Embrassons-nous

June Haver presents a beautiful life like representation of an idylic world where success occurs while life is the lie and 3rd grade words are not kept from promotion ie white lies go far. I was born in 1952, so this movie is way out of my time frame for appreciation as the year now is 2002 but it does not take much effort to recognize greatness, no matter what year faces the antiquities of its present and its vehicles of success.

The movie, has terrific set design. The technology was the 10 gigahertz computer of the day. The wardrobes have beautiful embroidery with terrific symbolism of a hot night life. Even the difficulties of Russia of that time are gently assuaged with positivisms that only the arts could present as opposed to political intrigues that were overwhelming at that time for almost any successful state of mind.

The movie did much for me feeling very happy about being a private in the front lines of money, being able to speak under orders that had an authority behind them and should of I had a few dollars, maybe could have a chance a kissing one of those girls.

This is a story, in conventional sense, not the etymological "Narration/ Recital of True Events". But this happens when one tries to make a "True Story" on some one still living - or some one dead so long back that the life is shrouded in mystery. Any story naturally have to have TRP, and especially in case of living person, people have to be doubly careful, not to hurt the feelings, and suppress/ modify truth to the audience and the person's choice. This seem to be a glaring example of that.

As a truth or biographical sense, based on the information I could access, it ranks somewhere around 1 out of 10, but on entertainment value, it is 7.

The only thing that seem to be true in it, is the name of the male protagonist, Howard, and links to his musical numbers, except the name-sake "I wonder Who Is..." which he had appropriated from other (Harold Orlob) and if there was one, may be...

But except Howard, the other protagonists, thank fully the names (screen) don't ring bell - I Wonder who were they ?

Katie could have been his second wife Ida Emerson - the ages almost match (3-4 years younger), but who was on screen Mabel Barrison, on whose tour he had tasted first success ? Lulu ? Doesn't seem to be based on Mabel's biography - since she did marry Howard in 1906 - and stayed married till her death in 1912 of TB. Second though already successful on Vaudeville, she was much younger than either Joseph or Ida - in fact by age standard she would have been Katie (Joseph-12 to 15) - only that here there was no child-hood romance - she was Canadian. Of course if one goes by the timeline of I wonder.... (1909).... it would be she.

With so many contradiction, I will remove the claimed "True" and "Story" and consider it to be a fiction with no relation to any one (then) living or (now) dead. But once that is removed, probably, it is any other Musical Romance. Enjoyable, thanks to the musical number, but nothing too out of the way as far as the plot is concerned - now HAD it been really true... !

My favorite musical next to the Jolson Story. The songs send tingles to the spine- a yearning for the carefree life at the turn of the century. Mark Stevens and June Haver are outstanding as the leads. Reg Gardiner and Martha Stewart are also great in their supporting roles. The songs- I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now, Hello My Baby, Honeymoon, etc. are true classics.

Although ostensibly the success story of working stiff/songwriter-turned-vaudeville pianist and later Broadway composer Joseph Howard, this fluff musical from Fox is really a showcase for June Haver playing Howard's adopted sister. Haver's tag-along good girl--who harbors dreams of stardom herself--provides sass and bounce in this extremely lightweight story; unfortunately, her character's fantasy about being in the spotlight, and her somewhat conniving ways, detracts from Howard's misadventures with money and women while never building a credible profile for young Katie. The film is certainly tuneful and pleasant, but low-keyed Mark Stevens as Joe isn't able to make much of an impression (and when he gets angry at kid sis Katie near the end, it seems to come out of nowhere). There are some good supporting performances (particularly by Martha Stewart as a glinty-eyed vaudeville chanteuse), but the final musical number seems to go on forever, and the romantic finish doesn't quite work. ** from ****

I notice that five of the six people who commented before me on "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" spoke of the lasting impression it made on them. In 1947, when it came out, I was 13; I didn't see it again until 1975 or '76, when it was shown on TV, and I watched it with a young woman in her early 20's. In 1975-'76 I was eager to see if it would give me the pleasure it had as a teenager. It did, and it has stuck with that young woman, too, who has been my wife for more than 25 years. Both of us regard it as second only to "Singin' In the Rain." The music IS wonderful, as others have said, and the stars are at least adequate, but I remember best the color and the nostalgic mood, a sweetly innocent and beautiful aura. I looked it up on IMDb hoping that it might still be available on video. I see that others before me had the same hope, only to be blighted. Pity. It should be reissued and treasured.