Yeah, yeah. It's hokey, it's sentimental, it's gaudy and it's loud. It's also the most entertaining, involving and unpretentious movie about Show Business ever filmed. The cast is perfect, particularly Merman, Daily and O'Connor. (Ethel Merman and Dan Daily as Donald O'Connor's Mom and Dad? Well, maybe it shouldn't have worked, but it does.) Marilyn is not at her best in the "dramatic" scenes, but all 3 of her big numbers are memorable. Johnnie Ray plays a priest(!) Well, at least he could sing. And Mitzi Gaynor hardly sings at all (thankfully), but is given the opportunity to dance quite often (thankfully). It's big, it's garish and it wear its great big heart on its sleeve. A movie to love and watch over and over.
NOTE: For all TNBLSB buffs, one of the numbers that was deleted from the release print for time, has recently been unearthed. It is included in an American Movie Classics' special documentary, entitled "Hidden Hollywood". It includes many musical numbers that were edited out of 20th Century-Fox musicals of the 30's, 40's and 50's. This one is "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better", and is the ONLY number to feature the FOUR Donahues: Ethel, Dan, Mitzi and Donald. It's great. (I don't think anybody would mind sitting through an extra 5 minutes of running time to catch this delightful musical moment.)
NOTE: For all TNBLSB buffs, one of the numbers that was deleted from the release print for time, has recently been unearthed. It is included in an American Movie Classics' special documentary, entitled "Hidden Hollywood". It includes many musical numbers that were edited out of 20th Century-Fox musicals of the 30's, 40's and 50's. This one is "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better", and is the ONLY number to feature the FOUR Donahues: Ethel, Dan, Mitzi and Donald. It's great. (I don't think anybody would mind sitting through an extra 5 minutes of running time to catch this delightful musical moment.)