As a movie this barely rates a 4 but for movie fans of the 1940s period, it's almost a must-see and rates a 9 as a variety show! I was drawn to watch this by the presence of Richard (Captain Midnight) Webb who plays the Colonel in charge of the event. What surprised me was the stunning performance of Doris Day. Outside of 'Calamity Jane', I've never seen her put over a song better than she does here. Randolph Scott is memorable as well, even if he doesn't see much screen time. It's been a while since I saw the movie but I was almost sure Humphrey Bogart put in an appearance. With so many familiar faces, it's hard to keep track. If it ever turns up on a TV station near you, be sure to catch the Doris Day sequence, if nothing else!
24 Reviews
The Stars Come To Travis
bkoganbing5 April 2009
Starlift is a pleasant and interesting throwback to those all star musical pictures that every studio was putting out during the World War II years. When you've got such stars as Gary Cooper, James Cagney, Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, and Randolph Scott, etc., in the film and with such people as the Gershwin Brothers, Cole Porter, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn supplying the music, it's an easy to take film. And the plot isn't even in the way.
What plot there is involves two Air Force enlisted men, Dick Wesson and Ron Hagerthy, trying to meet Warner Brothers starlet Janice Rule using as a gimmick the fact that both come from Youngstown, Ohio and Hagerthy's father was Rule's dentist as well as half of the town's. The scheme works too well as Louella Parsons is soon putting them as an item in her column. Yes, Louella's in the film as well. She must have liked Warner Brothers or Jack Warner catered to her more than the other studio bosses because she also used this studio to publicize her Hollywood Hotel radio program back in the day.
But the rest of the plot also touched on the real life efforts of Ruth Roman also playing herself to get her studio and others to do shows at the Air Force bases for the servicemen and women going to Korea. Some of the names I've mentioned and others sing and perform in a show at Travis Air Force Base where a lot of this film was shot.
One specialty number was shot for the talents of Phil Harris who sing/narrates a ballad Look Out Stranger, I'm A Texas Ranger aided and assisted by Virginia Gibson, Frank Lovejoy and Gary Cooper. Yup, Cooper looked like he was having a great old time kidding his image.
This is the oldest of clichés when you say they don't make them like this any more, but they really don't because you don't have a studio system that has all this talent under contract. That's one thing about the demise of the old studio system we can mourn.
What plot there is involves two Air Force enlisted men, Dick Wesson and Ron Hagerthy, trying to meet Warner Brothers starlet Janice Rule using as a gimmick the fact that both come from Youngstown, Ohio and Hagerthy's father was Rule's dentist as well as half of the town's. The scheme works too well as Louella Parsons is soon putting them as an item in her column. Yes, Louella's in the film as well. She must have liked Warner Brothers or Jack Warner catered to her more than the other studio bosses because she also used this studio to publicize her Hollywood Hotel radio program back in the day.
But the rest of the plot also touched on the real life efforts of Ruth Roman also playing herself to get her studio and others to do shows at the Air Force bases for the servicemen and women going to Korea. Some of the names I've mentioned and others sing and perform in a show at Travis Air Force Base where a lot of this film was shot.
One specialty number was shot for the talents of Phil Harris who sing/narrates a ballad Look Out Stranger, I'm A Texas Ranger aided and assisted by Virginia Gibson, Frank Lovejoy and Gary Cooper. Yup, Cooper looked like he was having a great old time kidding his image.
This is the oldest of clichés when you say they don't make them like this any more, but they really don't because you don't have a studio system that has all this talent under contract. That's one thing about the demise of the old studio system we can mourn.
Let's give the boys a show!
theowinthrop6 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
STARLIFT is a pleasant film and no more. It's relative obscurity (despite a cast of cameo appearing stars from Warner Brothers) is odd until you realize it deals with the wrong war. Only half-a-dozen years before movies like THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS and STAGE-DOOR CANTEEN had been shown to appreciative audiences in the armed forces and in the country. But they dealt with the war experience in World War II. That national experience was incredibly unifying. Korea was a different story.
While the bulk of Americans were fully supportive of the boys and girls in Korea, the early 1950s had a split in America due to McCarthyism. If the returning Vets from Vietnam twenty years further on resented the anger misdirected at them, at least the issue of what they were up to (especially after the My Lai Massacre) kept the public aware of them. Eventually the public calmed down and put up the Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington. But the Korean War Memorial is another matter. Korea, once the truce was signed, was quickly buried by the country, watching the antics of Senator Joe McCarthy. Think how many films were created to honor the war: PORK CHOP HILL, THE BRIDGES AT TOKO RI, and...yeah how many more can you think of, until say M.A.S.H. in 1970? And that film is really better recalled because of the television series of the same name.
So STARLIFT has not had the exposure that say STAGE DOOR CANTEEN did. It's the same idea, if the story line is a bit different. Two G.I.s (Ron Haggerthy and Dick Wesson) are in Hollywood and Wesson (playing his normal easy going conniver) manages to convince Doris Day and Ruth Roman that Haggerthy is a close boy-friend of starlet Janice Rule. They entertain the two (in the course of which they introduce them to Gordon McRae and Jimmy Cagney - the latter redoes some of his dialog from WHITE HEAT), and then Rule shows up. She really barely recalls Haggerthy (he was the son of her dentist in Youngstown, Ohio, and her father was the local sweetshop owner). However, due to Wesson's conniving patter, the women are convinced that they are headed for Korea on their next mission. So they accompany the boys back to Travis Air Force Base, and see how their appearance raises the morale of the men there. Haggerthy and Wesson eventually take off on their mission (helping to fly a transport to Hawaii to drop the men off there who are headed to Korea. In the meantime Roman and Rule get the idea of returning with other stars to entertain the men.
The plot (such as it is) is how Louella Parson hears of the relations between Haggerthy and Rule, blowing it into a romance. Potentially it would be a true romance, but Rule discovers that Haggerthy is only ferrying troops between California and Hawaii, and he thinks she is using him for publicity. The plot is whether they overcome these misunderstandings.
