With an Academy Award winning song, "Sweet Leilani" and tons of other soothing, ukulele music, Waikiki Wedding could have been very fun to watch. Bing Crosby in his adorable cap, surrounded by hula dancers in tropical paradise, can always croon his way into my heart, but this movie just isn't one of my favorites. The problem is Martha Raye. Even though she wasn't the leading lady, Martha Raye was given way too much screen time and an incredibly irritating song to showcase her loudness, large mouth, and lack of sex appeal. It worked, but did we really need the song to figure all that out? Every time she's on the screen, which is quite often, she does her best to prove all those three traits; even her love interest prefers his piglet to her.
The main plot involves a publicity campaign for a Hawaiian pineapple company. Shirley Ross is the winner of the sweepstakes provided by the pineapple company, and she's sent to Hawaii for three weeks of romantic bliss. However, she hasn't found any romance, and is getting a little cranky. In order to make her stay more enjoyable, the company sends one of their ad men, Bing, to woo her. Can you sense a "You lied to me!" scene in the works?
Seriously, even if you love listening to "Mele Kalikimaka" on Bing's Christmas CD, you probably won't like this one. Even if you're drawn in by the lure of hula skirts and coconuts, or even if you want to see Anthony Quinn in a five-minute, shirtless part, you still probably won't like this one. Martha Raye's mouth ruins it.
The main plot involves a publicity campaign for a Hawaiian pineapple company. Shirley Ross is the winner of the sweepstakes provided by the pineapple company, and she's sent to Hawaii for three weeks of romantic bliss. However, she hasn't found any romance, and is getting a little cranky. In order to make her stay more enjoyable, the company sends one of their ad men, Bing, to woo her. Can you sense a "You lied to me!" scene in the works?
Seriously, even if you love listening to "Mele Kalikimaka" on Bing's Christmas CD, you probably won't like this one. Even if you're drawn in by the lure of hula skirts and coconuts, or even if you want to see Anthony Quinn in a five-minute, shirtless part, you still probably won't like this one. Martha Raye's mouth ruins it.