La fille de l'amiral

HIT THE DECK is a 1955 cinema scope mop up of MGM stars and talent whose contracts would have been soon to expire. A bit like a aircraft carrier version of DEEP IN MY HEART it hangs together a roster of singing and dancing talent but this time with ultimately fairly just-OK songs and energetic dance numbers. Still, even at its most bland it is still unable to be made in Hollywood today. The women are the most interesting talent on offer and whoever said Tony Martin had an audience apart from Mummas in delicatessens was truly misled. He is the most annoying part of this B grade musical with A grade MGM production values. Like he did with the Marx Bros films in the 30s. Kelly was making ITS ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER another 'sailors on leave' 1955 cinema scope MGM musical at the same time and that film with its Comden Green script and songs is light years ahead in sophistication and quality. Still HIT THE DECK has a two of very entertaining 'big' dance numbers, in particular the "finale" and the "Bayou" sizzler with its very erotic and blatant imagery and choreography. It is so out of place in this 'suburban' film as it is sooo good. The color is also very good for Eastman since MGM saw the error of their ways and stopped using horrible Ansco color which visually marred several big films in 53 and 54. This must have been as safe a bet in which MGM could expect to play out as many stars as possible in yet one more sailor musical. Russ Tamblyn and Debbie Reynolds are always cute in this era though.

Another of MGM's sailors-on-leave musicals, a small-time 'On the Town' designed to utilize their formidable roster of singing and dancing talent. Tony Martin, Vic Damone and Russ Tamblyn are the sailors on leave in San Francisco. The girls they meet are Jane Powell, Ann Miller and Debbie Reynolds. With the Shore Patrol headed by comic Alan King, you can be sure everything's played for laughs before matters get straightened out.

The grand finale aboard ship is a show-stopping number and for this the letterbox format is used to take full advantage of the choreography and music staged by Hermes Pan. In the tradition of 'On the Town' and 'Anchors Aweigh' (but with much more modest results), this is a happy go lucky musical that aims to please but falls just a bit short of its mark. No fault of the performers--they're all fine. It's the weak script based on a 1927 Broadway smash, updated for so-so results.

Jane Powell and Vic Damone are in fine voice, and Russ Tamblyn and Ann Miller provide plenty of top-notch dancing. If you're in the mood for the shore leave kind of musical, this will do nicely.

... from six years earlier: three sailors on leave in the big city, except in Hit the Deck, the metropolis is San Francisco. The sailors are played by Russ Tamblyn, Tony Martin, and Vic Damone. They cross paths with Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, and Ann Miller. There are some fun musical numbers, notably Keeping Myself for You, and Lady From the Bayou, fabulously performed by Ann Miller dancing up a storm against rich color backgrounds and sets. Another uplifting tune was Hallelujah!

I found the film's energy peaked whenever Ann was on screen. (Ann also appeared in On the Town.) Jane Powell's part was terribly underwritten. Jane had more chemistry with Gene Raymond, the older married man she was seeing, then with Vic Damone, who ends up winning her heart. Walter Pidgeon is also on hand, playing an Admiral and father to Jane and Russ. Hit the Deck is a second tier MGM musical, which, considering the many masterpieces the studio turned out, is still very good.

Having watched this recently on TCM and not being familiar with the film beforehand, I was drawn in by the quick pace and competent acting, not to mention the pretty leading gals Reynolds and Miller.. quite satisfying eye candy. But then.. came the "fun-house" musical number towards the end and that just blew me away: I mean 'psychedelic' before the word existed, perhaps surreal in contemporaneous nomenclature. That segment stood out as the perhaps the very best part, it was a thrill to watch the choreographed-to-the-second, wild and unpredictable ride of a dance routine! That film was a lot of fun to watch on a lonely night home. So reviewer whoever-you-are that hates every movie unless it has something blowing up every twelve seconds, perhaps stick to writing up Popeye cartoons where the plots and characters aren't too complex for your limited imagination. I recommend movie this as essential viewing for every musical fan.. it won't disappoint.

Danny Xavier Smith (Russ Tamblyn), Rico Ferrari (Vic Damone), and William F. Clark (Tony Martin) are Navy buddies going from one bad assignment to another. The three sailors get a two day shore leave in San Francisco. Bill checks up on his fiancée Ginger (Ann Miller) who is angry with waiting six years stuck in engagement. Rico visits his widowed mother who has a new boyfriend. Danny meets up with his father (Walter Pidgeon) who is an admiral from a long line of admirals. His older sister Susie (Jane Powell) is dating a playboy. He falls for theater dancer Carol Pace (Debbie Reynolds) and joins her rehearsal without even an invitation.

Jane Powell dances with a toy penguin. Debbie Reynolds dances adorably. Ann Miller dances up a storm. I do recognize Russ Tamblyn. With so many characters, the movie tends to jump around and give each story short-shrift aside from the musical numbers. It's a lot of characters to keep track. It has its fun but it's too rambling. It's a very 50's musical and feels a bit old fashion.