It is the performances that keep our attention: Doris Day singing several songs like "S'wonderful", and others singing (including Jane Wyman - a reminder that she actually did duets with Bing Crosby in some movies). McRae and Virginia Mayo and Barry Nelson do some nice numbers, Nelson as an MP singing "It's Magic" while imagining his perfect girl (Ms Rule again). Proper use was made of Phil Harris, first getting properly trounced by a bunch of G.I.'s in a Gin Rummy game (at only a penny a point - he ends up losing $700.00!), and then as the singer narrator of a "western number" spoof with Gary Cooper and Frank Lovejoy (a rarity for Lovejoy, who almost never was in a comic piece of business). Phil also gets in a crack about "Mr. Benny" and even one about "Alice". Randolph Scott does as a temporary master of ceremonies (when Harris is playing cards). Also the Warner's answer to Martin and Lewis (which never worked) of (Peter) Marshall and (Tommy) Noonan shows them in a passable bit of business about a cook who gets drunk trying to show how to bake a cake (call for Red Skelton's "Guzzler's Gin" which was shorter and funnier).
It is a decent escapist film, and a reminder of what we have to give our men and women in uniform to help them face impossible or dangerous situations for all of us.
While the bulk of Americans were fully supportive of the boys and girls in Korea, the early 1950s had a split in America due to McCarthyism. If the returning Vets from Vietnam twenty years further on resented the anger misdirected at them, at least the issue of what they were up to (especially after the My Lai Massacre) kept the public aware of them. Eventually the public calmed down and put up the Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington. But the Korean War Memorial is another matter. Korea, once the truce was signed, was quickly buried by the country, watching the antics of Senator Joe McCarthy. Think how many films were created to honor the war: PORK CHOP HILL, THE BRIDGES AT TOKO RI, and...yeah how many more can you think of, until say M.A.S.H. in 1970? And that film is really better recalled because of the television series of the same name.
So STARLIFT has not had the exposure that say STAGE DOOR CANTEEN did. It's the same idea, if the story line is a bit different. Two G.I.s (Ron Haggerthy and Dick Wesson) are in Hollywood and Wesson (playing his normal easy going conniver) manages to convince Doris Day and Ruth Roman that Haggerthy is a close boy-friend of starlet Janice Rule. They entertain the two (in the course of which they introduce them to Gordon McRae and Jimmy Cagney - the latter redoes some of his dialog from WHITE HEAT), and then Rule shows up. She really barely recalls Haggerthy (he was the son of her dentist in Youngstown, Ohio, and her father was the local sweetshop owner). However, due to Wesson's conniving patter, the women are convinced that they are headed for Korea on their next mission. So they accompany the boys back to Travis Air Force Base, and see how their appearance raises the morale of the men there. Haggerthy and Wesson eventually take off on their mission (helping to fly a transport to Hawaii to drop the men off there who are headed to Korea. In the meantime Roman and Rule get the idea of returning with other stars to entertain the men.
The plot (such as it is) is how Louella Parson hears of the relations between Haggerthy and Rule, blowing it into a romance. Potentially it would be a true romance, but Rule discovers that Haggerthy is only ferrying troops between California and Hawaii, and he thinks she is using him for publicity. The plot is whether they overcome these misunderstandings.
It is the performances that keep our attention: Doris Day singing several songs like "S'wonderful", and others singing (including Jane Wyman - a reminder that she actually did duets with Bing Crosby in some movies). McRae and Virginia Mayo and Barry Nelson do some nice numbers, Nelson as an MP singing "It's Magic" while imagining his perfect girl (Ms Rule again). Proper use was made of Phil Harris, first getting properly trounced by a bunch of G.I.'s in a Gin Rummy game (at only a penny a point - he ends up losing $700.00!), and then as the singer narrator of a "western number" spoof with Gary Cooper and Frank Lovejoy (a rarity for Lovejoy, who almost never was in a comic piece of business). Phil also gets in a crack about "Mr. Benny" and even one about "Alice". Randolph Scott does as a temporary master of ceremonies (when Harris is playing cards). Also the Warner's answer to Martin and Lewis (which never worked) of (Peter) Marshall and (Tommy) Noonan shows them in a passable bit of business about a cook who gets drunk trying to show how to bake a cake (call for Red Skelton's "Guzzler's Gin" which was shorter and funnier).
It is a decent escapist film, and a reminder of what we have to give our men and women in uniform to help them face impossible or dangerous situations for all of us.
Good, but...
Liza-1921 February 2002
If you want to see all of the Warner Stars from 1950 - 1955, they're all here. It's fun to see so many famous faces like Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, but there is no real plot to this movie. Troops are sad, stars cheer them up, troops are happy. There are some cute tunes and it's actually a lot of fun to see just how many stars they can cram into this film - but only a few of them stick around for the whole movie. MGM did it so much better in the 40s with movies like TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY and THOUSANDS CHEER. Those films at least had a plot, with stars giving cameos - this seems to be a bad imitation of those films. It's still a worthwhile film, but don't spend an arm and a leg trying to find it, it's not THAT great.
A Variety Show Lifted by Doris Day and Gene Nelson
wes-connors16 April 2009
A slew of big-name entertainers seek to entertain film audiences, by entertaining troops headed for the Korean War, from California's Travis Air Force Base. Up-and-comers Janice Rule (as Nell Wayne) and Ron Hagerthy (as Rick Williams) provide an interconnecting romantic storyline, but it's really a Warner Brothers variety show. "Starlift" is light and pleasant, with your enjoyment dependent upon your interest in the performers and material on screen.
Doris Day was, at the time, the nation's newest box office sensation; and, she generously contributes the Gershwins' "''S Wonderful", plus the lovely medley "You Oughta Be in Pictures"/"You Do Something to Me". Day was always great with a duet, and the breezy "You're Gonna Lose Your Gal" is perfect, with Gordon MacRae. By the way, that Monaco/Young duet sounds nothing like Lennon/McCartney's "You're Gonna Lose That Girl"; rather, it sounds very much like Elvis Presley's "How Would You Like To Be".
Gene Nelson is the other undeniable another highlight. His dancing, on "What Is This Thing Called Love?" (with Ms. Rule) is spectacular And, Mr. Nelson's "It's Magic" (which had already been a big hit for Day) is probably the best production in the film. Together, Day and Nelson could make the most ordinary vehicles shine brighter.
****** Starlift (12/14/51) Roy Del Ruth ~ Janice Rule, Doris Day, Gene Nelson
Doris Day was, at the time, the nation's newest box office sensation; and, she generously contributes the Gershwins' "''S Wonderful", plus the lovely medley "You Oughta Be in Pictures"/"You Do Something to Me". Day was always great with a duet, and the breezy "You're Gonna Lose Your Gal" is perfect, with Gordon MacRae. By the way, that Monaco/Young duet sounds nothing like Lennon/McCartney's "You're Gonna Lose That Girl"; rather, it sounds very much like Elvis Presley's "How Would You Like To Be".
