Are You with It?

As far as I can tell, today in 2017, the only way to watch this very pleasant musical comedy is on YouTube. The image quality of the version there is horrible, obviously sourced from an old worn out videotape. Usually I wouldn't put up with the washed out, ultra-low resolution picture, but found myself watching the whole thing and enjoying it.

The big surprise was the very witty dialog, delivered skillfully by O'Connor and the obscure Lew Parker. Of course Donald shines in several comparatively modest dance numbers (this wasn't MGM after all). But Parker, who looks to be in his late 50's, but according to his IMDb bio was about 41, is a surprisingly agile in vaudeville style dancing. And Parker really scores as a fast talking flim-flam man, delivering comic patter with aplomb.

The songs are well crafted but forgettable. For some reason Olga San Juan, a good vocalist, is given almost no singing to do, and her comic skills are underutilized. The production with it's carnival setting would have benefited from color, but it's in B&W.

A treat for those old enough to have grown up with the 1950's TV show, The Adventures of Superman, Lois Lane aka Noel Nell, is a supporting player in this film. She proves herself to be a capable dancer, charming, charismatic, and very pretty too. Too bad she didn't have more of a film career.

I wasn't born yet, but in November of 1947, my mother won "Queen for a Day". One of many prizes she won was an all expense paid trip to Hollywood, CA for her and my father. While in California, they got to spend some time on the set where Donald O'Connor was filming "Are You With It". (released in 1948). My father passed away in 1987, I had to fly from Sacramento, CA back to Philadelphia, PA. for the funeral. On the plane, sitting next to his lovely wife was unmistakeably Donald O'Connor! They were in first Class, I wasn't. We exchanged pleasantries for a brief moment, but before I could tell him about my mother, i.e., the "Queen for a Day" thing...the flight attendant jabbed and pushed me into the back of the plane as though I had some kind of communicable disease. Now, I have no doubt that Donald O'Connor had personally met millions of his fans, but even an actor on that level would have to had remembered a visit to his sound stage from the winner of "Queen for a Day". I never did get to see the movie, but one day I will. I rated it a 10 because while watching it, I'll be totally aware that while some of those scenes were being shot, just out of frame was my mother and father, like a couple of wide-eyed kids in their absolute glory, watching all of the magic of Hollywood.

I am a huge Donald O'Connor fan, and own about 33 of the 54 films he made. People tend to critize this film, however, in reality, this movie lived up to all it was supposed to be. This is one of the many 1940s B-musicals Donald did in his career, and I think that these films showcase some of Donald's best work. The story isn't much, and there are few song and dance numbers, but Donald O'Connor's talent and charm can make you forget all about that. Even in a character as different as this one is for him, he manages to still shine on screen. My favorite sequence, is the bar scene where Donald explains dancing using mathematics. It shows his incredible versitility as a dancer as he leaps and taps on every object imaginable. It shows the loveable hoofer doing what he did best. If you are looking for a big splashy MGM size musical this is not for you. However, if you love old musicals that are charming and fun, without big extravagent numbers, this is a great movie to see.

Actuary Donald O'Connor misplaces a decimal point and doesn't get the promotion at the insurance firm. He wanders the parks of Hartford. Lew Parker waylays him and impressed by his ability to predict when slot machines will pay off and how to dance -- all done by mathematics, of course -- he takes him back to Walter Catlett's carnival, where he becomes a hit.

Parker was in the Broadway show, but nothing else. They even used all-new musical numbers, despite some sprightly Harry Revel tunes. The loose and simple plot is an opportunity stage dance numbers choreographed by Louis Da Pron (who plays a dancing bartender in the first number). The movie version's songs aren't much to write home about, but O'Connor's confident hoofing, Parker's fast-talking patter, and the charms of Olga San Juan, Martha Stewart -- not that one! -- and Patricia Dane help to make this a very pleasant musical.

This is one of the few of Donald O'Connor's Universal movies I managed to watch on YouTube. Never mind the plot of this one since it's mainly his dances that I was most interested in seeing. He dances well with Lew Parker and Louis Da Pron in a bar sequence. Olga San Juan and Martha Stewart (no, not THAT one) also do well in their singing and dancing numbers. Many lines were pretty amusing but there wasn't anything I'd consider hilarious. The carnival atmosphere was nice to look at though I half-wondered why this wasn't shot in Technicolor especially when Donald also danced with a couple of fine-looking ladies in a number that may have been inspired by Arabian Nights. So on that note, Are You with It? is worth a look for any fan of Donald O'Connor.