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Fantastic!

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Co-produced and directed by Michael Curtiz, with a screenplay by Julius & Philip Epstein and additional dialogue from I.A.L. Diamond, this slightly above average musical comedy was Doris Day's first film. In it she sings the Oscar nominated Song "It's Magic", which would become one of her trademarks; Ray Heindorf's Score was also nominated. However, my favorite song in the film is "It's You or No One".The plot itself is the kind of fluff one used to see regularly on TV episodes of The Love Boat in the late 70's and early 80's, though this one features a single storyline with multiple characters. A busy executive (Don DeFore) is worried about his wife (Janis Paige) straying on a cruise she's taking by herself such that he hires a private detective (Jack Carson) to keep tabs on her. What he doesn't know is that his wife has hired a singer (Ms. Day) to pretend to be her on the cruise such that she can stay home to see if her husband is cheating on her with his secretary (Leslie Brooks).A recognizable supporting cast that includes Oscar Levant, S. Z. Sakall, Eric Blore, Fortunio Bonanova, Franklin Pangborn, and even Grady Sutton (uncredited) makes this one fun to watch.Married three years and having yet to take a trip since their honeymoon, Mrs. Elvira Kent (Paige) is determined that the third time will be a charm. She books an extended cruise vacation for her and husband only to be disappointed yet again. Her husband Michael (DeFore), who is the top executive in her Uncle Lazlo's (Sakall) pharmaceutical company, says he can't make it yet again because of something that just came up, a potential merger. Elvira discovers that Michael had just hired a brand new secretary (Brooks) that morning, and suspects the worst regarding what's just come up. Earlier that day, while having her passport picture taken, she'd met a singer at the travel agency who always plans trips, but can't afford to go. So, she has an idea.Elvira and her uncle go to Georgia Garrett's (Day) place of work with the aforementioned proposition, which she accepts. She tells her cynical piano player Oscar (Levant), who's infatuated with her, only that she's going away on a cruise ship. When Michael realizes he can go on the cruise if Elvira will only wait 4 days, he's surprised that she's unwilling and then suspects the worst. So, he hires detective Peter Virgil (Carson) to tail his wife and see what she's up to on the ship.Of course, Peter falls for Georgia, who he thinks is his client's wife Elvira ... and the feeling is mutual. Blore plays the ship's sick doctor; Sutton appears as the ship's nosy telegraph operator. Things get more complicated when lonely, and financially dependent Oscar arrives to join the voyage. But that's only the beginning.Once the ship finally docks in Rio, Michael and Elvira, both in New York, get worried and/or suspicious enough to fly down there themselves. Lazlo, aware that Elvira is on her way, learns that Michael is about to such that he tags along; the men actually arrive first. Bonanova plays the Rio hotel's show director, Pangborn its clerk (naturally).The ending, which is predictable, takes a little too long to come about, in my opinion. Ms. Day's songs are excellent, and even Carson sings a local flavor one in Trinidad (as does Avon Long).

My summary heading says what "Romance on the High Seas" is about. Jealousy and humor, but also impersonation, romance, some very good songs, and bonus scenics from cruise travel ports. The supporting cast for this comedy-musical-romance is top drawer in the comedy ranks of Hollywood at the time. S.Z. Sakall, Eric Blore and Franklin Pangborn always spell laughter in a film. The leads are all quite good, and Doris Day is a smash hit in her first ever movie and starring role. Day was never more vivacious than in this film. She has the bounce, energy and enthusiasm that became her trademark throughout her film career. She sure was a great entertainer. She was only 44 years old when she quit making movies after 1968. She did have a very successful half- hour TV show that ran five years through 1973. The plot for this film is hilarious in itself, and the writing fleshes it out beautifully. Michael Curtiz directs a very good story for film, and Busby Berkeley directs a couple of nice dance numbers. Day has half a dozen very good songs. It's easy to see why she became popular with several hit songs as well as her acting over the years. But what drives this film is the comedy. The dialog is complemented by some good scenes with humor in the acting antics. One of the funniest drunk scenes in all filmdom occurs in a bar in Trinidad. Peter Virgil (Jack Carson) and Oscar Farrar (Oscar Levant) have both been stood up by their girlfriends (the same person, Doris Day, playing Georgia Garrett and impersonating Elvira Kent). They order doubles of whiskey. Leaning on the bar next to them is a drunk, played by John Berkes. The two shipmates are looking at each other as they talk, and the drunk picks up Oscar's drink, downs it, and moves to Peter's side and does the same thing. The two men pick up their glasses, notice they are empty and order two more. As they continue to talk, looking at each other, the drunk repeats his moves. The next time the men order triples. After a couple more repeats, Peter and Oscar begin to slur their speech, bob a little and notice that they're getting a little tipsy. In reality, they haven't had more than a few drops of liquor. A couple more rounds, and they walk away holding each other up, looking quite drunk. We then see the real drunk start to walk out and slither to the floor. Whoever heard of a placebo drunk? But it worked so well that the two men got on a plane and woke up several hours later. Peter marveled that the Trinidad whiskey didn't leave the usual hangover effects the next day.Here are some funny lines to whet one's appetite for this hilarious film. Uncle Lazlo (S.Z. Sakall): "Oh, well, I'm not saying that Michael hasn't looked at another woman. Who hasn't? I have looked at women and the few that looked back, I married. That cured me of looking."Oscar (Oscar Levant): "I always wanted to marry a gal who could tune a piano on the side. Once and for all, will you marry me? Answer yes or no." Georgia (Doris Day): "No!" Oscar: "We'll continue this discussion later." Waiter: "Hey, Georgia. A couple of income-tax evaders want you to have a drink with them. Table seven."Elvira Kent (Janis Paige): "Won't you sit down?" Georgia: "Don't be surprised if I do." Elvira: "That's cute." Elvira, later: "Just remember that while its your lips that are being kissed, it's my reputation that will be suffering." Georgia: "Yeah, I'll make a note of that." Elvira: "Good!"Peter Virgil (Jack Carson): "Look, don't worry. The slogan of my firm is 'Never kiss a client's wife'…" Michael Kent (Don DeFore): "Well, don't change slogans in mid-ocean."Georgia: "Oh, by the way, Mrs. Kent. I know it's none of my business, but have you got anything on your husband?" Elvira: "I'm afraid his conduct has been impeccable." Georgia: "Oh, caught him with the goods, huh?" Elvira: "No, that means he's been behaving himself." Georgia: "Oh, too bad. Well, maybe he'll do something unimpeccable before I come back."Ship's doctor (Eric Blore): "Why do I small herring?" Georgia: "I guess there's a school of herring following the ship." Doctor: "No, no, not marinated herring. Oh, I don't feel well. I suppose I'd better be going." Georgia: "Goodnight, doctor." Doctor: "Goodnight. I hope I sleep well."Oscar: "Incidentally, I picked up your last two paychecks. It was barely enough to pay for my plane ticket down here. Didn't even have enough to boy you a present. I feel like a cad." Georgia: "You crook. You can go jail for that." Oscar: "Marry me and you won't have to testify against me."Peter: "Can you explain to me why that man was in your cabin kissing you?" Georgia: "No." Peter: "Well?" Georgia: "Well, can you explain why you were watching my cabin?" Peter: "No." Georgia: "Well?" Peter: "Well, maybe…" Georgia: "Maybe what?" Peter: "Well, maybe I'm narrow minded. But I don't like married women who play around with other men." Georgia: "Would you feel different if the other man was you?" Peter: "That's beside the point." Georgia: "It is, is it?" Peter: "Yes, it is. Everything they've ever said about women like you on boats like this with men like me certainly turns out to be true. Or don't you follow me?" Georgia: "I've wanted to, Peter, anywhere, anytime."

