Step Lively (1944)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Tim Whelan

Writers:

Allen Boretz (play)
Warren Duff (writer)

Release Date:

22 January 1945 (Sweden)

Genre:

Musical

Tagline:

It's Fun!

Plot:

Gordon Miller is rehearsing a musical comedy in the penthouse suite of Gribble's hotel...on credit. The mounting bill is driving Gribble frantic...

Plot Keywords:

Broadway New York City | Based On Play

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Glenn Russell
George Murphy	...	Gordon Miller
Adolphe Menjou	...	Wagner
Gloria DeHaven	...	Christine Marlowe
Walter Slezak	...	Joe Gribble
Eugene Pallette	...	Simon Jenkins
Wally Brown	...	Binion
Alan Carney	...	Harry
Grant Mitchell	...	Dr. Gibbs
Anne Jeffreys	...	Miss Abbott

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #9964)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Movie Connections:

Version of Room Service (1938)

Soundtrack:

WHY MUST THERE BE AN OP'NING SONG?

Zany B-musical based on "Room Service"...

STEP LIVELY is a vast improvement over Sinatra's HIGHER AND HIGHER at RKO, but that's hardly a big compliment. Nevertheless, it's a more enjoyable romp with some good work from others in the cast, including GEORGE MURPHY and GLORIA DeHAVEN, but much of the comedy is played so broadly that it seems forced at times.

Based on "Room Service", a comedy starring the Marx Bros. and based on a stage play, it's about a nervous hyperactive producer (Murphy) who wants to put on a show and is encouraged when he finds a talented writer/singer (Sinatra). The trouble is he can't pay his hotel bill and is constantly being badgered for money by WALTER SLEZAK and ADOLPHE MENJOU who don't want him to hold rehearsals for a new show in a penthouse suite.

It's a broad farce and is played for non-stop zaniness by the entire cast, but the constant shouting by Murphy and Menjou becomes tiresome after the first half-hour. ANNE JEFFREYS has a thankless role as a young lady who is only interested in having EUGENE Palette back the show because she's got a crush on Sinatra once she hears him sing.

The songs themselves don't make much of an impression, but are handled suitably by Sinatra and GLORIA DeHAVEN. It's no more then a B-musical with some A-sets for the hotel settings and production numbers.

Sinatra is his casual self in a role that makes no great demands of him except to sing on cue, but everyone else is given to extravagant bits of overacting. His best number is "As Long As There's Music", but it's a good thing he was soon grabbed by MGM for ANCHORS AWEIGH.