The stage fright in question is Victor Mature, co-starring with Betty Grable for the third time after I Wake Up Screaming and Song Of The Islands. This time around he plays Tommy Lundy, heavyweight champ who decides he'll star in a Broadway musical, as you do. He does about as well as a singing-dancing leading man as Astaire would do in the Golden Gloves but that doesn't stop him thinking he's Astaire and Crosby rolled into one. As a rule I can stand Mature and find him easy to take in titles like Kiss Of Death but here he really IS obnoxious. Bland John Payne is the third leg of the triangle and it's never a hardship having Phil Silvers on hand. Despite prominent billing Jane Wyman gets little to do and James Gleason is a tad muted. The score is ho hum but it DOES consist of half a dozen numbers by Ralph Ranger and Leo Robin. See it if you must.
Review of Footlight Serenade
