Eve Knew Her Apples

Terrible script for perky songbird Ann Miller (looking like a grown-up version of Shirley Temple), doing her best with a ridiculous, derivative plot and lukewarm ballads. A radio singer on vacation in Las Vegas attempts to escape her swarming managers by hitching a ride in a guy's car; turns out he's a reporter for the Los Angeles Bulletin, and he thinks she's an escaped murderess. Even at 64 minutes, this thing's a long haul. Miller's character seems much too busy to have a social life, but then we suddenly discover she's been promised to a man named Walter W. Walter II. She really loves the reporter, named Ward Williams and played by William Wright. Her managers are played by Robert Williams and Ray Walker. These "Apples" are 'W' crazy. Ann's a peach, and she has a funny scene where she's cooked some beans for breakfast, but this vehicle for her is just a quickie product from Columbia--unworthy of Miller or anyone else. * from ****

Eve Knew Her Apples (1945)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Lighthearted remake of Frank Capra's It Happened One Night has a famous singer (Ann Miller) running away only to be picked up by a man (William Wright) who she doesn't know is a reporter. This is pretty much a scene by scene remake of the Capra film but it removes a lot of footage and just mainly copies the most famous scenes. There's nothing overly funny about this comedy and Ann Miller is a complete bore but fans of the previous film will be slightly entertained by seeing that film redone. Wright certainly steals the show and makes for several nice moments but the screenplay really doesn't allow him to do too much. The film runs a short 64-minutes and goes pretty quickly throughout.

What's this? Ann Miller playing a singer (with vocals obviously dubbed, I've heard her singing voice in MGM musicals, and this ain't it) instead of a dancer? Seems like an odd casting choice. She plays a runaway singing star on a wacky road trip with a reporter who's initially only interested in her for the story/reward money, but (I trust I'm not spoiling anything here, as the outcome is very predictable) ultimately falls in love.

Sound familiar? Substitute "singing star" with "heiress" and you've got the basic premise of "It Happened One Night"... minus Frank Capra's directorial magic, Robert Riskin's witty script, and charismatic stars like Gable & Colbert.

If you've never seen "It Happened One Night"... go see it first! But if you happen to see "Eve Knew Her Apples" first... just don't, okay!? But if you *do*, you might find it a pleasant diversion. Fans of the far superior film will probably feel nothing but dismay and disgust.

How blatant are the thefts? In the end, Ann Miller's character dumps her wealthy fiancé, and William Wright, when questioned as to whether he loves her, steals Clark Gable's line, "YES! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself!"

Oh my. Such direct theft only invites unfavorable comparisons. And Wright is NO Gable. I'm amazed the writers of "It Happened One Night" weren't given any credit here. Perhaps they were indignant and didn't want to be associated with a tacky rip-off of their classic? Perhaps Columbia simply felt entitled, since this studio released both films. But there's a reason nobody's heard of "Eve Knew Her Apples".

I could make some cracks about studio heads being such SNAKES, and how SINful it is to produce a cheap imitation that taints a beloved classic - but you get the idea.

Ann Miler (as Eve) is a popular radio singer who wants to vacation after a successful season; but, her handlers want her to film a movie. She leaves anyway; then, her handlers give chase, forcing the star to hide out with William Wright (as Ward), a traveling newspaperman. A series of misunderstandings threaten their chance for romance.

This film was re-made as "You Can't Run Away From It" (1956). It does compare favorably to that version; I think the situation works better in an older, black and white film from ten years earlier… and, this version is a re-make of an even earlier version, "It Happened One Night". This one, "Eve Knew Her Apples" is really just okay. Ms. Miller is pretty. The production is weak, with the editing its most obvious distraction.

**** Eve Knew Her Apples (1945) Will Jason ~ Ann Miller, William Wright, Ray Walker

It didn't take me long to realize that what I was seeing was a complete re-do by Columbia Pictures of 'It Happened One Night',except this time with music. It seemed that even the same sets were used in a number of cases. The characters almost look like clones of original cast. You even have the Shapley character who threatens to expose the two lovers if they don't go along his blackmail scheme. Ann Miller is an absolute delight. Whether or not her voiced was dubbed or not, it all comes over very effectively. It's just too bad she couldn't have gone into one of her dance routines. The film only runs 64 minutes but it's worth every second of it.