Back in the 1950's, Universal studios wasn't known for its lavish blockbusters and famous amusement park and backlot like it is today. It had been the home of Lugosi and Karloff, gave a song to sing to Deanna Durbin, and coughed up a lot of coin with their successful Ma and Pa Kettle films and Francis the Talking Mule series. They were making a splash with the colorful Ross Hunter produced soap operas, and with male stars like Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis, had the female audiences swooning. Rory Calhoun was another actor who had the ladies' hearts aflutter, and while normally cast in westerns or action films, here he puts on a tux, gets himself into the blue book, and becomes one of the wealthiest citizens of San Francisco who shocks everybody by coming home with a new bride, showgirl Piper Laurie, who intends to shock the staid society matrons and liven things up. Yes, the future bible quoting, knife wielding mother of a troubled teenage girl once wore tights, and after being leading lady to both Hudson and Curtis, got her chance to show her musical talents, singing and dancing and a feudin' and a fightin' with the snooty matrons on Nob Hill, but getting a touch of Pygmalion thanks to the hard drinking but classy Reginald Gardiner who intends to make her lady.
Other than the well known Fats Waller title song (rarely associated with a Caucasian performer), this forgotten musical comedy film isn't so strong in the song department. Laurie gets to perform three production numbers, including the title song, and the other two are pretty forgettable other than the scantily clad chorus girls around her. One of those is Mamie Van Doren who gets a few lines and the chance to show that "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" by making a play for Gardiner. This is lively and fast moving, filled with some great barbs between Laurie and the society women she encounters, especially after they walk out on her at a meeting where they are trying to pick out an opera to perform. On the side commenting on all the action is Jack Carson who seems out of place, his character having no real connection to the action other than to toss out some sardonic comments here and there to move the story along. There are a few good moments between Laurie and young San Francisco socialite Barbara Britton who seems relieved to have somebody as lively as Laurie to stir things up in the seriously boring society. I don't ever recall seeing this listed anywhere during the heyday of the late show or even having been on the old version of AMC or TCM, so it's a difficult film to find. The story has been done many times before (heck, it's a Cinderella story where Cinderella isn't some namby pamby flower), but the 50's twists makes it more interesting.
Other than the well known Fats Waller title song (rarely associated with a Caucasian performer), this forgotten musical comedy film isn't so strong in the song department. Laurie gets to perform three production numbers, including the title song, and the other two are pretty forgettable other than the scantily clad chorus girls around her. One of those is Mamie Van Doren who gets a few lines and the chance to show that "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" by making a play for Gardiner. This is lively and fast moving, filled with some great barbs between Laurie and the society women she encounters, especially after they walk out on her at a meeting where they are trying to pick out an opera to perform. On the side commenting on all the action is Jack Carson who seems out of place, his character having no real connection to the action other than to toss out some sardonic comments here and there to move the story along. There are a few good moments between Laurie and young San Francisco socialite Barbara Britton who seems relieved to have somebody as lively as Laurie to stir things up in the seriously boring society. I don't ever recall seeing this listed anywhere during the heyday of the late show or even having been on the old version of AMC or TCM, so it's a difficult film to find. The story has been done many times before (heck, it's a Cinderella story where Cinderella isn't some namby pamby flower), but the 50's twists makes it more interesting.
