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I love this movie so much

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

A Masterpiece!

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

With a cast of Perry Como, Carmen Miranda, Edgar Buchanan, Harry James and Vivian Blaine along with Phil Silvers, what could go possibly wrong?Imagine the premise that crooner Como runs for governor? That's what we have here in this highly entertaining films. Carmen Miranda belts out her songs in her usual Brazilian style. Silvers, as the leader of the troupe, is conniving and lovable as usual. Vivian Blaine, as Como's love interest looks old here but is entertaining nonetheless.Even back then, we see the corruption of politics and greedy government officials taking full advantage of a corrupt system.

Probably the most demands on Perry Como as an actor in his brief sojourn in Hollywood was this watered down remake of Dick Powell's classic Thanks A Million. Sad to say that has not been made available and it is a pity. Thanks A Million was a sharp and witty satire on the American political system how a crooner gets himself good and used by a corrupt political machine when they dump their candidate and nominate him for governor. The same material is used, but without the bite. Instead of the radio crooners of the Thirties the music is now the swing music of the Forties supplied by Harry James. He's got a pair of attractions with his band played by Vivian Blaine and Carmen Miranda and a press agent played by Phil Silvers. He hires Perry Como as a male singer and the group accepts a touring gig with a political candidate who has a drinking problem and is played by Edgar Buchanan. One night when he's in his cups, Como goes on and wows the crowd. At that point the political bosses switch to use him as their stooge.The musical score is nothing to write home about. Perhaps if Perry had a big hit from this he might have stayed a little longer in Hollywood. Not much more though. That relaxed attitude that made him welcome in so many homes in the 50s was not hiding any great acting talent like his contemporary graduate from the big bands Frank Sinatra.Even Carmen Miranda was somewhat subdued in If I'm Lucky.Hope that some day you get to see Thanks A Million so you can compare.

The "Something for the Boys" gang is back for one last fling!. This would be the last of 9 memorable Fox musicals featuring Carmen Miranda's inimical musical productions and off-stage frequent bombastic comedic personality. Actually, she's rather tame off-stage in her last 3 films, and was present only in several cameo appearances in her first film. This was also the last of 3 Fox films for singer Perry Como. Here, he has graduated to leading man role: his only such in a Hollywood film. Recognizing his limitations as an actor, Fox wisely included a couple of well established supporting men with obvious natural charisma in Phil Silvers and Edgar Buchanan, who play their typical selves. Such actors were missing in his previous film: "Doll Face", which greatly reduced it's appeal, despite reasonably good musical numbers. The screenplay lacks the hilarious comedic interactions between Carmen and Silvers, as well as on their own, that so much contributed to the enjoyment of "Something For the Boys". However, this film has other comedic elements.Vivian Blaine is also back as the leading lady, in her next to last Fox film. Her hair color was changed from the striking red of her 2 previous Technicolor films, to the more striking blond, for a B&W film. I wouldn't know she was the same woman! She gets to sing some solos, with Como, and with the whole gang. She's OK, if unremarkable , in her dramatic role as the straight-laced bug-eyed girlfriend of Como's character. Finally, there is the new addition of Harry James and his orchestra. He was then the husband of Fox's superstar Betty Grable, and had been more prominently featured with her and Carmen in the previous "Springtime in the Rockies". Like Como at this stage, aside from his trumpet playing, he lacked charisma and acting talent, hence needed to be included with actors having such to make for a pleasant film experience.Like the previous "Doll Face", this is a B&W film, rather than the expected Technicolor of Carmen's previous films: an indication that Fox was getting ready to dump her. Also, she only gets one major production number, rather than the usual 2 or 3. But don't let that dissuade you from viewing this film! What her production number lacks in color is made up for by the sheer exuberance of a large team of dancers, as well as center stage Carmen. Adapting to the B&W photography, Carmen wears an all white outfit, with fancy headpiece. The dance team are mostly dressed in outfits emphasizing black and white(presumably) stripes, and several types of outrageous headgear. Like "Something for the Boys", the screenplay is pretty daffy, although somewhat more interesting. At least, they were quite different from the well trodden screenplays of the struggles of young musical performers and their managers to achieve stardom on Broadway. It involves Edgar Buchanan playing a drunkard political blowhard(Yep, fits this former dentist's type casting very well), running for governor for the 'Common Wealth Party', which sounds like it has a reform socialist platform. (There was, around this time, a UK Common Wealth Party with a socialist agenda). The unemployed 'gang' are hired to perform musical numbers promoting his election. He knows he as no chance to win unless he promises more than the current governor to a group of wealthy influential machine politicians who control the media, and demand various forms of monetary or job-favoritism rewards for backing him. When Buchanan baulks at some demands, they publish some scandal(easy to verify), discrediting him as a candidate. The corrupt clique decide to replace him with a very reluctant Como, who knows and cares nothing about politics, just wanting to get a radio show featuring singing. Hence, he hopes he will lose, especially after he learns he will just be a puppet for this corrupt clique. Despite threats that they will ruin his life if he doesn't 'play ball', he decides to expose them in an important campaign speech just before the polls open, where they are all in attendance. This is the funniest segment of the film, along with the very last portion. His friends then hustle him onto a bus to exit the state, and think a police squad chasing them want to put him in jail. Instead, they are chasing the bus for speeding, and later become a welcoming motorcade for the new governor, for a happy ending!(I thought he didn't want to be governor!?)The plot somewhat reminds me of the actual plot by some far right powerful financial elite to stage a military overthrow of FDR and his 'New Deal' programs, with a fascist regime, headed by popular General Butler as their puppet dictator. Butler pretended to go along with it, then exposed the plot to a congressional committee, which failed to convict anyone of wrongdoing, for fear of the publicity repercussions on the American economy.The music? The title romantic ballad is the only memorable song. Hence, it's repeated adnauseam, serving as the theme song for the budding Como-Vivian romance. "Follow the Band" and a few other songs provide reasonable musical support for some aspects of the screenplay, but were not intended to be keepers.

Silly but pleasant little Fox B trifle. A Carmen Miranda musical in B&W is an oddity but in B&W or color she is always Technicolor and is as full as sass as ever and her headgear is as truly astounding. Perry Como sings well and is certainly attractive but he is missing that big screen charisma needed for major stardom. It is easy to see why he was a big hit on TV, he possessed a very warm and friendly presence that makes you feel right at home. Vivian Blaine is lovely and Edgar Buchanan is always a welcome addition to any movie but Phil Silvers is an acquired taste, there's no in between either you like him or not. For me he's hard to take but if you're a fan than he can be amusing. One big plus this has is that Harry James and his band provide the music and that's always a good thing.