Gene Nelson is the other undeniable another highlight. His dancing, on "What Is This Thing Called Love?" (with Ms. Rule) is spectacular And, Mr. Nelson's "It's Magic" (which had already been a big hit for Day) is probably the best production in the film. Together, Day and Nelson could make the most ordinary vehicles shine brighter.
****** Starlift (12/14/51) Roy Del Ruth ~ Janice Rule, Doris Day, Gene Nelson
A Korean War version of WWII's "Hollywood Canteen": star-studded variety show.
weezeralfalfa28 June 2020
As was true of the 1944 "Hollywood Canteen", this star-studded variety show presumably was especially meant to entertain US servicemen, overseas or stateside. Thus, we begin with servicemen Ron Hagerthy and funnyman Dick Wesson at Travis Airforce Base, CA, hoping to meet up with a Hollywood star or 2, rumored to be visiting the base. Eventually, they meet a few. The first half of the film supposedly takes place at this airforce base, before moving to Hollywood, with occasional returns to the airforce base. These 2 nobody soldiers will be with us, on and off, through the whole film. But, the 'star' with the most screen time is ingenue Janice Rule: this being only her second film. Along with Ruth Roman, she often acts as a greeter to the servicemen, one(Ron) of whom she flirts with, in an on again, off again, relationship, generating some drama. At least this subplot is not very obtrusive, as was the comparable romantic dabbling in "Hollywood Canteen" She is attractive and personable. She also had stage dancing talent, and dances to 2 numbers with athletic dancer Gene Nelson: among the highlights. Despite screen versatility, she was not much used by Hollywood, finding a more accepting medium in TV for a while, before quitting acting to become a psychotherapist. The only other 'name' actresses who get to do a bit of dancing are Virginia Mayo and Virginia Gibson, who portray a South seas maiden, and saloon girl, respectively. The latter 2 teamed with classical music songstress Lucille Norman to form the Dillon Sisters, in "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine", released that same year. Sexy, blond, Lucille teams with familiar baritone and leading man Gordon MacRae in singing Cole Porter's "What is this Thing Called Love". Later, Gordon solos the inspirational "On the Good Green Acres of Home"............Gene Nelson sings Doris Day's recent mega hit "It's Magic", after which Janice accompanies him in dancing to it. I much prefer D.D.'s singing rendition!. Speaking of D.D., she briefly appears several times to sing "You Ought to be in Pictures", or "You Do Something to Me", or, with Gordon, "You're Going to Lose Your Gal". She and Gordon also got to sing periodically in several movies they did together during this period, before they both became really famous..........Hold on, we have a couple more star singers to point out. Although Jane Wyman was seldom presented in film as a singer, before she became a movie star , she was a professional singer, and was allowed to sing a bit in several movies I am familiar with, including "Hollywood Canteen", and the present one. In fact, she is the only star I recognize that was in both these films.........And, let's not forget Errol Flynn's sometimes wife: Patricia Wymore: always a striking, elegant, big-eyed presence , with her singing and dancing: here to "Lisa". For a few years, she was a Warner's player: mostly a second or third lead: often 'the other woman', or a villainess..........There were a few scattered non-musical skits, none of which I will comment on.........All in all, a moderately interesting musical variety show that may be worth your time, if presented on TV or it's DVD release. Just be forewarned that the well known stars won't spend much time on screen
"
Doris Day is 'S Wonderful...not so the rest of "Starlift"
moonspinner555 April 2009
Actress Ruth Roman's real-life philanthropic gesture to help entertain U.S. troops arriving from and leaving for Korea at an air base near San Francisco jump-started this all-star Warner Bros. salute to patriotism and song. Several celebrities make guest appearances while a love-hate romance develops between a budding starlet and a painfully green and skinny Air Force corporal (Ron Hagerthy, who looks like he should be delivering newspapers from his bicycle). Seems the corporal has fooled the actress into thinking he's off to battle when actually he's part of an airplane carrier crew, flying to and from Honolulu (one would think she'd be overjoyed he was relatively out of harm's way, but instead she acts just like most childish females in 1950s movies). Doris Day is around for the first 30 minutes, and her distinct laugh and plucky song numbers are most pleasant. Roman is also here, looking glamorous, while James Cagney pokes fun at his screen persona and Gordon MacRae sings in his handsome baritone. Jane Wyman sings, too, in a hospital bedside reprise following Doris Day's lead, causing one to wonder, "Did they run out of sets?" For undemanding viewers, an interesting flashback to another time and place. Still, the low-rent production and just-adequate technical aspects render "Starlift" strictly a second-biller. *1/2 from ****
Operation Starlift - a movie just as it happened, with some fiction thrown in
SimonJack13 April 2021
"Starlift" is a movie Warner Brothers made about Operation Starlift that operated from early 1950 until late 1951 when the program ran out of money. The project was created by a special services office of the U. S. military and the Hollywood Coordinating Committee.
The latter was a service committee formed in Hollywood in 1941 to provide entertainment for American servicemen on the West Coast during WW II. It continued operating through the Korean War until 1957. Actors, actresses, comedians, singers and musicians volunteered to entertain the GIs during wartime. They put on shows in the Hollywood Canteen, other canteens, and USO clubs.
But this film is not about the canteen and USO programs. While the purpose was the same and the entertainment similar, the situation was different. Operation Starlift was to entertain the wounded who had returned from Korea, and to give a send-off to the GIs who were leaving for the war.
Ruth Roman, who appears in this film, was the principal promoter of Operation Starlift. The Air Force would pick up Hollywood entertainers at the Lockheed air station near Burbank on Saturday, and fly them to Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco. They would put on a two- to three-hour show in the terminal building for GIs who were departing for Korea. They then would do the show in the base hospital auditorium for the wounded GIs who had come from the war. On Sundays, the Air Force then flew them back to Burbank.
The movie is about the project, with Roman joined by Doris Day and Janice Rule in the main roles. The plot is a loose story that includes a fictional romance. It ties together several song and dance numbers and comedy routines. It's a typical musical revue film, but the story has some historical value and a little more substance because it was made right at the time the project was ending. And, it included many of the Hollywood stars and the shows they might put on. As some film critics at the time, and other reviewers have noted, the film's plot is quite sappy in places. Still, it's a nice glimpse of some people in the entertainment field who cared about GIs and veterans. And, the revue acts are entertaining. It gets 7 stars for its historical portrayal and accuracy. Otherwise, it would rate six stars for the plot and performances.
