Watch Anything Goes For Free

Wonderful character development!

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Yes, this was Bing's last film for Paramount, after nearly 25 years. It was also Don's last Hollywood musical, after about 15 years of musicals for several studios. Mitzi would have only 2 more Hollywood musicals: the much inferior Cole Porter effort in "Les Girls", and her most famous role, in "South Pacific". I prefer her 2 roles with Don O'Connor as her main male costar: this one and the prior "There's No Business Like Show Business". Their film relationship differed in the two: lovers in this one, and brother and sister in the other. In any case, they got to do a number or so together, as well as their own number(s). Although Don spent most of his Hollywood years signed with Universal, not exactly known for its high profile musicals, he was included in a Crosby film back in '38, when he was only 13. He was slated to be reunited with Bing in the '54 "White Christmas", but had to bow out due to a last minute illness, being replaced by Danny Kaye. Thus, his inclusion as Bing's male costar in the present production might be seen as a consolation prize for missing out on "White Christmas". Released on the 20th anniversary of the first "Anything Goes" film, starring Bing and Ethel Merman.The film does start out slow, with backstage talk. But, pretty soon, Bing and Don are on stage to do a vaudeville-like song and dance routine to the vaudevillian-styled "Ya Gotta Give the People Hoke(m)". The last part of this routine involves Bing and Don alternatively appearing on stage in a variety of bizarre get ups, for just a few seconds each. Again, this is a vaudeville-like act. It probably was meant mainly for the short attention spans of most children. For adults, it would have been much better if the possibilities of each costume had been exploited more and if they had a partner to interact with. I had the same criticism for a rather similar performance by Don in the previous "I Love Melvin".After this performance, Bing and Don talk about the need to find a leading lady for their next big stage production. They go to Paris(why?), go their own ways, and each prematurely signs a candidate they are sure is the right one: an American, Mitzi, and a French dancer, Zizi Jeanmaire. Bing was impressed by Mitzi's performance as a singer and dancer in the elaborate production "Anything Goes". Don and Bing then watch Zizi in another long production to "I Get a Kick Out of You". Bing questions whether Zizi's English is good enough for the NYC stage. He tells Don he has to get rid of Zizi before they sail to NYC. But Don can't face Zizi, thus smuggles her aboard, to be discovered later. In their respective state rooms, Bing and Mitzi sing and dance to "You're the Top", while Don and Zizi do the same in their state room, as we go back and forth between the two. Clever. Inevitably, Bing finds out about Zizi. It turns out that Zizi is attracted to Bing, while Don and Mitzi discover that they have a liking for each other. This is further developed when they are alone on the ship deck at night, and do their 'mating dance' to "It's Delovely": one of the highlights of the film. Meanwhile, Bing tries to tell Zizi that they can't use her in the show, but she keeps interrupting, and they wander onto the deck at night. She kisses him. Bing sings "All Through the Night", first in English, then in French. Next, Zigi stars in a series of dances, termed "The Dream Ballet", presumably a daydream. She does a ballet alone, then an entwining dance with 2 sailors, then with a variety of dancers, a jive-like dance. Not bad.. Back to Bing and Zizi on the deck, briefly.In the morning, a crisis phase begins, as Don talks to Zizi, assuming that Bing told her she has no place in their show. She is mad and says she won't let them out of her contract. Meanwhile, Mizi finds out that her father's(Phil Harris) big IRS problem has reemerged, as a trailing agent is on board.. She tells Don she can't appear in a show in NYC because of her father's problem(not clear why this is so!)To provide a break from this crisis, Don slips on a ball while walking on deck and traces the ball to a children's playroom. After making friends with the kids, he starts his "You Can Bounce Right Back" dance performance, which I rate as one of the best in his career, with the message that if you fall down, get up and try again. Especially, a great performance for the kids in the audience.Back to reality, Bing tells Don he is afraid they may lose both their leading ladies. He has an idea how they can both be leading ladies, but first they have to make up to both. With the captain's permission, he arranges for Mitzi and Zizi to be at adjoining dinning tables, alone. Then, he and Don do their "The Second Hand Turban and Crystal Ball" act between the two women. Bing then tells the two women that they have scraped their play idea and will do a new show, based on the foursome's history. Mitzi's father tells the IRS agent about this and he backs off(I don't understand why?) Next, the finale show to "Blow, Gabriel, Blow".Now, does that sound all that bad? The last part, after Don's solo performance, is admittedly weak. But, most of the rest I think is quite good. Catch it on You Tube.

