Cara de muñeca

An unusual cast perks up this '40s Fox musical, replete with the cliches of its period but providing quite pleasant old-fashioned entertainment, with Dennis O'Keefe's patented brash and domineering star turn (forgive the script's overt sexism). I especially enjoyed seeing the young Perry Como singing and romancing Martha Stewart (no, not that Martha Stewart), having watched his tv series for so many years in my youth.

The cleansed version of burley-que portrayed is quaint and actually not so far removed from the softcore peep show loops and burlesque movies shown as so-called Adult entertainment in the '50s -it was fun to watch. And especially to see how times have changed now that this is shown On Demand for free courtesy of the new owners of the Fox library -Disney!

A beautiful songstress is rejected out of an audition because she is not considered to be 'cultured' enough to make it on the Broadway stage. Doll Face Carroll is the woman rejected and Mike Hannegan, the man that is in love with her, wants to show the theater world she is worth the attention. For that, Mike contacts a ghost writer that will prepare the right resume for the gorgeous woman he loves. Nothing prepared Hannegan for the results. A grateful Doll Face will make everything possible to give him the recognition he deserves.

This 20th Century Fox feature of 1946 gives us a dose of nostalgia. Based on a Gypsy Rose Lee play, and directed by Lewis Seiler, the film is mildly amusing. The musical numbers are well executed, especially the hit song, "Somebody's Walking in my Dream". All the songs were composed by the team of Harold Adamson and Jimmy McHugh.

Vivian Blaine appears in the title role. Dennis O'Keefe is Mike Hannegan. In addition we see the irrepressible Carmen Miranda doing "Chico Chico" with a big production number. Perry Como and Martha Stewart are in hand to do some songs. Stephen Dunne has a good opportunity.

"Doll Face" although not a great film, has some enjoyable songs and is entertaining.

If I remembered the quotes exactly, I'd add them to the quotes section... the Gayety owner advices one of his male friends who is having trouble with his girlfriend, that women, like carpets, need to be beaten regularly! The man later says to his girlfriend, "yeah, I'll give you your rights, and a couple lefts too!" Predictably, she loves this and he is grateful for the advice he was given. Yikes!

But anyway, it was an OK movie overall. A "burley-Q" performer tries getting a straight job with the support of her manager/boyfriend, but she's not "cultured" enough. After getting a free book with his purchase of chocolates, he hits on the idea of hiring a ghostwriter to do her "autobiography," which will make her seem cultured. He then hits on the idea of using the pre-publicity to stage his own musical starring her at his own theater, rather than give the pleasure to the man that rejected her. The ghostwriter grows sweet on her, and there's a bit of an idiot plot involving a misunderstanding when they get stranded in a boat en route to the publisher.

Carmen Miranda is underutilized, apparently she had a number cut. Hopefully it can be restored someday.

A wartime soufflé from a play by Gypsy Rose Lee (as Louise Hovick), DOLL FACE features a lightweight plot with some snappy dialogue and delivery among the clichés, while director Lewis Seiler's vision is properly focused upon contemporary swing music, highlighting the vocal skill of Vivian Blaine, Perry Como, Carmen Miranda and Martha Stewart (no, not that one). The scenario has as its primary business a rocky romance between Doll Face Carroll (Blaine), a burlesque queen, and her manager, Mike Hannegan (the stalwart Dennis O'Keefe), along with the latter's efforts to boost his proletarian protégé into the realm of operetta. Seiler manages to remain faithful to the story line while seamlessly blending in the many musical numbers which, interestingly enough, prove more of a showcase for the perky Stewart and smooth Como than for the top-billed and certainly very pleasant Blaine; the production number for Miranda is a wild one, indeed.

I came across this movie only as an inclusion in the Carmen Miranda Collection, and I am commenting here for those in the same situation, who are wondering if this is worth having.

As for Carmen: she sings one number, "Chico Chico (from Porto Rico!)", which features a lot of dancing with the chorus. The main drawback as far as Carmen is concerned is that the film is in black and white, and we are deprived of some of the gaudiness and festiveness that we expect from her participation in a movie. I know that Technicolor was expensive, but it seems bizarre for Fox to have made black and white musicals after the public came to expect color, and to cast the colorful Carmen Miranda in them! A better number was excised from the movie, but included in the Special Features --- Carmen wears her famous outfit with the phallic lighthouse atop her head (which lights up on the downbeats at the end of the song), and the number is done in a burlesque style on a runway. Carmen gets quite a bit of dialogue in this movie, and is actually integrated into the plot, not just a nightclub performer as in some films (like "Down Argentine Way"). I wish she were given more musical numbers to do, though. One funny bit (five seconds long) has Carmen's character, "Chita," disparagingly mimic Carmen Miranda!

The movie itself is watchable and has some fun moments, but on the whole suffers from a bland cast. Vivian Blaine lacked the spark of an Alice Faye or Betty Grable, the other Fox stars of the day, and came across as brittle and not particularly likable. The leading men, including Perry Como, were also uninteresting, and there is even a misogynistic undertone to the movie, with male characters bragging about beating their girlfriends to keep them in line. There is something wince-inducing about seeing bland Perry Como threaten to beat his girlfriend, who gets turned on by it! As for the music, there are a couple of serviceable numbers, but they are reprised to death -- I found myself muttering "oh no, not this one again" by the middle of the movie. Como and Blaine's "Hubba Hubba" duet was the only number which for me was fresh and fun, and not overdone.

In general, this is not a terrible or unpleasant film, but is not one many would want to rewatch. As another commenter noted, the melodrama seems to take over at times, and for me, the characters are not sympathetic or likable enough for me to get drawn in by the non-musical aspects of the plot. If you are wondering whether this adds anything of value to the Carmen Miranda collection --- in my opinion, it is only a very minor addition.