Hey Boy! Hey Girl!

Like another commenter, I too saw this on AMC (a million thanks AMC!). However, I wasn't disappointed! When viewing "drive-in" movies of the 1950s and early 1960s, one shouldn't look for great acting or redeeming messages. Watch this for the performances of great artists such as Louis Prima and Keely Smith! Where else will you see the famed duo singing "Hey Boy! Hey Girl!" or to see Sam Butera and the Witnesses wail! I admit this is a cheesy movie and acting skills are mediocre at best. But when they stop acting and play songs, the movie immediately comes to life and for a brief moment, you are watching legends at work. Give it a shot and swing!

I believe I saw this movie when it first hit the theatres. There are only two things I really remember about it.

First and above all - Keely Smith. I fell in love with that straight fringe of hair across her forehead and the unmoving expression. Still love her, though it's been a long long time.

My other recollection of the movie, if this title is the same one, is a marvellous long shot of the band cavorting across a field in single file, playing their instruments as they parade along.

That's all I recall, so I guess the rest of the film must have been rather forgettable.

But, Keely, you were unforgettable. Love you.

While the hackneyed plot of this film is no great shakes, by any means, it's a first class vehicle for its two stars, Louis Prima and Keely Smith, as performers. True originals at a time when there wasn't too much of that in the music biz, Prima and Smith were at the height of their popularity (and marriage) when they made this, their only film together. Prima's bouncy antics counterbalanced by Smith's "What am I doing here?" attitude can still entertain 42 years later. So, taken at that level, "Hey Boy! Hey Girl!" is definitely worth seeing once. For me, though, Prima and Smith's finest cinematic hours as individuals, anyhow, were in Disney's 1967 "The Jungle Book" and "Thunder Road," respectively.

Although highly entertaining, Hey Boy! Hey Girl! is not exactly Oscar material...but it doesn't need to be. The music of "The Wildest" Louis Prima is loosely tied together with just enough story to bring Keely into the picture. Now, this isn't the true story of Louis and Keely, but a kindly tale of a bandleader (who just happens to be named Louis Prima) who falls for a sweet homespun Catholic girl named Dorothy Spencer (Keely's full name is Dorothy Keely Smith) who is raising her young brother alone, is a wonderful cook and housekeeper, loves all children and coincidentally has a voice to soothe both crying babies and nightclub audiences. What self-respecting musical frontman could resist? Listen also for Keely's native Tidewater Virginia accent...unmistakable.

The film features some of the signature Prima music and Sam Butera and Witnesses are whooping it up as always. There's some pretty interesting lip-synching going on here, but actually it's surprisingly well done considering Louis never did a song the same way twice. This is a fair Prima primer, but the plot, well...put it this way---at least you always know who to cheer for.

Audiophiles will find that there are now some excellent CD's out there...try "Capitol Collectors Series: Louis Prima". A great opportunity to hear the ultimate version of "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody"...

It's not meant to be Showboat or American in Paris. It's a low budget movie that showcases the amazing musical talents of Keely Smith and Louis Prima. And it succeeds. Not familiar with their music, I promptly went out and bought 'Louis and Keely' and I have enjoyed the CD ever since.

As for the movie....it's a typical gee-whiz boy (okay, older man) meets girl with a heck of a singing voice. They cat and mouse it. They have conflict (baby brother feels neglected, she feels guilty) and they overcome it. Again, so what. Watch it for the music and the chemistry between Keely, Prima, and even Butera and the Whispers. A plus...seeing 'the old Inspector', Barney Miller's James Gregory as the priest.

Happy viewing!