Some other celebrities with bigger parts in the film are Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, Virginia Mayo, Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy, Richard Webb, Hayden Rorke and Phil Harris. Gary Cooper, James Cagney, Jane Wyman, Randolph Scott and Louella Parsons head the list of other actors and celebs who appear in cameos and bit parts.
The best line in the film is by Richard Webb who plays the Travis Air Base commander, Col. Callan. When Ruth Roman suggests "Starlift" as a regular entertainment project for the troops, Callan says, "Well, the Air Force thrives on short notice. You get 'em, we'll fly 'em."
The latter was a service committee formed in Hollywood in 1941 to provide entertainment for American servicemen on the West Coast during WW II. It continued operating through the Korean War until 1957. Actors, actresses, comedians, singers and musicians volunteered to entertain the GIs during wartime. They put on shows in the Hollywood Canteen, other canteens, and USO clubs.
But this film is not about the canteen and USO programs. While the purpose was the same and the entertainment similar, the situation was different. Operation Starlift was to entertain the wounded who had returned from Korea, and to give a send-off to the GIs who were leaving for the war.
Ruth Roman, who appears in this film, was the principal promoter of Operation Starlift. The Air Force would pick up Hollywood entertainers at the Lockheed air station near Burbank on Saturday, and fly them to Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco. They would put on a two- to three-hour show in the terminal building for GIs who were departing for Korea. They then would do the show in the base hospital auditorium for the wounded GIs who had come from the war. On Sundays, the Air Force then flew them back to Burbank.
The movie is about the project, with Roman joined by Doris Day and Janice Rule in the main roles. The plot is a loose story that includes a fictional romance. It ties together several song and dance numbers and comedy routines. It's a typical musical revue film, but the story has some historical value and a little more substance because it was made right at the time the project was ending. And, it included many of the Hollywood stars and the shows they might put on. As some film critics at the time, and other reviewers have noted, the film's plot is quite sappy in places. Still, it's a nice glimpse of some people in the entertainment field who cared about GIs and veterans. And, the revue acts are entertaining. It gets 7 stars for its historical portrayal and accuracy. Otherwise, it would rate six stars for the plot and performances.
Some other celebrities with bigger parts in the film are Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, Virginia Mayo, Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy, Richard Webb, Hayden Rorke and Phil Harris. Gary Cooper, James Cagney, Jane Wyman, Randolph Scott and Louella Parsons head the list of other actors and celebs who appear in cameos and bit parts.
The best line in the film is by Richard Webb who plays the Travis Air Base commander, Col. Callan. When Ruth Roman suggests "Starlift" as a regular entertainment project for the troops, Callan says, "Well, the Air Force thrives on short notice. You get 'em, we'll fly 'em."
Doris Day puts a lift in "Starlift"
Dan-136 April 2009
The only time this movie ever really comes to life is when Doris Day is on screen. Sadly, she disappears after about 30 minutes. Her musical numbers, " 'S Wonderful" and "You Ought to Be in Pictures" are the film's high points, and she delivers them as only she can. Day just lights up the screen and proves once more how underrated she is as a vocalist. She's also charming in her small scene visiting Jack Larson, who plays a hospital patient.
As for the rest of the movie, the script is even more dreadful than the one for "Hollywood Canteen," of which this bears a resemblance. Janice Rule and Rick Hagerthy have zero chemistry as the romantic leads. The "comedy" routines by Peter Marshall and Tommy Noonan, and Phil Harris, Dick Wesson and the others, are cornier than an Iowa field. Virginia Mayo's South Seas number and Patrice Wymore doing "Liza" helped relieve the tedium, but Doris Day is clearly the standout. If only she'd been in more of the movie, it would have been so much better.
As for the rest of the movie, the script is even more dreadful than the one for "Hollywood Canteen," of which this bears a resemblance. Janice Rule and Rick Hagerthy have zero chemistry as the romantic leads. The "comedy" routines by Peter Marshall and Tommy Noonan, and Phil Harris, Dick Wesson and the others, are cornier than an Iowa field. Virginia Mayo's South Seas number and Patrice Wymore doing "Liza" helped relieve the tedium, but Doris Day is clearly the standout. If only she'd been in more of the movie, it would have been so much better.
pleasant surprise
toadwriter31 January 2024
I'm a #SummerUnderTheStars fan and Doris Day was featured in 2023. I am not an old soul, but I'm learning to appreciate the classics. Needless to say, just about anything I watch on TCM is probably going to be the first time I've seen it.
My "reviews" are really just a reminder to myself as to what the film was about, what I thought of it and if I care to watch it again if that day should come.
Starlift is a movie that kept me interested. It's a story about how some Hollywood stars came to pay homage to our troops, thanking them for their service and lifting their spirits. That underlying theme is really what I liked about the film.
There were some really good scenes. I liked when Ruth and Doris were entertained by a piano player when a soldier opened the curtains, so a lot of boys about to depart for war got to enjoy their presence. I liked those moments. There were many such scenes, like when one guy was on the phone talking to his friend who didn't believe Doris Day had just walked in, but she got on the phone and sang to him. That was great.
The Gary Cooper skit was great.
Phil acting like he was a bad card player to help donate a little cash. Yeah, everyone thought he had a gambling problem. Surprise.
Honestly, this is a movie that could have been 5 hours long, just so everyone could have had bigger roles and done a lot more to entertain the troup's; to do more skits together.
I would watch this again, but it's not without its flaws:
Sgt. Mike Nolan (played by Dick Wesson) is really obnoxious. He's the kind of unfunny guy that people have to humor, because he doesn't realize he's not funny.
Many of the roles were simply too small. Cagney was in the film for maybe a few minutes. Gary Cooper did 1 skit with Phil Harris.
Ya don't see Doris all that much after the first hour or so.
It took me 3 (work) nights to finish and it's what I looked forward to every evening before falling asleep. It's a feel-good movie.
My "reviews" are really just a reminder to myself as to what the film was about, what I thought of it and if I care to watch it again if that day should come.
Starlift is a movie that kept me interested. It's a story about how some Hollywood stars came to pay homage to our troops, thanking them for their service and lifting their spirits. That underlying theme is really what I liked about the film.
