Hello Frisco, Hello

There's a reason for watching an antique like this, and that's Alice Faye. She was at the top of her form here, in what was to be her final Fox musical. Basic plot: John Payne is a vaudevillian with his eye on greater things. His troupe consists of Faye, Jack Oakie and June Havoc. The Gay 90s costumes are a riot and, I assume, reasonably authentic. I also imagine some audience members in 1943 might have lived long enough to remember the period in real life. Faye belts out an endless number of great tunes, including her signature song, "You'll Never Know." Payne is stiff as usual, but veteran comic actor Oakie and his predictable antics help make up for that. The plot is as thin as a piece of tissue paper, so enjoy the movie for its many and memorable musical numbers. With her deep voice and striking looks, Faye really shines here. One caution: It is slightly jarring to watch the "rag" number, as all the performers are white but acting as if they were Stepin Fetchit-type blacks. This old-time minstrel baloney is certainly not uncommon in old musicals. You can see similar numbers in even later fare such as "Holiday Inn" (Bing Crosby in black face!) and "Jolson Sings Again." The offending "Abraham" number in "Holiday Inn" used to be cut for TV viewing. But there wasn't much TV could do about "The Jolson Story" and "Jolson sings Again" without emasculating the movie, as Al Jolson rose to fame singing "Mammy" and other numbers in black face.

Alice Faye's reign at 20th Century Fox, which overlapped with Betty Grable's, started earlier than Grable's and ended sooner - and on a sour note.

Faye actually came with the old Fox Film Corp. When Zanuck founded 20th Century Fox and was at first a Harlow type, eventually developing into the Alice Faye moviegoers came to love. When she was given a dramatic role, in the 1945 "Dark Angel," the film was re-edited to favor Linda Darnell, and a disgusted Faye left Fox and never returned.

Here she's on top in "Hello Frisco, Hello" also starring John Payne, Lynn Bari, Jack Oakie, June Havoc and Laird Cregar, a big, colorful turn of the century musical in the Fox tradition.

Alice plays Trudy Evans, the linchpin in a group formed by the ambitious Johnny Cornell. Johnny isn't content with the Barbary Coast - he wants Nob Hill.

After opening a series of clubs, he becomes interested in a beautiful widow (Bari) who can give him the respectability he wants. When she goes broke, he tries to buy her house. To the heartbreak of Trudy, who's been in love with him all along, the two eventually marry.

There's one song after another in this musical, including Faye's beautiful rendition of "You'll Never Know," which became a smash hit. Faye's voice was so unusual - low, sultry and smooth, and it fits the music here perfectly. She is beautifully photographed and costumed as well.

Oakie and Havoc provide comic support, and Bari is excellent as the woman who wins Johnny away from Trudy.

The big problem with the film is the character of Johnny (Payne), who is a real louse and a user to boot as he strings Trudy along. Personally, I would have let him stew in his own juice but this is Hollywood after all. And the plot is so secondary to the wonderful music and stars. Highly entertaining.

Unlike many musicals from Warners and MGM, the scenes of stage performance in those from 20th Century Fox look as though they could actually be performed on a stage, with straight front shooting, and relatively little camera movement, except for close-ups. This approach works, if you have actors who can draw you in simply by their talent, Talent is abundant here, and the musical numbers are believably staged. Fortunately, there are many of these: enough to carry the hackneyed plot. After more than twelve years in films, Jack Oakie could still do comic dance and joke routines far superior to those of most; and is helped wonderfully by June Havoc, who should have received one of the co-star billings in the titles, instead of being listed second in the supporting cast. John Payne was the studio's dependable leading man, in both musicals and light drama. The beautiful Lynn Bari, who never broke through to star status, shines in the thankless role of the selfish society girl.

But Alice Faye is at her best in her last major musical for Fox. It's easy to see why Archie Bunker occasionally referred to her as his feminine ideal. She is gorgeous in Technicolor close-ups. Here, as in other films she wears period costumes more convincingly than most other actresses, who seem to be dressing up for a costume party. Her voice was unique, and her delivery understated; unlike many of her contemporaries, she can still be heard on CDs. I didn't count, but she must have sung ten or more numbers, alone or with Payne. Oakie and Havoc, including an opening and closing rendition of her signature "You'll Never Know". In a years later TV interview, she commented that toward the end of her Fox career she was being replaced by Betty Grable, whose more overt sex appeal made her famous during the war years, but whose career as a top attraction did not last as many years as Faye's (about ten) What impressed me was that she made that comment without any tone of bitterness. Incidentally, this is not a criticism of Grable, who had a winning, self-deprecating personality in later years. In another TV interview, when she was asked how she became a star, she responded: I could sing a little, dance a little, and act a little, but I had great-looking legs. I can't help comparing these two ladies, both of whom had long-lasting show business marriages, and both of whom seemed to be nice persons, with some contemporary "stars".

Charming period musical with Alice Faye as a saloon singer in love with social-climbing John Payne who has his eyes on Lynn Bari. The Barbary Coast is aglitter in Fox's brightest technicolor. The slim plot allows Alice to sing one of her most famous songs: "Hello, Frisco, Hello" which won the 1943 Oscar for best song.

With a sparkling supporting cast including Jack Oakie, June Havoc, Laird Cregar and Ward Bond, it is probably the best film teaming Faye with one of her favorite leading men, John Payne. He doesn't get as many chances to sing as she does, but he was regarded as Fox's most dependable leading man in musicals and matches her every step of the way. But it's her wistful rendering of the title tune, photographed in loving camera close-ups, that shows what star quality is all about.

Pleasant and tuneful, this is what war-weary audiences wanted back in 1943. A nice comeback for Faye who had been off the screen for a year.

Strong evidence of why Alice Faye was such a big star in the 40s. Good support from John Payne, Jack Oakie, and femme fatale Lynn Bari. Some critics, including Maltin, are down on this one, but they're wrong. It's a joy from end to end, and as easy on the eyes (in color) as Faye's voice is on the ears (especially in Academy Award winner "You'll Never Know"). Wish they gave Payne more songs to sing, but you can't have everything. Offhand, I don't know of a Fox musical of that era that's as enjoyable.