remarkably brighter and fresher than the 1941 and 1942 efforts, in fact, should have been made in color and billed as a musical: yes, Vivian Blaine, of GUYS AND DOLLS gets a lot of frame time, with very good songs. the film actually opens with L & H playing as, one might say, one-man-bands, on their tour truck.
cinematography is good and there's a sense that they are actually enjoying this one. we know Hardy said much later he liked JITTERBUGS.
it's been written that they enjoyed the chance to get into costume, as they did in the gambling scene, where they try to win back money that Vivian lost to con men, earlier. along the way they met an affable con artist, Bob Bailey, who agrees to help out... and *not* help himself, this time.
but general L & Hers, try it on for size.
like so many of the MGM and Fox efforts, the lost opportunities are too much to bear, in outlining. I'll give ya one: L & H are thumbing a ride, out in the desert. Stan suggests one of them should lie down on the road so as to make someone stop. Fine. Not to give it away but there's no quibbling about who has the honor, such as "As usual, I have to do everything myself!" Plus, the bit is terribly executed. Not by L & H but by the Writer and/or the Director. any 14 year old *new* fan will frown and say, "why didn't they just...?" :)
cinematography is good and there's a sense that they are actually enjoying this one. we know Hardy said much later he liked JITTERBUGS.
it's been written that they enjoyed the chance to get into costume, as they did in the gambling scene, where they try to win back money that Vivian lost to con men, earlier. along the way they met an affable con artist, Bob Bailey, who agrees to help out... and *not* help himself, this time.
but general L & Hers, try it on for size.
like so many of the MGM and Fox efforts, the lost opportunities are too much to bear, in outlining. I'll give ya one: L & H are thumbing a ride, out in the desert. Stan suggests one of them should lie down on the road so as to make someone stop. Fine. Not to give it away but there's no quibbling about who has the honor, such as "As usual, I have to do everything myself!" Plus, the bit is terribly executed. Not by L & H but by the Writer and/or the Director. any 14 year old *new* fan will frown and say, "why didn't they just...?" :)