There were some really good scenes. I liked when Ruth and Doris were entertained by a piano player when a soldier opened the curtains, so a lot of boys about to depart for war got to enjoy their presence. I liked those moments. There were many such scenes, like when one guy was on the phone talking to his friend who didn't believe Doris Day had just walked in, but she got on the phone and sang to him. That was great.
The Gary Cooper skit was great.
Phil acting like he was a bad card player to help donate a little cash. Yeah, everyone thought he had a gambling problem. Surprise.
Honestly, this is a movie that could have been 5 hours long, just so everyone could have had bigger roles and done a lot more to entertain the troup's; to do more skits together.
I would watch this again, but it's not without its flaws:
Sgt. Mike Nolan (played by Dick Wesson) is really obnoxious. He's the kind of unfunny guy that people have to humor, because he doesn't realize he's not funny.
Many of the roles were simply too small. Cagney was in the film for maybe a few minutes. Gary Cooper did 1 skit with Phil Harris.
Ya don't see Doris all that much after the first hour or so.
It took me 3 (work) nights to finish and it's what I looked forward to every evening before falling asleep. It's a feel-good movie.
Janice Rules
ghmoffatt-18 April 2009
Of course the plot is dreary and there's not enough singing and dancing. For me, there never is. As a movie, it rather sucks, but as a DVD it is just fine. Just go to the numbers with Doris, Gordon and the people you like to watch perform. The surprising highlight of the film is Janice Rule. She and Gene Nelson dance together in two numbers. This is the only time she got to dance in a movie. I knew she danced on Broadway in "The Happiest Girl In The World", but I didn't see it and THIS I can see. I'm glad that this is on DVD. I can watch Janice Rule dance anytime I want. She was wonderful.Patrice Wymore dances to and "sings" Gershwin's "Liza". Sounded like Bonnie Lou Willams. She seemed to be the voice double of every lovely non-singing lady at Warner Bros. when she wasn't recording with Gordon Jenkins. Virginia Mayo's number was quite good and I wish they would put "She's Working Her Way Through College" and "She's Back On Broadway" in a set with some other pictures that she did at that studio. Also, how about all three versions of "The Desert Song" and the three of "Showboat" ? I would buy all of these tomorrow. Hey, if you do, please include Ava's tracks.
Worth Watching
atlasmb9 March 2021
I recommend this film despite the low rating. Though it is saddled with a simple story and it has a disjointed narrative, it features a plethora of stars and some memorable moments.
The story revolves around a base where military personnel wait for deployment in the Korean conflict. Some Warner Brothers stars (e.g. Doris Day, Ruth Roman, and Gordon MacRae) who play versions of themselves entertain the troops there. The story eventually settles into a plot about an Air Force crewman who is a hometown acquaintance of star Nell Wayne (Janice Rule). But just as that story becomes interesting, it shifts to another, unrelated musical performance.
But some of those vocal performances are very enjoyable, especially those by Day and MacRae. Jane Wyman also sings. Look for the dancing of Janice Rule. And Virginia Gibson, who performs as a saloon girl in a musical number featuring Gary Cooper and Phil Harris that is very entertaining.
Addendum 10/20/23: Among the many beauties in the film, watch for Patrice Wymore., a knockout who taps and sings with an all-girl band. Patrice was married to Errol Flynn until his death.
The story revolves around a base where military personnel wait for deployment in the Korean conflict. Some Warner Brothers stars (e.g. Doris Day, Ruth Roman, and Gordon MacRae) who play versions of themselves entertain the troops there. The story eventually settles into a plot about an Air Force crewman who is a hometown acquaintance of star Nell Wayne (Janice Rule). But just as that story becomes interesting, it shifts to another, unrelated musical performance.
But some of those vocal performances are very enjoyable, especially those by Day and MacRae. Jane Wyman also sings. Look for the dancing of Janice Rule. And Virginia Gibson, who performs as a saloon girl in a musical number featuring Gary Cooper and Phil Harris that is very entertaining.
Addendum 10/20/23: Among the many beauties in the film, watch for Patrice Wymore., a knockout who taps and sings with an all-girl band. Patrice was married to Errol Flynn until his death.
Typical Warners musical I found to be better than expected.
mark.waltz3 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This isn't the disaster I heard from some Doris Day fans to be. It's actually not a Doris Day movie---she appears in a few scenes at the beginning as herself and is as plucky as ever, but the story of movie stars who create shows at a base near San Francisco for members of the Air Force preparing to go off to fight in Korea. It all starts when a young starlet (Janice Rule) meets a young airman (Ron Hagerthy) from her hometown and believes him to be one of those men, not realizing that he is only accompanying the plane to Honolulu then returning to the base. When she learns the truth, it is too late. Hollywood, thanks to Louella Parsons, has found out, and the publicity machine created makes them a favorite of the gossip columnists. Rule and Hagerthy by this point are at each other's throats, but the ensuing publicity forces them to be together for press junkets and for the morality of the airmen. Such Hollywood stars (then contracted at Warner Brothers) including Ruth Roman, Virginia Mayo, Gary Cooper, and James Cagney appear as themselves. Dick Wesson, who resembles Jon Cryer as he appears on "Two and a Half Men", is the airman instigator of this plot, and is as annoying as he was in "About Face" and other musicals of the era. He's the perfect example of the theory "less is more", although he was used to some amusement in drag in "Calamity Jane". He has one good moment while doing a Cagney impression where he is confronted by "the real deal". In "playing" herself, Doris Day was directed to be a bit tomboyish, like her character in the same year's "On Moonlight Bay".
In watching this, I was wondering about the character Janice Rule played, thinking she might have actually been an actual starlet that didn't make it, a real-life actress like Joan Leslie in "Hollywood Canteen". The storyline is almost identical, although Leslie played herself (and had a very successful career), and Rule, playing a fictional starlet, went on to a long career, mostly on television. This is a mixed bag that somehow manages to be entertaining. Of the musical numbers, "What Is This Thing Called Love?" stands out, followed by "Liza" and well-known standards performed by Ms. Day. Gary Cooper appears to be embarrassed by his participation in the Phil Harris western number. "Starlift" has plenty of entertainment to make up for the weak spots.
