IMDb > Anything Goes (1956)

Anything Goes (1956) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
5.9/10   257 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Robert Lewis
Writers:
Guy Bolton (play) &
P.G. Wodehouse (play) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Anything Goes on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
April 1956 (USA) more
Genre:
Musical more
Plot:
Bill Benson and Ted Adams are to appear in a Broadway show together and, while in Paris, each 'discovers'... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
Shelean Newman: One of Music City's Favorite Actresses May Become America's Favorite Chanteuse
 (From BroadwayWorld.com. 12 November 2009, 8:06 PM, PST)
Karen Akers Says 'Anything Goes' When Her New Cole Porter Show Comes to The Rrazz Room 10/27-31
 (From BroadwayWorld.com. 27 October 2009, 1:30 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Some Entertaining Elements more (12 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Bing Crosby ... Bill Benson

Donald O'Connor ... Ted Adams
Zizi Jeanmaire ... Gaby Duval (as Jeanmaire)
Mitzi Gaynor ... Patsy Blair
Phil Harris ... Steve Blair
Kurt Kasznar ... Victor Lawrence
Richard Erdman ... Ed Brent
Walter Sande ... Alex Todd
Archer MacDonald ... Otto

Argentina Brunetti ... Suzanne
Alma Macrorie ... French Baroness
Dorothy Neumann ... German Woman
James Griffith ... Paul Holiday
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
106 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Finland:S | Sweden:Btl
Company:
Paramount Pictures more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This was Bing Crosby's last Paramount picture. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Year of the Dog (2007/I) more
Soundtrack:
I Get A Kick Out Of You more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful.
Some Entertaining Elements, 14 January 2007
6/10
Author: aimless-46 from Kentucky

It's easy to understand why they took their time getting around to releasing a DVD of this one. As can be seen from other comments, the 1956 film version of "Anything Goes" will generally disappoint those who love the stage version. Other than some of Cole Porter's songs and a setting on a cruise ship there is no similarity between the two productions. The very entertaining (and still frequently performed) Cole Porter musical has been transformed into a pretty lame film, and three songs by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn have been inexplicably added to the production. Even worse is the loss of most of P.G. Wodehouse's clever script, which was rewritten by a Hollywood hack into this dumbed-down version.

This doesn't make "Anything Goes" unwatchable. The choreography is mostly first rate. Most of the musical numbers are entertaining and several are excellent. The performances are typical of each cast members career work (both good and bad) and the film has some interesting Hollywood cinema history aspects.

You know almost immediately that this will not be a rousing bit of entertainment, instead of a high-energy opening number the film begins with a back stage party scene that is about as lively as an abandoned railroad track.

Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor play Broadway co-stars who go to Europe to recruit a leading lady for their upcoming show. Each brings their discovery aboard a cruise ship for a transatlantic voyage. Mitzi Gaynor and Zizi Jeanmaire play the girls. Since there is only one role the remainder of the film is about determining which one will be featured and keeping it secret that both were already promised the role. There are two romances, with the two actors falling for each other's girl during the ocean crossing. Suspense and comedy are in short supply.

Gaynor manages a pretty good performance; she gets one very hot feature number (the title song-although Porter's original four letter word lyrics are toned down) and duets with O'Connor in the film's best number "It's De-lovely". O'Connor is also featured in a very original dance routine with children and a lot of bouncing balls. In this he dances to Van Heusen's "Bounce Right Back," not much of a song but a good excuse for using him in another unique routine.

Jeanmaire was a French ballet star ("Carmen") who briefly tried her stuff in mid-50's Hollywood. She was a Leslie Caron clone complete with the same hairstyle. Her two solo numbers "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "Dream Ballet" are surprisingly good, at least the dancing portions.

Bing Crosby of course is well known to old movie buffs but others will be somewhat puzzled by his popularity. Nothing he does in "Anything Goes" sheds light on this question. He was a "popular" extremely bland singer and a horrible actor with some comic ability. In "Anything Goes" even his comedy stuff is pretty awful. Paired with Bing, O'Connor has about the same chance for success as going through a balloon shop wearing a porcupine overcoat.

The Technicolor and VistaVision completely overpower the cheap production design as well as Sidney Sheldon's (the hack writer mentioned above) weak adaptation.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (12 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Anything Goes (1956)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
If I wasn't a Donald fan.. nomilktoday
nothing like the musical paulfranksuperstar123
DO NOT SEE THIS BloodyVampir
Dumb Film, Redeemed by One star-blazer
i need help tweetybyrd2186
Can I buy this? Bettlejuice
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Phantom of the Opera On the Town Gold Diggers of 1933 Show Boat Chicago
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Musical section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.