Doris Day hails from our city of Cincinnati, Ohio. A Price Hill girl who was born with the last name of Kappelhoff. Orignially, Doris wanted to be a dancer, and if I'm not mistaken, she studied with Pep Goldwyn here in Cincy. She was dancing with a guy named Jerry Doughtery when they became involved in a car accident and she was told by her doctors that she would never walk again, but they didn't know Doris as well as she knew herself, and she ended up walking again, so seeing her career as a dancer was more or less out the window, she studied singing with Grace Rains at Schuster Martin who also trained Tyrone Power, another Cincy talent, to be an actor, but he wanted to be a dancer also, and they told him, "Tyrone; try acting!" So, he did, and the rest is history! So, Doris ended up singing with a band, and later, it was obvious that Kappelhoff was not the right name for a professional singer although later some sexy lady by the name of Lollibrigida would not fare so bad with an unpronounceable name, but anyway, she was asked what her favorite song was, so the story goes, and she said, "Day by Day" and that's how Doris Kapplehoff became Doris Day. Then later she would do some Hollywood Musical Shorts for the movies, but nothing happened until she was spotted for her singing talent because of her hit record "Sentimental Journey" with Les Brown and His Band of Renown, and then Warner Brothers made the call, and she said, "No!" She wanted nothing to do with Hollywood, but eventually with a little coaxing by Jack Carson telling her that they needed her and the picture was set to go, she finally said yes, but to only one picture, and that was to be that! Well, after "Romance On The High Seas" premiered, that was to be that wasn't that anymore, and, once again, history was made! Was Doris lucky! One of the finest Hollywood directors Hollywood would ever see, the very underrated Michael Curtiz guided her through the picture, and the greatest songs composed for a singers debut in the movies, and of course, the hit song, "It's Magic" became another hit for Doris Day on the record charts, although, I've always preferred "It's You Or No One For Me" to be the better of the two, and "Put It In a Box, Tie It With a Ribbon" coming second in my opinion! Later on in her movie career, her dream of being a dancer would come true in movies such as Tea For Two, but she had to wear shin-splints to be able to dance, and after "Lullabye of Broadway" in which she completely showed her dancing talent, it was decided that dancing in the movies would have to stop for fear of damaging her legs again, and by the way, when she danced in the movies, notice that it was either long dresses or slacks that she wore to dance in, therefore, the shin splints could not be seen!We're proud of our Doris here in Cincinnati, Ohio, which also boasts Tyrone Power, Vera Ellen, George Chakirus, Dean Millerk, who eventually wound up on the T.V. Series "December Bride" with Spring Byington and Frances Rafferty, and also, some say, Roy Rogers! We got a lot to be proud of here in Cincinnati, Ohio! WE LOVE YA DORIS!

Fortune certainly smiled on the talented Doris Day when she landed her first movie role in this typical late-Forties musical comedy confection. She looks great, sounds terrific and acts with confidence, supported by the best that Warner Brothers could muster (except for the annoying Oscar Levant, an all-time UNfavorite of mine). And, as always, the Warners music department and sound technicians provide a wonderfully lush treat for the ears.Turner Classic Movies, bless 'em, occasionally hauls this one out of their vaults and it's fun to see it uninterrupted and causing one's TV screen to glow with that particularly cool, yet warm at the same time, three-strip Technicolor that Warners seemed to specialize in before Warnercolor's less vibrant tones decorated the studio's color output. Of course the clothes, the elaborately formal sets, and those hairdos (Could any woman back then achieve those coiffures without the aid of a platoon of hairdressers?) all are quintessentially Hollywood just before the Fifties demanded that everything look very modern and somewhat more sleek. But as a way to enjoy a bit of still very entertaining nostalgia, this one is hard to beat!