Irene

Anna Neagle was one of the United Kingdom's brightest musical stars. She and Jessie Matthews seem to just about corner the market on British musical comedy leading ladies. What films Neagle didn't do, Matthews did.

However unlike Matthews, Neagle came over to try her luck on the other side of the pond. Irene was one of the ones she did her in a deal with RKO that also included her husband, producer/director Herbert Wilcox.

Irene was a successful musical comedy that was updated from post World War I to pre World War II America. On Broadway it had a run of 675 performances during the 1919-1921 seasons. It concerns a young Irish working class girl who gets innocently trapped in a fashion store publicity stunt by Ray Milland who's smitten with her. Store manager Roland Young aids and abets.

The film is makes the twenty year transition well. Most of the score is heard in the background or as show numbers. The two songs that Neagle does, Irene and Alice Blue Gown were the big hits of the original show.

Irene is a pleasant enough film, it's too bad that the American movie public didn't see more of Anna Neagle.

The music and dance of this musical comedy are well integrated with the story so I never got the feeling it stemmed from a 1919 show; the writers must have modified it considerably to avoid the "bursting-into-song" syndrome that was prevalent at the time, and which always bothers me. The actors are fun to watch, and some of the songs, headed by "Alice Blue Gown" are very memorable. I got a big kick out of the spoof of the Alice-Blue-Gown rage that was sweeping the country. It comes in the form of a movie called "Rex Gordon's Moviebone News" (a take-off on Movietone News, for those who are too young to know) which all the principals watch in a packed movie theater. In that film, we are treated with very heavy-set Hattie Noel in her Alice Blue Gown strutting her stuff, while other black actors and actresses, some in similar gowns, sing and dance. Three of the singers were The Dandridge Sisters, which included Dorothy Dandridge, a very pleasant surprise. The whole sequence was a pleasure to watch, despite the little screen time given to the Sisters.

OK--must confess that I have not seen the entire movie; only saw the last 40 minutes or so, and look forward to getting to see the whole thing soon (which is why I didn't vote yet, though what I saw of it would rate an eight or nine). It is one of those sweet, charming (without cloying--it has some wit to it) movies RKO did so well (Ginger Rogers' 5th AVENUE GIRL is another I recently saw--thank goodness for Turner Classic Movies).

Towards the end of this movie, Ray Milland's character discovers Anna Neagle's Irene dancing by herself, lost in thought and emotion. He and we watch, unperceived by Irene, and the dance was an unexpected delight. While the choreography could have used more variation (certain moves are repeated too much, and some of them have her shoulders up more than is ideal), Anna N. proves herself a graceful, expressive dancer; I hope to see more of her dancing, if it exists in films. The beginning of the dance also uses subtle slow-motion to good effect, which it occurred to me I haven't seen often, if at all, in musicals from this era. I wonder why that wasn't used more, as it would seem to be a relatively easy effect to employ. Anyway, I recommend IRENE, and look forward to taking my own recommendation to see the rest of it soon.

I saw this film on AMC one rainy Sunday afternoon last month. I saw that it was listed as a musical and, not being a huge fan of the genre, I was a bit apprehensive. But, I did get hooked on it after about 10 minutes or so and watched the entire thing. Even worse.. I LOVED it!! It was a charming and funny film that I recommend to all those who love a good black and white movie afternoon.

The musical Irene opened in 1919 and was revived in 1973, starring Debbie Reynolds.

The basic story is the same as in this film, and similar to the 1926 film of the same name.

Irene O'Dare (Anna Neagle), on an errand for her employers, goes to the home of Mrs. Vincent (Billie Burke) and meets Don (Ray Milland), a friend of Mrs. Vincent's son Bob (Alan Marshal).

Don suggests that she try out as a model in the "Madame Lucy" dress shop. For good measure, he invests in the shop himself. However, Irene isn't sure she wants the job after the store manager makes a pass. Don fires the manager and puts in another one, Smith (Roland Young), who visits Irene at her home and asks her to work for him.

Irene is a smash hit as a model, and Smith assigns her the most beautiful gown to wear at Mrs. Vincent's charity ball. Unfortunately, some Irish stew wrecks it. Irene goes anyway, wearing a stunning blue gown that belonged to her mother, and knocks everyone's socks off.

A guest at the ball, Princess Minetti, believes Irene is related to one Lady O'Dare, and Irene doesn't correct her.

Smith decides Irene is perfect for a publicity campaign to put the dress shop on the map. He sets Irene up in a Park Avenue suite, passing her off as the niece of Lady O'Dare. This way, she will be invited to social functions and wear the shop's beautiful gowns.

When a jealous fellow model tells a newspaper columnist that Irene is really shanty Irish, all hell breaks loose.

This is a nice musical, and Anna Neagle is lovely. She was an enormous stage and screen star in Britain and even has a street named after her. She did musicals and drama up until 1985. For 15 years, she was in the top 10 of biggest British box office stars. In this she dances, sings, and acts beautifully and looks wonderful in all of the gowns.

Good cast, well directed, a pleasant musical, and a good chance to see Anna Neagle, a British treasure.