Liebe an Bord

"Luxery Liner" was a showcase for young Jane Powell who had scored a box-office smash in her MGM debut film "Holiday in Mexico." It was pure Technicolor musical entertainment geared for the mass audience in the 1940's. "Pap" is a crude word and a choice for those trying to dismiss something they don't understand or want to enjoy. "Luxery Liner" wasn't meant to be Gone With the Wind, just the kind of entertainment audiences enjoyed. Jane Powell is charming and (at that young age) a very gifted singer. (Anyone remember another box-office bundle-of-talent named Deanna Durbin who Louis B. Mayer let slip through his fingers?). Like Miss Durbin, Jane Powell could handle a variety of selections (ballads, operettas, rhythm tunes). In "Luxery Liner" her rendition of "The Peanut Vendor", accompanied by Xavier Cugat's orchestra, is something to hear as she literally "glows with talent." Lauriz Melichor (who she refers to has "my Sinatra"), was discovered by movie audiences in "Thrill of a Romance" (more pap?) couldn't resist her either. At the film's conclusion he pick's her up, like a delicate flower, and glows as they sing and waltz till the end title appears. Some may consider "Luxery Liner" "pap" but, enjoyed for what it is, it's lovely pap. For the record both "Thrill of a Romance" and "Holiday in Mexico" are on Variety's list of all-time box-office rentals. All they did was make a pile of money for MGM and big stars of Esther Williams, Van Johnson and Jane Powell.

MGM's musicals are meant to be enjoyed and this one sure is. Simple plot of daughter of captain (JANE POWELL and GEORGE BRENT) stows away on his liner. Typical funny business and misunderstandings pursue and it all comes out just fine in the end. But of course!! Remember, LUXURY LINER is an MGM entertainment, not message film. JANE POWELL excel is her performance and the beautfiful FRANCES GIFFORD (whom I never head of) is one great leading lady. Wish she had made more films. Good music helps this unbelievable story line just fine. There seems to have been some footage left on the cutting room floor as a couple of scenes don't make sense, and where does JANE get all that wardrobe when she stows away with a shirt and pair of jeans?? Oh well, again, remember, it's an MGM musical. Doesn't have to make sense, just entertain, which it certainly does. A must see for fans of this ilk.

Jane Powell steps into a role that a decade earlier Deanna Durbin was playing over at Univeral Pictures and making great money at it. Little wholesome Miss Fixit who solves everyone's problems before the film is over and the audience gets a cadenza or two.

Luxury Liner has Jane an opera aspiring daughter of passenger liner captain George Brent. There's an opera festival in Rio and Jane just has to go and the captain says no. What to do, simply stow away, especially with the great tenor Lauritz Melchior on board.

In fact besides Jane and Melchior we also have the Pied Pipers late of the Tommy Dorsey orchestra and the ship's orchestra is that of Xavier Cugat which is perfect for a cruise south of the border. As you can see the musical guests run quite a gamut of musical taste.

Luxury Liner is a nice easy to take musical and quite frankly I miss the days when young teen stars had a great singing range like Deanna Durbin, Jane Powell, Susanna Foster, Gloria Jean. We haven't heard arias from teen mouths in decades.

This movie is pap, but it's pleasant enough pap and offers some wonderful musical moments. The plot is a sit-com all about a girl (Jane Powell) who stows away on the luxury ocean liner her daddy (George Brent, in his second outing in a film with this title!) just happens to captain. Havoc ensues, of course -- the details are beside the point. The real point is that Xavier Cugat is on board with his orchestra -- and lots of surprise musical guests. Audiences in the 40s knew quite well what to expect from this sort of thing -- The Xavier Cugat/Jose Iturbi Musical -- lots of "Latin-style" fun, eye-dazzling Technicolor, and tunes galore. This one is no worse than any of them, and for a few reasons may actually be a bit better. Here's the really great thing about this pic: One of the musical "surprises" on the ship turns out to be operatic tenor Lauritz Melchior! Melchior's voice was one of the finest of his era, and his Wagnerian outing here ("Winter Storms," from Die Walküre) gives a hint of just what a pleasure he was in his prime. His performs duets with Powell from the Viennese repertoire, but she's no match for his power and finesse. Also, Marina Koshetz sings a FAAAAAABulous rendition of Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin."

All in all, worth the time it takes to watch.

If you are a fan of Jane Powell, this is a must-watch. She shows off all of her talents from her lovely soprano voice, gorgeous looks, charm and acting ability. George Brent is very solid as her honorable captain father. The writers play up a common theme in Powell's early pictures at MGM, showing her as a teenager who chases after or pursues/flirts with older men. It is almost as if they made her grow up quicker. She got married the next year at the age of 20. Depending on when they filmed this movie, she was either 18 or 19. Powell was very talented in the way she could show innocence but also the steely resolve of somebody who was the breadwinner for her Oregon family which came from humble roots. I think a 6.5 would be a fair rating for this movie if one appreciates the talents of Powell, who was really a sensational talent who didn't really get a chance to show everything she may have been capable of on screen due to limited role choices.