In Vincente Minnelli's third film MGM gave him the disparate talents of Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton to work with. The result was I Dood It and while Powell's career was only a few more films, Red's got going into high gear after this went into release.
Powell is a Broadway star and Red is a love struck fan who has seen 65 performances of her in some Civil War drama from the same seat. Of course the players have noticed him and he's always a well dressed man about town. But that's because he has the pick of suits to wear as he works for Sam Levene as a hotel valet and he borrows his customer's clothing for a night out.
I won't say more but Red was treading into Bob Hope territory here as the schnook who always wound up with the girl. In this case a glamorous dancing star like Eleanor Powell. There's hope for all of us and a lot of Hope for Red as well in this film.
Coming for specialty numbers are jazz pianist Hazel Scott and the great Lena Horne. Not to mention Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra with singers Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly who were at the height of their popularity when I Dood It came out. Thurston Hall plays Powell's producer, Richard Ainley her insufferable leading man and John Hodiak in one of his earliest films was a Nazi spy and saboteur. Well this was 1943 and film audiences were reminded those Nazis were everywhere.
Red's fans and Eleanor's fans will get their money's worth with I Dood It.
Powell is a Broadway star and Red is a love struck fan who has seen 65 performances of her in some Civil War drama from the same seat. Of course the players have noticed him and he's always a well dressed man about town. But that's because he has the pick of suits to wear as he works for Sam Levene as a hotel valet and he borrows his customer's clothing for a night out.
I won't say more but Red was treading into Bob Hope territory here as the schnook who always wound up with the girl. In this case a glamorous dancing star like Eleanor Powell. There's hope for all of us and a lot of Hope for Red as well in this film.
Coming for specialty numbers are jazz pianist Hazel Scott and the great Lena Horne. Not to mention Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra with singers Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly who were at the height of their popularity when I Dood It came out. Thurston Hall plays Powell's producer, Richard Ainley her insufferable leading man and John Hodiak in one of his earliest films was a Nazi spy and saboteur. Well this was 1943 and film audiences were reminded those Nazis were everywhere.
Red's fans and Eleanor's fans will get their money's worth with I Dood It.