford, Edward G. Robinson, Patricia Neal, Eleanor Parker and Errol Flynn. Unlike Warner Brothers' earlier of its all-star musical formats of THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS (1943) and Hollywood CANTEEN (1944), the song interludes/production numbers do not go to its guest stars, but to its acting trio. In fact, the cameos are done for laughs, especially Crawford (doing her "Mildred Pierce" interpretation); Robinson (retaining his tough guy image), and the swashbuckling Flynn coming off best in hilarious fashion. Also worth mentioning is a very amusing sequence involving character actor Irving Bacon playing the information booth clerk at the Union Station.
As with the Hope/Crosby "Road" comedies, IT'S A GREAT FEELING has its share of "in-jokes" along with song interludes (by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn)including: "It's a Great Feeling" (sung by chorus/Doris Day, during opening credits); "Give Me a Song With a Beautiful Melody" (sung by Dennis Morgan); "Blame My Absent-Minded Heart" (sung by Dennis Morgan and Doris Day); "That Was a Big Fat Lie" (sung by Doris Day, with the "T" unheard from her vocalization of "FaT"); "That Was a Big Fat Lie" (With Jack Carson impersonating Maurice Chevalier); "That Was a Big Fat Lie" (audio mix vocals by Morgan and Day); "Fiddle Dee Dee" (sung by the Mezonne-Abbott Dancers); "At the Café Rendezvous" (sung by Doris Day impersonating French actress, Yvonne Amour); "There's Nothing Rougher Than Love," "Blame My Absent-Minded Heart" (both Doris Day vocals); and "It's a Great Feeling" (reprise during "The End" title close).
IT'S A GREAT FEELING, sometimes funny, often silly but always entertaining 85 minutes, once available on video cassette and later in the DVD format, can be seen occasionally on Turner Classic Movies for viewing enjoyment (understanding the "in-jokes" and familiarity of the actors helps). And be sure not to miss the surprise finish, that's certainly leaves a great feeling and laughs besides. And that's not a big fat lie. (**1/2)