In watching this, I was wondering about the character Janice Rule played, thinking she might have actually been an actual starlet that didn't make it, a real-life actress like Joan Leslie in "Hollywood Canteen". The storyline is almost identical, although Leslie played herself (and had a very successful career), and Rule, playing a fictional starlet, went on to a long career, mostly on television. This is a mixed bag that somehow manages to be entertaining. Of the musical numbers, "What Is This Thing Called Love?" stands out, followed by "Liza" and well-known standards performed by Ms. Day. Gary Cooper appears to be embarrassed by his participation in the Phil Harris western number. "Starlift" has plenty of entertainment to make up for the weak spots.
Jeez that was hard to watch.
steve-667-1019028 May 2019
This one snuck under my radar after years of adoring Doris Day. Saw it yesterday. Glad I avoided it so long.
I love the old "time capsule" type movies. Especially those designed to buoy morale during wartime. My favourite is "the human comedy".
But this, oh my God. It's pretty corny.
The two enlisted guys are an embarrassment.
I wanted to punch them both.
The musical numbers are so so.
The budget didn't allow much beyond the salaries of the all star cast.
All in all, the worst of its kind. Maybe Korea wasn't as important as WWII.
Considerably fewer stars than there are in heaven
laurencetuccori27 June 2009
It's nothing more than a weird coincidence that I decided to watch STARLIFT on the 59th anniversary of the day in June 1950 when President Truman's ordered US forces into the Korean War. STARLIFT, you see, is set largely at Travis Air Force base in California in the years when it was being used as a staging post for soldiers being shipped out to fight in Korea. But you'd need to do your own research to know this because not once during the film is the name 'Korea' mentioned. We see transport aircraft flying out fresh troops and returning with wounded soldiers but there's no mention of where these men will be fighting or getting injured. Which is kind of weird for a film designed to wave the flag and salute America's men in uniform. Released in December 1951 by Warner Brothers, STARLIFT is a very obvious effort to replicate the success of the studio's star-studded World War Two home-front morale booster "Hollywood Canteen." This 1944 crowd-pleaser told the story of two soldiers spending their last three nights of leave hanging out at the famous armed forces nightclub in LA hoping to get a date with Joan Leslie. But really it was just an excuse for Warners to trot out every star under contract, from Joan Crawford, John Garfield, and Barbara Stanwyck to Peter Lorre, Bette Davis, Sydney Greenstreet and more. STARLIFT features two Air Force soldiers hoping to meet fictional starlet Nell Wayne (a mask-like Janice Rule) and persuading a bunch of Warner Bros stars to put on a show for the departing troops. But in place of Crawford, Garfield et al the best the brothers Warner could scrape up in 1951 were Doris Day, Ruth Roman, Gordon MacRae, Virginia Mayo, Gene Nelson and Phil Harris with fleeting appearances by James Cagney, Randolph Scott, and a clearly embarrassed looking Gary Cooper. This threadbare cast, whose combined star power would struggle to illuminate a standard lamp, is perfectly matched by the crummy production values. Presumably in an effort to save money several long scenes were shot using really really bad back projection. How bad is it? You can see the join where the screen meets the floor of the soundstage! To describe STARLIFT as a sloppy, lazy and third rate movie is to do a disservice to films which are sloppy, lazy and third rate. It's just terrible. Avoid it.
Sort of like a Korean War era reworking of films like "Hollywood Canteen" and "Thank Your Lucky Stars".
planktonrules1 July 2013
During WWII, Warner Brothers made several films which were a combination of a showcase for the various talent at the studio as well as a chance to bolster the war effort. These films had very little in the way of plot and featured lots of cameos as well as singing and dancing. They were entertaining but rather shallow entertainment. Here with "Starlift", Warner has resurrected the old formula and updated it for the Korean War.
The film begins with two soldiers insinuating themselves into the lives of a couple famous Warner stars--Doris Day and Ruth Roman. The pushy soldier does this by pretending that his buddy is friends with Nell Wayne* and the two ladies offer to bring them back to their hotel to see Nell. There, the guys meet James Cagney and Nell--but Nell is confused--who are these guys? Well, by now, Ruth and Doris really like the two guys and although they DON'T know Nell, they agree to accompany them back to the base to meet the rest of the fellows. There, the stars agree to put on a USO-type show for the men. What follows are mostly song and dance routines as well as a disappointing plot involving Nell and one of the soldiers. I say disappointing because it went from kind of cute at first to strange and confusing--and unsatisfying. And, considering that the film is really just a showcase for their talent, this might explain the weakness of the plot.
By the way, among the man soldiers in the film you will probably notice Jack Larson. Jack played Jimmy Olsen in "The Adventures of Superman".
*I have no idea why Janice Rule is called 'Nell Wayne' in this film. Perhaps the studio was considering using this moniker for her but soon dropped it. However, apart from Miss Rule, the rest of the stars go by their own familiar names. I was a bit confused by this--especially since the film acted like 'Nell Wayne' was an established star and I'd never heard of her before this!
The film begins with two soldiers insinuating themselves into the lives of a couple famous Warner stars--Doris Day and Ruth Roman. The pushy soldier does this by pretending that his buddy is friends with Nell Wayne* and the two ladies offer to bring them back to their hotel to see Nell. There, the guys meet James Cagney and Nell--but Nell is confused--who are these guys? Well, by now, Ruth and Doris really like the two guys and although they DON'T know Nell, they agree to accompany them back to the base to meet the rest of the fellows. There, the stars agree to put on a USO-type show for the men. What follows are mostly song and dance routines as well as a disappointing plot involving Nell and one of the soldiers. I say disappointing because it went from kind of cute at first to strange and confusing--and unsatisfying. And, considering that the film is really just a showcase for their talent, this might explain the weakness of the plot.
By the way, among the man soldiers in the film you will probably notice Jack Larson. Jack played Jimmy Olsen in "The Adventures of Superman".
*I have no idea why Janice Rule is called 'Nell Wayne' in this film. Perhaps the studio was considering using this moniker for her but soon dropped it. However, apart from Miss Rule, the rest of the stars go by their own familiar names. I was a bit confused by this--especially since the film acted like 'Nell Wayne' was an established star and I'd never heard of her before this!
Doris Day oddity
ryancm6 May 2009
This oddity in the new DORIS DAY COLLECTION doesn't really need to be included as she is only in the film for less than 30 minutes. What she does do however, is shine when she's on screen. The near plot less movie is just an excuse to showcase some Warner contract players of the day. JANCIE RULE shows promise and it's a shame she didn't become a big star. RUTH ROMAN handles the role of the "go-getter" with aplomb. Better if this was in color. The Travis Air force base locations with some rear projection work well. What's best about the movie are some wonderful musical interludes. If you enjoyed THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS and Hollywood CANTEEN you'll like this one.
