Romance on the High Seas (1948)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

I.A.L. Diamond (additional dialogue)
Julius J. Epstein (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 July 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Romance and Laughter...under a Rio moon!

Plot:

Socialite Elvira Kent suspects her husband of fooling around with other women. When he announces he can't join her on their scheduled ocean voyage...

Plot Keywords:

Cruise | Jealousy | Private Detective | Mistaken Identity | Drunk

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Jack Carson	...	Peter Virgil, Private Detective
Janis Paige	...	Mrs. Elvira Kent
Don DeFore	...	Mr. Michael Kent
Doris Day	...	Miss Georgia Garrett
Oscar Levant	...	Oscar Farrar
S.Z. Sakall	...	Uncle Lazlo Lazlo
Fortunio Bonanova	...	Plinio
Eric Blore	...	Ship's doctor
Franklin Pangborn	...	Rio hotel clerk
Leslie Brooks	...	Miss Medwick
William Bakewell	...	Dudley (travel agent)
John Berkes	...	The Drunk (as Johnny Berkes)
Avon Long	...	Specialty player
Page Cavanaugh	...	Himself
Sir Lancelot	...	Specialty player

Also Known As:

It's Magic (UK)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #12521) | Australia:G | Finland:S

Company:

Michael Curtiz Productions

Trivia:

According to her 1975 autobiography, "Doris Day: Her Own Story" (co-written with A.E. Hotchner), Miss Day attended a show-biz party the night before she planned to leave for New York City. Also at the gathering was lyric writer Sammy Cahn who, taking Doris aside, explained that she would be the right match for the Cahn-Jule Styne score of this upcoming film. When, at Mr. Cahn's urging, Doris sang "Embraceable You" (music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin) for the party crowd, she was heard by director Michael Curtiz, who then asked her to test for the role of Georgia Garrett.

Quotes:

Georgia Garrett: Oscar! How did you get on this boat?
Oscar Farrar: I lied about my age.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Romance musical (1947)

Soundtrack:

Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea

Grand Debut for Doris

One of the delights of "Romance on the High Seas" is the remarkable debut of Doris Day. Having replaced an indisposed Betty Hutton, Day stepped into this role with all the zest and zip that she brought to her total career.

It's rather amazing to me how accomplished Day was in her initial screen effort: her comedic work, singing, and general enactment was like that of a seasoned professional. All the infectious Day sparkle and spirit was there from the beginning, after only a brief period as a band singer.

Ably assisted by the multi-faceted Jack Carson, pretty other-woman Janis Paige, vulnerable foils Don DeFore and Oscar Levant, and top character actor S. Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, this Warner Bros. musical bounces along merrily. Fetching songs, a witty script, nice settings in Rio and Cuba, and a stylish specialty number by Avon Long keep things moving along right to the kaleidoscopic finale staged by Busby Berkeley.

"Romance on the High Seas" is a pleasurable way to spend an evening. As Doris's song goes, "It's Magic."