Watch Earl Carroll Vanities For Free

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Five years before Irving Berlin spoofed Pearl Mesta in the Ethel Merman musical hit "Call Me Madam", Republic pictures did basically a reverse of that plot in this elaborate (for them) musical comedy. Constance Moore, their big musical diva, plays the equivalent of the Vera-Ellen character, a young princess from a small European principality who comes to New York and somehow ends up performing in Earl Carroll's latest Broadway show. Of course, she keeps her identity secret with the help of wise-cracking protector Eve Arden and has a run-in with Arden's partner (Dennis O'Keefe) which simply means that romantic sparks are in the air. Issues concerning the broke hiccup of a country are mere easily resolvable plot devices to surround with musical numbers, and even then, they get interrupted by plot related dialog and sparring between Moore and O'Keefe which takes away from the concentration on the lavishness of what's going on Earl Carroll's stages. Mary Forbes is quite regal as Moore's queenly mother, determined to save her country from bankruptcy, and getting more than she bargained for thanks to her initially uppity daughter who seems to enjoy being brought down to earth. Moore was a charming leading lady but not in the first class of MGM's Garland, Fox's Faye or Grable, Columbia's Ann Miller or Rita Hayworth or even Paramount's Betty Hutton. She's cute, talented, but serviceable, someone who might play a featured role in the A list studios big musicals or occasionally headline a B movie musical. O'Keefe is interchangeable with many leading men of the period who were good looking enough but didn't have that magical quality that made them as big as Gary Cooper, Cary Grant or even Warner Brothers' Dennis Morgan whom he seems to be emulating. Arden, of course, gets all the best lines, and her big musical number shows her in comic delight as she sings rather off key about probably the last man on earth being better than no man at all. Pinky Lee, a forgotten name now outside a reference in "Grease", is her dancing partner there. Stephanie Bachelor, bitch supreme in many 40's B movies, is the vain star Moore takes over for. This is a formula second string musical that has its moments but if you've seen one of these backstage bonanza's, you've pretty much seen them all.

Viewed this film online and while it is no great shakes in cinematic history it is a fun filled romp with a wonderful supporting performance by Eve Arden. It has to do with mistaken identity, the use of royalty in disguise and being with commoners, putting on a show musical, the egotistical star of the show as well as romance between the various characters. All of these stories have been done, but it is still a cute and well done musical with the background of Earl Carroll and his Vanities production. One never believes for a minute that any of these actors could pull of royalty but it is fun nonetheless and perfect to watch on a lazy weekend afternoon.