Wrong, "Blue Skies" lays an egg that would do a Kiwi proud. What went wrong? Simple, Joan Caulfield as "Mary." Don't get me wrong; Joan Caulfield was my first TV crush, even before Annette Funicello. However, "Mary" is a woefully underwritten part; and, as Caulfield plays her "barely there." Better to have the luscious Olga San Juan play Mary and eliminate Olga's character entirely. Perhaps given race relations at the time (Olga San Juan is Puerto Rican), the studio cowered away, and split "Mary" into two characters. Stupid, because both characters are two-dimensional. If race were the problem, why not save Olga for another movie and borrow Rita Hayworth from Columbia, Betty Grable from Fox, Ann Miller from MGM, Jane Russell from RKO (yes: she also sings), or even entrust the role to the studio's Betty Hutton? Further, why not flesh out the female character rather that waste several seemingly endless minutes of screen time with a pathetically unfunny Billy DeWolfe routine?
Now for the good stuff; Crosby's singing, Astaire's dance, Irving Berlin's songs, Billy DeWolfe's short bits, Caulfield's beauty and sweetness, Olga San Juan's EVERYTHING, glorious Technicolor, beautiful sets and costumes.
By the way, I once planned to update "Blue Skies" with Madonna songs, and have Madonna, John Travolta and Patrick Swayze play the leads. My biggest twist (and maybe why I found no interest in Hollywood), was to have the lovers' triangle revolve around TRAVOLTA.
It's not too late, Hollywood! Kenny Ortega, are you listening? You've proved there's lot of young talent out there with "High School Musical".
I give "Blue Skies" a pathetic "5" out of "10," based entirely on the musical numbers and visual splendor. Otherwise, sadly, it's a waste of talent.
Now for the good stuff; Crosby's singing, Astaire's dance, Irving Berlin's songs, Billy DeWolfe's short bits, Caulfield's beauty and sweetness, Olga San Juan's EVERYTHING, glorious Technicolor, beautiful sets and costumes.
By the way, I once planned to update "Blue Skies" with Madonna songs, and have Madonna, John Travolta and Patrick Swayze play the leads. My biggest twist (and maybe why I found no interest in Hollywood), was to have the lovers' triangle revolve around TRAVOLTA.
It's not too late, Hollywood! Kenny Ortega, are you listening? You've proved there's lot of young talent out there with "High School Musical".
I give "Blue Skies" a pathetic "5" out of "10," based entirely on the musical numbers and visual splendor. Otherwise, sadly, it's a waste of talent.