Sailors on leave in San Francisco get mixed up in love and show business.
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That was an excellent one.
An Exercise In Nonsense
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
Attractive songs plus super-vivacious Ann Miller and well-voiced newcomer Kay Armen, just manage to surmount an impossibly old-hat, totally unbelievable screenplay, plus dull as a dry dock direction, plus listless and mostly indifferent staging (except when Miss Miller is on hand) and, worst of all, dreary acting from Tony Martin, Vic Damone, Russ Tamblyn and even, alas, Debbie Reynolds! However, In defense of Tony Martin and Debbie Reynolds, it must be said that their ridiculous and impoverished roles were simply impossible to play at all, let alone well! On the other hand, however, Vic Damone seems be irritatingly content to be just naturally dull. And as for Russ Tamblyn, as usual, he gives the impression of trying too hard. (True, you're supposed to try hard, but you've got to make it look real easy. That, Russ and Vic, is the number one essence of movie acting). Producer Pasternak has given the film some lush, but creatively empty, production values. In at least 90% of cases, it's no use spending money on costumes, sets and scenery, if your script, your director and your players are all three, well below par.
HIT THE DECK is MGM's 1955 remake of a 1930 musical about sailors on leave and the girls they romance, which despite the accustomed MGM gloss and some nice songs by Vincent Youmans, still fails to make the impact of a SINGIN IN THE RAIN or THE BAND WAGON. The paper-thin story finds Vic Damone romancing Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn chasing Debbie Reynolds and an energetic Ann Miller finds herself involved with the forever wooden Tony Martin. The score includes "Sometimes I'm Happy" a dreamy ballad crooned by Damone, "I Know that You Know" a cute duet with Damone and Powell and the rousing "Hallelujah!" led by the effervescent Kay Armen. My favorite number in the film is a 3-way duet sung by the six leads called "Why Oh WHy?", but none of this makes up for the fact that this is one of the weakest products from the MGM dream factory.
The play Shore Leave was given another and final musical adaption in 1955 serving as a great showcase for some mighty talented stars at MGM. Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar wrote the original musical Hit the Deck for Broadway in the twenties and an film adaption was done in 1930 starring Jack Oakie. Then Irving Berlin did his own version for the screen in Follow the Fleet for Fred and Ginger. Come 1955 and we have still another script retaining some of the Youmans-Caesar songs and adding several Youmans numbers from other shows. The songs are well integrated into the story since it involves some sailors on shore leave in San Francisco involved with some musical performers.The sailors are Tony Martin, Vic Damone, and Russ Tamblyn. Martin and Damone are two of the best voices around and Tamblyn is a good dancer. They pair off with Ann Miller, Jane Powell, and Debbie Reynolds. Martin is having trouble with Miller, they have a Nathan Detroit/Adelaide relationship long distance and she's tired of it. In the mean time Powell who is Tamblyn's sister is involved with a Broadway wolf played with relish by Gene Raymond. Both are the offspring of Admiral Walter Pidgeon.Anyway our sailors rescue damsel in distress Powell and spend most of the film hiding from the Shore Patrol. One of the two Shore Patrolmen is played by Alan King who was appearing with Martin in his nightclub act and Martin got the part for him in Hit the Deck. Powell and Damone had already been a screen team in Rich, Young and Pretty and also had appeared in Deep in My Heart together in a musical number. They do a two nice duets with a couple of noted Youmans songs I Know that You Know and Sometimes I'm Happy. Martin's big solo number is the famous More Than You Know trying to win Miller back. And our Ann dances to Keeping Myself for You, Bayou, and the Hallelujah finale number. Up till Showboat, musicals in fact had thin plots for stories and were just an excuse for singing and dancing. Hit the Deck is a throwback to those days. But a nicely done throwback.Of course Ann Miller is just fine, but why oh why didn't MGM cast Cyd Charisse opposite her husband? Missed another opportunity.Look for Richard Anderson who has a small role as the aide to Walter Pidgeon. In a very understated way he's the one who brings about a satisfactory conclusion to one and all.
This may have been made in the dying days of MGM musicals. No Sinatra. No Kelly. But it has some spectacular classic songs by Vincent Youmans. Plus 2 of the finest voices of all time singing together:Tony Martin & Vic Damone. AND superior musical arrangements & Russ Tamblyn dancing.Never mind the negative reviews elsewhere. They do not make them like this any more. For sure. So enjoy it! Great musical!!