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This film is a real gas, a brisk, amiable comedy with a sharp script and snappy dialogue. Bing Crosby stars as an unambitous pop music composer who ghostwrites smash hits for a society bandleader who's lost his Muse. When the unscrupulous bandleader (deliciously played by Basil Rathbone) has to hire a new lyricist, and she just happens to be the gal Bing was checking out in the elevator on the way up to Basil's office, well... romance is in the air. Trad jazz trumpeter Wingy Manone adds some sock to the music, while Bing's real-life bandleader, John Scott Thomas has a nice cameo as a show-biz rival. Mary Martin isn't my favorite actress of the era, but she's fine in this role, and the film whizzes along at a pleasant pace. An entirely enjoyable comedy that features Crosby in one of his most cool, cute and urbane phases. Recommended!
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Bing is in top form in this charming comedy musical based on a story by Billy Wilder and Jacques Threy. Director Victor Schertzinger wrote one of the songs himself and keeps a light and breezy tone to one of Bing's most underrated films.Bob Summers (Bing) is an affable writer of tunes just trying to earn enough money for a boat to sail around in and Basil Rathbone is composer Oliver Courtney, taking the credit for them. What Bob doesn't know is not only does Oliver have his melodies ghostwritten, but the lyrics as well! Mary Martin is a young poet from Tulsa named Cherry Lane, letting Oliver take the credit for her beautful words in order to pay the rent.
Neither Cherry or Bob are aware of this arrangement and it isn't until the two meet at his uncle's boarding house and fall in love that they figure it out and decide to strike out on their own. But Bing's melodies sound too much like the ones made famous by Oliver, of course, and when Cherry has a shot as a singer, he goes crawling back to Oliver to buy the dress she'll need for her big chance at Club Monaco.
But Cherry loves Bob more than music and when she discovers how he got the money, the whole thing may be off. Rathbone has fun hamming it up as Oliver and Oscar Levant nearly steals the film as Oliver's right hand. One scene has Levant reading his own book and calling it irritating! There is even an inside joke from Bing about Jack Benny's radio sponsor!
This one is a lot of fun and has an easygoing charm that matches Bing's personality. He and Mary Martin are very good together. Set during the Christmas season, the film has a nice feel to it. From Bob's old ferry boat named Arabella to his uncle's place in Terrytown, called Nobody's Inn, everything is just right. There are some genuinely funny scenes and some great songs like "That's For Me" and "Only Forever" which make this one you'll watch time and again.
Pictures like Rythm on the River will remind you why it was actually Bing that was the big draw when he and Bob Hope were first teamed up for those Road pictures. This film is a big bag of delightful charm and a great one for a Saturday morning.
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