Copyright 31 March 1944 by Universal Pictures Company, Inc. No New York Times review. New York opening at Loew's neighborhood theatres: April 1944. U.S. release: 28 April 1944. Australian release: 27 July 1944. 7 reels. 69 minutes. Cut to 59 minutes in Australia.
SYNOPSIS: A variation on Honeymoon Lodge (Universal 1943), also scripted by Clyde Bruckman. This time the divorced young couple entrain to Las Vegas.
COMMENT: Vera Vague actually has some pretty witty lines in this one ("Alimony is freedom on the installment plan") and on the whole it offers much superior entertainment. The scenes on the train, especially Bruce's constant efforts to outwit the conductor by brushing his teeth, had me rolling in the aisle with laughter. I loved Mantan Moreland's double takes and Eddie Dunn's slow burns of exasperation.
David Bruce is a personable young man, Anne Gwynne and Vivian Austin are living dolls, and there are ingratiatingly welcome support performances from Alan Dinehart, Lee Patrick, Tom Dugan, Teddy Infuhr (as a gambler), and others. Yarbrough's direction has far more zest and sparkle than usual. All in all, the story-line serves not just as convenient peg for the musical numbers, but is brightly entertaining in its own right.
As for the music, it's hard to pick favorites among such a rich selection. I must admit that I didn't particularly care myself for Gene Austin's interpretation of "My Blue Heaven" though many at our Hollywood Classics screening absolutely loved it; but I did enjoy Austin's other number in which he was joined by the Sherrell Sisters. I really liked Jimmy Dodd's "Oklahoma's Oke" piece. And Ann Triola plays a zippy accordion. I usually don't care overmuch for dance duos, but Capella and Patricia are really outstanding. I loved Lillian Cornell's rendition of the title song. But yes, like all the rest of you, it's Connie Haines that gets me in - and I'm not game to choose between "A Dream Ago" and "A Touch of Texas".
Just about any of the song numbers is worth the price of admission alone. But Connie Haines is the icing on a well-made, highly digestible cake. Camerawork and other technical credits are A-1. Production values don't seem at all constrained by the picture's "B" budget. In all, outstanding support entertainment.
SYNOPSIS: A variation on Honeymoon Lodge (Universal 1943), also scripted by Clyde Bruckman. This time the divorced young couple entrain to Las Vegas.
COMMENT: Vera Vague actually has some pretty witty lines in this one ("Alimony is freedom on the installment plan") and on the whole it offers much superior entertainment. The scenes on the train, especially Bruce's constant efforts to outwit the conductor by brushing his teeth, had me rolling in the aisle with laughter. I loved Mantan Moreland's double takes and Eddie Dunn's slow burns of exasperation.
David Bruce is a personable young man, Anne Gwynne and Vivian Austin are living dolls, and there are ingratiatingly welcome support performances from Alan Dinehart, Lee Patrick, Tom Dugan, Teddy Infuhr (as a gambler), and others. Yarbrough's direction has far more zest and sparkle than usual. All in all, the story-line serves not just as convenient peg for the musical numbers, but is brightly entertaining in its own right.
As for the music, it's hard to pick favorites among such a rich selection. I must admit that I didn't particularly care myself for Gene Austin's interpretation of "My Blue Heaven" though many at our Hollywood Classics screening absolutely loved it; but I did enjoy Austin's other number in which he was joined by the Sherrell Sisters. I really liked Jimmy Dodd's "Oklahoma's Oke" piece. And Ann Triola plays a zippy accordion. I usually don't care overmuch for dance duos, but Capella and Patricia are really outstanding. I loved Lillian Cornell's rendition of the title song. But yes, like all the rest of you, it's Connie Haines that gets me in - and I'm not game to choose between "A Dream Ago" and "A Touch of Texas".
Just about any of the song numbers is worth the price of admission alone. But Connie Haines is the icing on a well-made, highly digestible cake. Camerawork and other technical credits are A-1. Production values don't seem at all constrained by the picture's "B" budget. In all, outstanding support entertainment.
