One Touch of Venus (1948)

Fantasy comedy about a young window dresser who kisses a statue of Venus, which then comes to life in the form of Ava Gardner. The problems begin, however, when Venus falls in love with him.

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writers:

Harry Kurnitz (screenplay), Frank Tashlin (screenplay),

Stars:

Robert Walker, Ava Gardner, Dick Haymes

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Walker	...	Eddie Hatch
Ava Gardner	...	Venus
Dick Haymes	...	Joe Grant
Eve Arden	...	Molly Stewart
Olga San Juan	...	Gloria
Tom Conway	...	Whitfield Savory II
James Flavin	...	Det. Kerrigan
Sara Allgood	...	Mrs. Fogarty
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hugh Herbert	...	Mercury (scenes deleted)

Storyline

In the art department of a large department store, the statue of the famed Anatolian Venus comes to life and falls in love with Eddie Hatch, a window trimmer. Just before the unveiling of the prized statue, Eddie takes "Venus" to the model-display house in the store, where the store's boss finds her. He, too, falls in love with her and makes her Glamour Girl Number One. Eddie and Venus dance in Central Park, but Eddie is arrested for stealing the statue. Venus goes back to her pedestal and Eddie is released. While Eddie is sadly preparing for another unveiling, a new employee asks him a question. She tells him her name is Venus Jones.

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Plot Keywords:

love | statue | window dresser | department store | unveiling | 

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Taglines:

ALL THIS.. plus that old gleam in HER EYES!

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

August 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Venus macht Seitensprünge

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artists Alliance, Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In 1995 BBC Radio broadcast a new version with Paige O'Hara in the title role.

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Quotes

Molly Grant: Try to reason about love and you will lose your reason - old French proverb.

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Crazy Credits

Evidently a few characters' names were changed during production, causing serious contradictions in various sources' cast lists. Haymes's character is just plain "Joe" (no surname), but some sources grafted onto him the surname "Grant" from Arden's character! As if that weren't bad enough, poor Arden (addressed by various characters as "Molly Grant" consistently through the film) finds herself wrongly identified in some sources as "Molly Stewart" (which is never the surname she bears in the actual film).

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Connections

Referenced in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Speak Low"
(uncredited)
Music by Kurt Weill
Lyrics by Ogden Nash
New lyrics by Ann Ronell
Played over opening credits
Sung by Ava Gardner (dubbed by Eileen Wilson), Dick Haymes
Played as part of the score often

User Reviews

"All that's best of dark and bright"

One Touch Of Venus, touched my heart as a young girl who lived for the Black & White fantasy world that movie makers created. All the casting was perfection. The continuity of the movie was flawless.

Robert Walker's portrayal of a young man muddling through life suddenly & totally captivated by the spell of love produced by the visage of the statue of Venus. Ava Gardner's classic beauty along with her very talented acting and voice. She was utter feminine charm encased in an absolutely beautiful body. She was a Goddess, she was 'The' Goddess that brings to mind the poetic line: She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes:A Poem by Lord Byron. (No actor today can capture the abilities of yesterday's greats.)

Eve Arden's acerbic wit, which no one else since has ever done better (& believe me many have tried). Tom Conway as the suave womanizing store owner with the sexy voice. Dick Haymes was perfect as the backstabbing 'best' friend. This movie could possibly make a believer out of a cynic.