The musical Anything Goes was a superb Cole Porter Broadway show when it opened in the 1930s. Since its 1934 debut at the Neil Simon Theatre (at the time known as the Alvin) on Broadway, the musical has been revived several times in the United States and Britain and has been filmed twice. The musical had a tryout in Boston, before opening on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on November 21, 1934. It ran for 420 performances, becoming the fourth longest-running musical of the 1930s, despite the impact of the Great Depression on Broadway patrons' disposable income.The movie was first filmed in 1936 with Bing Crosby and Ethel Merman, but it bared little resemblance to the Broadway show. Twenty years later, Bing was ending his contract with Paramount Studios after twenty four years with the studio. His last movie for Paramount would be an updated version of Anything Goes in 1956. Though this film again starred Bing Crosby (whose character was once more renamed), Donald O'Connor, and comedian Phil Harris in a cameo, the new film almost completely excised the rest of the characters in favor of a totally new plot. The film features almost no similarities to the play or 1936 film, apart from some songs and the title.I have always enjoyed this 1956 swan song Bing made for Paramount. However, this movie could have been a great movie and not just a good or fair movie. I think my biggest problem with the film was Bing's co-star Zizi Jeanmaire. She was a popular French ballet dancer, who was married to the choreographer of the movie Roland Petit. Whether she got him his job on the film or visa versa, I don't know. However, she was totally wrong as Bing's love interest. Bing and Jeanmaire just did not have the chemistry. She was a fine dancer, but the Cole Porter song "I Get A Kick Out Of You" was wasted on her limited vocal ability.Speaking of the Cole Porter score, Paramount did a grave injustice by tearing apart the great Broadway score. The primary musical numbers ("Anything Goes", "You're the Top", "I Get a Kick Out of You", "It's De-Lovely" and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow") with updated arrangements appear in the film, while the lesser-known Porter songs were cut completely, and new songs, written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, were substituted. I enjoy the music of Cahn and Van Heusen, and they wrote some of the great songs in Frank Sinatra's songbook. However, when they wrote for Bing in the 1950s, the songs sounded tired and corny. The two songs they wrote for Bing were "Ya Gotta Give the People Hoke" and "A Second Hand Turbin". Bing deserved better songs than this.One more thing I would have done differently with the film is the use of Phil Harris. Harris not only was a great personality and singer but also a personal friend of Bing. In the movie he played the father of Mitzi Gaynor. He had a good role in the film, but Harris did not have much interaction with Bing. I think that was a wasted opportunity for a musical number between the two. It would have made for some great cinema.Again, while the 1956 version of Anything Goes is no Singin' In The Rain, it is not a bad movie. It was one of the first Bing movies I remember watching and despite what I would change, I think the pairing of Bing and Donald O'Connor was great. Also the finale of "Blow Gabriel Blow" is a fitting end to Bing's association with Paramount. He helped to save the studio from bankruptcy in 1932, and Bing was one of the studio's biggest stars for the next two decades...

This movie is just plain great. That's all there is to it. Just great! When you put together Cole Porter's songs, Paramount's filmmaking, and the spectacular cast, you are bound to get something great. And you do! I don't know why people dislike this movie. They say it has a clunky plot and wooden acting. Not true! I think the plot is quite fascinating. But it isn't at all like the stage show. That might be why so many people dislike it. And the acting is not at all wooden. It's great! My personal favorites are Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor. I had seen them in "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954) together as brother and sister (I also highly recommend that film).Let's start with the few negative remarks and get them out of the way. Zizi Jeanmarie is French. She has a heavy accent. Occasionally, it's a bit hard to understand what she's saying. You need to listen close. But most of the time, you can understand her well. There are also a few moments that younger children shouldn't see. Nothing is shown. But the content of it shouldn't be expressed towards littler kids. In one scene, Jeanmarie is seen changing behind a changing screen with O'Connor in the room. But O'Connor is extremely respectful when talking to her and shows no perversion whatsoever. I personally don't mind those things. As long as they don't show anything. Also, in one scene, O'Connor walks into his bedroom and, without warning, takes off his pants. He is in boxer shorts, though. So that doesn't bother me. But children may not be mature enough for it. There are also a few sexual references, mostly from Jeanmarie. But I found nothing else about it that I didn't like. And I didn't even dislike the other things I referred to. But they were the only things not the best.Bing Crosby is a great singer, as always. His acting is pretty good, too. Seeing him and O'Connor together was great. The last time they has been paired was in 1939's "Sing You sinners" when Donald was only 12. Definitely a long time friendship.Jeanmarie is pretty good. She's not my favorite. The spot of favorite girl is saved for Gaynor! Jeanmarie's an impressive dancer and I think she's pretty cute. Her singing isn't great. But maybe it's just because of her accent. I can't put my finger on it.Mitzi Gaynor is amazing. Her dancing, singing, and acting is tremendous. I also think she is highly attractive. She's just great all around. Her and O'Connor were great friends and it definitely shows.Donald O'Connor is my all-time favorite. His singing is also shown in this one. (Watch "Call Me Madam (1953) for more of his singing). I enjoy his voice more than Bing's, personally. His dancing is at it's top. Especially at the finale. I kept rewinding it to watch his part because I liked it so much! He is definitely the whole show in "Anything Goes".I recommend the dances, "You Can Bounce Right Back" and the finale number over them all.

I guess I expected Ethel Merman to come out on the screen belting the title song away. That wasn't the case and the film shows it.As always, the tunes by Cole Porter had their usual greatness. The dance sequences of Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor certainly had their moments. As for Bing Crosby, he looked old here.The thin plot is what did this picture in. Two personalities (O'Connor and Crosby) team up to stage a Broadway show and inadvertently, each hires a leading lady for the part. Naturally, romance blossoms along the way with the other lady they had hired.Phil Harris is essentially wasted here. He plays Gaynor's father, who as a compulsive gambler has a date with the IRS that he has been avoiding by staying abroad.The solution to the two gal problem is obvious and of course is used in the end.This film re-teamed Gaynor and O'Connor who appeared as brother and sister in the memorable **** production of "There's No Business Like Show Business," a far superior film.