Hard to believe this was Dan Dailey's first film appearance in 4 years, and his first costarring role, after his pre-WWII serviceman film career was wasted in bit parts, often in non-musicals. After failing to sign veteran stars James Cagney or Fred Astaire in the role of Betty's vaudeville partner, and later husband, Dailey was signed. It isn't hard for audiences to tell that he and Betty were made for each other as a musical comedy team. They were about the same age, both had begun performing on stage as children, and both had the ideal vaudevillian mix of singing, dancing, comedic and acting talent. When given a chance, as in this film, Dailey exhibited an effortless sense of comedic timing combined with an easy-going personality; a sort of guy you would wish to chum with.
This first of 4 unions of Dan and Betty in a musical is probably the high water mark of Betty's career, and perhaps Dan's career as well. Present viewers will probably be surprised that this was the top grossing film for Fox in 1947 and the 4th most attended film for all studios, as well as Betty's reported favorite of her films. Although it has its pluses, apparently, it hasn't aged well, as only very recently has it become available as a made-on-demand DVD release. Or look for it on TV, as I did.). Like their later musical "My Blue Heaven", the screenplay departed from most musicals in that the melodrama mostly involved their children or attempt to acquire a child, rather than the usual fare of romantic and professional ups and downs. It's structured more like "Meet Me in St. Louis", except that it's the parents, rather than an offspring, who do most of the musical numbers. It's been pointed out that the inclusion of children was a more relevant topic during the post-war baby boom than during the war. With its largely informal family atmosphere, mostly vaudevillian -styled upbeat musical numbers, and inclusion of Dan, I'm not surprised Betty reports this as her favorite film she did. Dailey would later again costar in a musical(There's No Business Like Show Business) in which he played the eventual father of a vaudeville family. However, the grown children contributed much more to the musical numbers than in the present film, where Iris only sings some in the latter part.
The film is presented as a flashback by an occasionally narrating Mikie: their youngest daughter. Dan and Betty's characters are loosely based on the vaudeville team of Frank and Myrtle Burt. Initially, Dan does a solo comedic act to "Berlington Bertie From Bow", dressed like Fred and Judy in "A Couple of Swells" of "Easter Parade", released the next year. When Betty does her impersonation of this act at his birthday party, Dan is impressed enough to offer her to become his stage partner. But first, she joins a chorus of a stage show featuring Dan singing and dancing back and forth to a lively version of the Myrow-Gordon song "You Do". This tune served as the de facto theme song. Betty would later redo it as a slow romantic ballad, as would her older daughter Iris(Mona Freeman) in the finale.
Between these numbers, Dan and Betty do a series of brief song and dance numbers to "This Is My Favorite City". Later, both dress in Astaire-like tails and top hat as they dance across the stage while singing "We're a Couple of Broadway Brothers", followed by the catchy "Kokomo, Indiana". You will have noticed by now that Dan's dancing style is more like that of Ray Bolger than Astaire.
The next significant scene has the girls making a surprise visit to their parents late on Christmas eve. It's too late to buy a tree, so Dan finds one growing in a front yard, and cuts it down with his handyman knife!, then is chased by a policeman, in a comical scene. A little private show is put on, with a clown, and Senor Wences performing his famous puppet routine, making his hand up to become the face of his most familiar puppet: Johnny. This was before Wences became a household phenomenon, with his repeated performances on the Ed Sullivan TV show. Iris sings "Silent Night".
Next, they spend a month at an upscale Berkshire Highlands resort. Unfortunately, they find all the other wealthy guests a bore. Dan dubs this resort "Deadpan Alley". They try to animate the others with an informal "Tra-la-la-la-la", but with little effect. They almost leave prematurely, but Iris pleads she wants more time spent with a discovery: Bob. Also, some guests promise that they will respond to further entertainment attempts by the family. Thus, "Lily of the Valley" is sung and danced to. But, Iris is afraid she will never see Bob again, as he is starting at Harvard. So, it's decided to put the girls in a finishing school near Harvard. Later, on a train, the young people, especially Iris, sing "Swinging Down the Lane" and "Stumbling". But Iris doesn't want her parents to come to a house party, because she feels inferior in status and wealth to the other girls. Nonetheless, they come and perform a show featuring a combination of "There's Nothing like a Song", a reprise of "Kokomo, Indiana", and "Rolling Down Bowling Green": the main version of the latter having been cut. This is followed by Iris's rendition of "You Do", after a group sing of "Fare -Thee -Well, Alma Mater".
It's not Astaire nor Berlin, but if you like Dan and Betty, go for it! The last portion, that largely deals with Iris's maturing into a woman, is a bit tedious, but not as bad as some reviewers suggest.
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