This is one of my least favorite Martin & Lewis pics. And I imagine Dean wasn't particular thrilled with some aspects of it. For example, the first song in the film ("When You Pretend") is sort of a duet with Jerry, who sings it badly as he almost always sang; Dean did go on to record it for Capital Records. He gets his own first song with "You Look So Familiar", which he sings about as poorly as you'll see in any of his films; his Capital recording of the song is quite good, however. He fares much better with his own mini-production number of "My Lucky Song"...one of my favorite songs by Dean in any of his Martin & Lewis films. And, later in the film he has "Innamorata", which became a minor hit for Dean at #27 on the Billboard charts. He also has the title song, sung over the credits.
Unfortunately, Eva Gabor proves the Gabor sisters couldn't act...but at least it's Eva and not Zsa Zsa! One comedy sequence I thought was too much -- taking the "buddy picture" too far -- was Dean and Jerry in a bathtub together.
There are some good things about this film. Shirley MacLaine shines as the female lead and love interest for Jerry. There's a pretty good comedy sequence with Jerry and Shirley to "Innamorata" (after Dean finishes his version). Incidentally, this was Shirley's second film (after Hitchcock's "The Trouble With Harry"). Dorothy Malone is fine as Dean's love interest. Jerry has a funny chiropractor sequence. The production, like several of the later Martin & Lewis films was fairly big budget -- VistaVision, Technicolor, Eastmancolor, and stereo.
Dean's and Jerry's acting here is pretty typical for their pictures, but unlike some scenes in some of their comedies, there's little here that's endearing. Dorothy Malone was fine as Dean's love interest, Shirley MacLaine fine as Jerry's. Eddie Mayehoff, who earlier was quite good in several Martin & Lewis films was, from my perspective, becoming a sort of Eddie Mayehoff character...to exaggerated.
Time was running out for Martin & Lewis, and in my view, this film showed it.
Unfortunately, Eva Gabor proves the Gabor sisters couldn't act...but at least it's Eva and not Zsa Zsa! One comedy sequence I thought was too much -- taking the "buddy picture" too far -- was Dean and Jerry in a bathtub together.
There are some good things about this film. Shirley MacLaine shines as the female lead and love interest for Jerry. There's a pretty good comedy sequence with Jerry and Shirley to "Innamorata" (after Dean finishes his version). Incidentally, this was Shirley's second film (after Hitchcock's "The Trouble With Harry"). Dorothy Malone is fine as Dean's love interest. Jerry has a funny chiropractor sequence. The production, like several of the later Martin & Lewis films was fairly big budget -- VistaVision, Technicolor, Eastmancolor, and stereo.
Dean's and Jerry's acting here is pretty typical for their pictures, but unlike some scenes in some of their comedies, there's little here that's endearing. Dorothy Malone was fine as Dean's love interest, Shirley MacLaine fine as Jerry's. Eddie Mayehoff, who earlier was quite good in several Martin & Lewis films was, from my perspective, becoming a sort of Eddie Mayehoff character...to exaggerated.
Time was running out for Martin & Lewis, and in my view, this film showed it.