Lost Doris Day curiosity to the UK, found at last.
Maverick196222 February 2016
Only three stars although it could have been better. Roy del Ruth directs rather badly. Everything about the film is flat in terms of cinematography, direction, script (particularly) and acting. There are some good moments warranting 3 stars though for me. I've searched for this film for decades in the UK and finally found a copy but hope rather vanished quickly. First: what's bad. Script is so weak, simply about two soldiers, one (Ron Hagerthy) who has a crush on a hometown starlet (Janice Rule) and is more or less forced into actually meeting her by his pal, played rather boorishly and at time obnoxiously by Dick Wesson. Wesson could be entertaining and quite funny at times but here he seems to be given free rein to overdo his arrogance. We are supposed to believe that three actresses played by Doris Day and Ruth Roman as themselves and Janice Rule (who is wonderful in an very early role) would be seduced by Wesson's horrible over the top personality. I suspect in reality they would have reported him for harassment. The boys con the girls into believing they are going off to fight in the Korean War (although Korea is never actually mentioned as being the war, but what else could it be in 1951)? This is to impress Rule. They are actually only going back and forth in a plane quite safe. Not much else to the story. Other things I didn't like were a cookery sketch by Tommy Noonan (trying to outdo Jerry Lewis I think) and Phil Harris. Neither drawn out scenes worked at all for me. Hated them. There are some very shaky guest star scenes of Warner top stars of the time who all look embarrassed to be there. James Cagney, Gary Cooper, Randolph Scott for example. On the plus side warranting my 3 stars: Doris Day is wonderful as always, Virginia Mayo dancing who can simply do no wrong for me, the lovely Ruth Roman helping the fly boys, Jane Wyman singing (I didn't know before she did that) and the very underrated Gene Nelson, one of the great Hollywood dancers who doesn't get enough recognition, certainly up there with Donald O'Connor if not Kelly and Astaire. My favourite star turn is again the now underrated Gordon MacRae who I've always thought was badly used by Warner Brothers, and who had to ask Jack Warner to end his contract early so that he could pursue the part of Curly in Oklahoma!, the most sensible thing he ever did. Here he sings a duet with Doris Day, does a rousing turn with the Air Force and in a much too brief duet lasting only about a minute and a half, sings 'What is this thing Called Love' with the fabulous singer and actress, but underused, Lucille Norman. There is more electricity in this short sequence than the rest of the film and indeed all those films Gordon made with Doris Day. They look like they're ready to eat each other which surprised me.
Everything about "Starlift" is old hat...poor script, bad comic elements...
Doylenf5 April 2009
Except for the chance to see a handful of Warner Bros. stars still working at the Warner factory in the early '50s, STARLIFT is about as amateurish in concept and execution as any of the wartime variety shows put out by the major studios.
DORIS DAY gives some zest to a couple of songs and GORDON MacRAE does nicely by a couple of tunes and RUTH ROMAN plays herself with assurance. GENE NELSON and JANICE RULE make an attractive duo in a dance number. But the comic elements handled by DICK WESSON and RON HAGERTHY are strictly corn of the highest order. Wesson is obnoxious as the pushy pal of Hagerthy. The romance between Hagerthy and Janie Rule is artificial and completely sappy.
JAMES CAGNEY breezes by for a few fleeting moments but most of the "guest stars" are totally wasted in forgettable bits. The VIRGINIA MAYO South Seas island dance routine comes much too late in the film to salvage anything. By that time, it was obvious the film was on shaky ground from start to finish.
This is one you can easily skip without missing anything. There's virtually no real plot to talk about.
DORIS DAY gives some zest to a couple of songs and GORDON MacRAE does nicely by a couple of tunes and RUTH ROMAN plays herself with assurance. GENE NELSON and JANICE RULE make an attractive duo in a dance number. But the comic elements handled by DICK WESSON and RON HAGERTHY are strictly corn of the highest order. Wesson is obnoxious as the pushy pal of Hagerthy. The romance between Hagerthy and Janie Rule is artificial and completely sappy.
JAMES CAGNEY breezes by for a few fleeting moments but most of the "guest stars" are totally wasted in forgettable bits. The VIRGINIA MAYO South Seas island dance routine comes much too late in the film to salvage anything. By that time, it was obvious the film was on shaky ground from start to finish.
This is one you can easily skip without missing anything. There's virtually no real plot to talk about.
Similar to Stage Door Canteen
HotToastyRag5 February 2018
Similar to Stage Door Canteen, Starlift brings together a star-studded cast to put on a glorified variety show for America's troops. Everyone plays themselves, with the exception of Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy, and Richard Webb, the three symbolic American soldiers.
These movies are pretty much like-or-lump movies. Some people enjoy the "variety show" format because they get to watch their favorite stars without having to pay attention to a story. Some people don't like them, because the songs aren't usually of the best quality and the story is as thin as tissue paper. If you're on the fence about seeing it, watch the trailer. It pretty much shows you what to expect. If you do watch it, you'll get to see Virginia Mayo dance in a sarong, Doris Day sing Gershwin and Porter tunes, Gene Nelson dance to Doris's theme song "It's Magic", James Cagney and Gary Cooper giving impressions of themselves, as well as cameos and songs by Jane Wyman, Randolph Scott, Patrice Wymore, Frank Lovejoy, Phil Harris, Ruth Roman, Virginia Gibson, Lucille Norman, and Louella Parsons.
These movies are pretty much like-or-lump movies. Some people enjoy the "variety show" format because they get to watch their favorite stars without having to pay attention to a story. Some people don't like them, because the songs aren't usually of the best quality and the story is as thin as tissue paper. If you're on the fence about seeing it, watch the trailer. It pretty much shows you what to expect. If you do watch it, you'll get to see Virginia Mayo dance in a sarong, Doris Day sing Gershwin and Porter tunes, Gene Nelson dance to Doris's theme song "It's Magic", James Cagney and Gary Cooper giving impressions of themselves, as well as cameos and songs by Jane Wyman, Randolph Scott, Patrice Wymore, Frank Lovejoy, Phil Harris, Ruth Roman, Virginia Gibson, Lucille Norman, and Louella Parsons.
