Venus macht Seitensprünge

A very short and sweet version of the Kurt Weill musical play, omitting most of the songs. Ava Gardner plays the statue which comes to life after being kissed by window dresser Robert Walker, and crooner Dick Haymes is also in the cast, at least adding his pleasant voice to the proceedings.

Gardner is a lot of fun in this and certainly looks the part, although I have seen many reviews where she has been really slated. She gives ‘Venus' a healthy dose of playful charm as she leads Walker astray and threatens his position within the firm. Walker himself is a little uncomfortable in this – later roles would give him more range and opportunity to make an impression on the viewer.

Not all bad but the musical sequences seem heavy-handed in places, and with some voices dubbed and others not it just makes the songs sound a bit odd. Directed by William A Seiter, who had done musical comedies for RKO more than a decade earlier.

I think that this was the first movie 'musical' I ever saw, and I loved it immediately. The script is so perfect and the actors to matched to their parts that the whole thing is lyrical.

Robert Walker is a great actor who does comedy the way he does drama...sincerely. Ava Gardner is young and beautiful as....well...as Venus! I was very disappointed when I found out she didn't sing the songs herself, but it sure looks like she does.

Eve Arden is the real star of this movie. Every line that she delivers is either a great wisecrack or lets us know more about her. Olga San Juan and Dick Haymes are wonderful particularly when they sing, "Don't Look Now But My Heart is Showing."

In the 'old days' they could make wonderful, inexpensive black and white musicals and everyone had a good time. Too bad we've all gotten to jaded.

Never mind her vocals may have been dubbed. Its joy enough to watch her light up the screen. Thankfully, the music is kept to a minimum. This is not a full-blown musical on the order of My Fair Lady or The Music Man. Good, light-hearted comedy.

Those who love the Broadway show will be disappointed by the screen adaptation of One Touch of Venus, with less than half the score being retained being one reason. Judging the film on its own merits, One Touch of Venus has a lot of nice things and is a lovely film on the whole.

Some of the direction is a little heavy-footed and dreary at times, and some of the story is both flimsy and convoluted, that would have been solved if the film was longer. While the film is crying out for the use of colour, the production values still look decent. The sets while not opulent is never what you call cheap either, the costumes(especially Gardner's) are tailored beautifully and the camera clearly loves Gardner, judging by how lovingly shot the whole film is. Unfortunately, less than half of the show's score is here in the film but what is retained here are breaths of fresh air and very well-placed. The highlight is the sublime Speak Low, which is elevated by Dick Haymes' magical rendition of it(it's repeated again by Eileen Wilson dubbing Gardner, but I prefer Haymes), one of Kurt Weill's most beautiful ever songs and now a popular jazz standard. The incidental score has many pleasant and characterful moments.

Choreographically, One Touch of Venus is never extraordinary but it's dependable and has enthusiasm, with the Central Park scene coming off best. The witty script with its smart comedy and sweet sentiment(didn't think it was that soap-opera-ish actually personally) serves the film very well, and while the story is not the most exceptionally executed stories for a film on the most part the infectious charm, heart-warming whimsy, exuberance, likability and heart more than make up for the occasional heaviness and convolution. The characters engage at least, and the stellar cast all give strong performances. There was the initial worry on my part that Robert Walker would be too intense(he went on to play one of the greatest screen villains in Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train) for a role where a light touch is necessary, but he actually is very earnest and likable and his comic timing is nimble.

Dick Haymes is very charming, Tom Conway is effortlessly suave(though on a side note few actors beat Conway's brother George Sanders in the 'suave' factor) and Olga San Juan plays plenty of energy and feistiness. The two best performances come from Eve Arden and Ava Gardner. Arden is a true scene-stealer and a breath of fresh air, she has some of the film's best lines and she is hilariously acerbic. Gardner is also fabulous, not only does she look absolutely wonderful but she plays Venus with a genuine warmth, alluring sexiness and womanly charm, she also handles the comic timing well if not ingeniously.

In summary, a lovely film and well worth giving a chance. Gardner, Arden and the song Speak Low are the high-points. This said, lighter direction, a longer length, the use of colour and more songs from the show may likely in my view have made things better. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox

After being married to Jennifer Jones (who is/was my particular 1940's screen love goddess), Robert Walker stars opposite a very erotic Ava Gardner, described by film critics in "The Naked Contessa" (1954) as, "...the most beautiful woman in the world", so she was aptly cast to play Venus, the goddess of love, in this 1948 production.

Robert Walker plays Eddie Hatch a lowly paid window dresser at the store owned by Whitfield Savory II (played by Tom Conway -George Sanders cousin).Eddie is instructed to ensure that the curtain will not snag at the forthcoming unveiling ceremony of the recently acquired statue of Venus.When finished, he impulsively kisses the statue which promptly comes to life! Eddie is to marry Gloria (Olga San Juan), who irritatingly keeps reminding Eddie they are to marry.They have drifted into their relationship and marriage just seems the next logical move - but who said love is logical!! However, Eddie's friend Joe, (Dick Haymes), secretly is in love with Gloria himself but he doesn't know it.Whitfield Savory II is likewise ignorant of his subconcious love for his efficient secretary, Molly Stewart, played by Eve Arden in one of her typical wise-cracking roles; (see her as Mildred Pierce's manager in the Oscar winning film of the same name (1945) opposite Joan Crawford.

I was mesmerized by Ava Gardner as she spreads her instinctive love to bring all these true lovers together, while working her magic on Eddie himself who is soon in love with her.Her task over, Jupiter, the head of The Gods summons her back to Mount Olympus and she returns as a statue at the store much to the relief of the store boss who thinks Eddie has stolen her whilst she is in her alter-ego.This sub-plot gives rise to some comic Keystone Cops chase abouts.Watch out for Sara Algood who plays Eddie's landlady, (see her in previous roles as Mrs Beth Morgan in "How Green Was My Valley (1941) and as Mrs Maile in "Cluny Brown" (1946).The song "Speak Low" is sung by Dick Haymes miming to his own recording while Ava effectivly mimes to another singer's voice.Another song about men problems, sung as a trio, features Ava, Olga & Eve.

The audience feels strong sympathy for Eddie and he is finally given his divine award when a very beautiful new store recruit called "Venus Jones" (Ava),appears in human form to him there.We have to assume this will become another love match engineered by Mount Olympus!

I found this film hugely enjoyable as I love classic 1940's films having made something of a speciality of them.It is a difficult title to find.I obtained mine by winning an e-Bay auction after searching on Robert Walker.