OK, but not great
Hubble197022 October 2023
I was looking forward to watching this film because of all the "stars", but they were actually few and far between. There were more second banana TV stars such as Jack Larson and Hayden Roark. Just like Hollywood Canteen, the plot involves an improbable romance between an actress (played by Janice Rule) and an incredibly annoying soldier.
One bright spot is the appearance of the always enjoyable Phil Harris.
If you're a Doris Day or Gordon McRae fan, they both do some entertaining numbers. Finally, I'm wondering why the film was shot in black and white. By 1951, many musicals were in color. Not that it would have made a big difference.
One bright spot is the appearance of the always enjoyable Phil Harris.
If you're a Doris Day or Gordon McRae fan, they both do some entertaining numbers. Finally, I'm wondering why the film was shot in black and white. By 1951, many musicals were in color. Not that it would have made a big difference.
Doris Day puts lift into a film overall sorely lacking in that and that does little with its star power
TheLittleSongbird21 July 2017
Love Doris Day, both as an actress and as a singer, and would see any of her films, if in some cases just for her (some of her films like 'Calamity Jane' and 'Pillow Talk' are favourites). 'Starlift' also had a who's-who of Hollywood talent of the time.
Simply put, 'Starlift' could have been a very interesting film to see all that talent, but it is a kind of film that has been done before (perhaps even to death) and much better and does little with its huge amount of star power. This is yet another Doris Day film, like 'The West Point Story' and 'Lucky Me', that should have been good but something went badly wrong in translation. It is a case of some bright spots but mostly talent wastes and flounders badly in many crucial components.
Its best asset is Day, who brightens up the screen whenever she appears. She sings like a dream as always, and, like as was said with 'Lucky Me', she has a bright natural charm and breezy gusto that livens things up considerably in a film that desperately needed it elsewhere. Luckily there are other good components.
The songs are very pleasant, some even wonderful and gorgeously sung by Day and Gordon MacRae, and the dancing from Gene Nelson and Janice Rule dazzles in its energy and grace. Ruth Roman is very assured and James Cagney, Patricia Wymore and Virginia Mayo steal scenes effortlessly.
However, 'Starlift' is a cheap-looking film that looks like it was made on a shoestring budget and cries out for Technicolor, nothing against black and white (far from it) but the cheap production values further added to the dreariness of most of the film. Roy Del Ruth's direction has no energy or momentum, a very sleep-walking effort and like his heart was not in it.
'Starlift' only has an energetic pace when Day, Rule and Nelson are on screen, while begging for a steroid shot everywhere else, while the threadbare and contrived story is best forgotten. Was really disappointed at how bad the script was, with very corny and downright annoying comedy (that is delivered in a hammy mugging way) and deadly dull romantic elements, thanks to non-descript chemistry between Rule and Ron Hagerthy and the bland, robotic performance from Hagerthy (Rule is actually good particularly with Nelson). Dick Wesson really grates on the nerves as well.
While it was a joy to see so much talent on screen, very little is done with it, a waste of star power and a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. In short, too many cameos, most of which are forgettable and given such short shrift mostly that it's blink and miss. A few of them, like Gary Cooper, actually look like they wanted to be elsewhere.
Overall, Day is a joy but the film as a whole lacks lift and star power is mostly wasted. 4/10 Bethany Cox
Simply put, 'Starlift' could have been a very interesting film to see all that talent, but it is a kind of film that has been done before (perhaps even to death) and much better and does little with its huge amount of star power. This is yet another Doris Day film, like 'The West Point Story' and 'Lucky Me', that should have been good but something went badly wrong in translation. It is a case of some bright spots but mostly talent wastes and flounders badly in many crucial components.
Its best asset is Day, who brightens up the screen whenever she appears. She sings like a dream as always, and, like as was said with 'Lucky Me', she has a bright natural charm and breezy gusto that livens things up considerably in a film that desperately needed it elsewhere. Luckily there are other good components.
The songs are very pleasant, some even wonderful and gorgeously sung by Day and Gordon MacRae, and the dancing from Gene Nelson and Janice Rule dazzles in its energy and grace. Ruth Roman is very assured and James Cagney, Patricia Wymore and Virginia Mayo steal scenes effortlessly.
However, 'Starlift' is a cheap-looking film that looks like it was made on a shoestring budget and cries out for Technicolor, nothing against black and white (far from it) but the cheap production values further added to the dreariness of most of the film. Roy Del Ruth's direction has no energy or momentum, a very sleep-walking effort and like his heart was not in it.
'Starlift' only has an energetic pace when Day, Rule and Nelson are on screen, while begging for a steroid shot everywhere else, while the threadbare and contrived story is best forgotten. Was really disappointed at how bad the script was, with very corny and downright annoying comedy (that is delivered in a hammy mugging way) and deadly dull romantic elements, thanks to non-descript chemistry between Rule and Ron Hagerthy and the bland, robotic performance from Hagerthy (Rule is actually good particularly with Nelson). Dick Wesson really grates on the nerves as well.
While it was a joy to see so much talent on screen, very little is done with it, a waste of star power and a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. In short, too many cameos, most of which are forgettable and given such short shrift mostly that it's blink and miss. A few of them, like Gary Cooper, actually look like they wanted to be elsewhere.
Overall, Day is a joy but the film as a whole lacks lift and star power is mostly wasted. 4/10 Bethany Cox
Pretty bad with a couple of ok dances mixed in
tles728 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Awful, awful....terrible romantic plot. A big bore--with few likable dance moments but nothing to write home about. The usual non-live singing with a few people not singing for themselves. It's nice to see Cagney for a few seconds in the movie. Even he knew it was time to bail out after a couple of minutes.
One particular awful number was the "It's magic" number with Gene Nelson and tacky effects even for those days.
Interesting dance number with the lovely Virginia Mayo....a passable dancer in a short "island" number.
Patrice Wymore who was married to Errol Flynn in his last days appeared to have some dance talent butt come off quite sloppy in a poorly choreographed number while singing to someone else's dubbed voice.
SKIP THIS ONE.
One particular awful number was the "It's magic" number with Gene Nelson and tacky effects even for those days.
Interesting dance number with the lovely Virginia Mayo....a passable dancer in a short "island" number.
Patrice Wymore who was married to Errol Flynn in his last days appeared to have some dance talent butt come off quite sloppy in a poorly choreographed number while singing to someone else's dubbed voice.
SKIP THIS ONE.
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