The Girl Most Likely

Jane Powell is "Dodie", who toys with men, and then gets them to propose. Cliff Robertson, Keith Andes, and Tommy Noonan all want to marry her, but now she must make her choice. The story of this film production is more interesting than the plot itself... apparently it was filmed as RKO was going under, but Universal ended up releasing it. The one really bright spot here is Kaye Ballard, who was a fixture and sidekick in so many hollywood films. Ballard performed frequently around LA and Palm Springs, and was SO talented. and of course, Frank Cady was in Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. SO much singing in here....(too much). kind of a gidget film, but Powell is already much older. (sandra dee was only 17 when she played Gidget ! although this film might have inspired Gidget, two years later. ) Robertston went on to some pretty big things. Noonan died quite young. Script is so-so. Looks like it was all television for director Mitchell Leisen after this one. a big yawn. Skip this ... there's probably something better showing.

There were quite a few low budget musicals made during the '50s that were mostly insignificant but very watchable because they made no pretense at being "great." "The Girl Most Likely" is one of the more likable. There's some wonderfully exuberant choreography by Gower Champion and the score contains a few songs that any musical would be proud to own. This was a musical remake (as so many of this type were) of Garson Kanin's "Tom, Dick and Harry."

This is one of the last 50s style musical comedies and the final film to present Jane Powell as a singing star. She is supported by Keith Andes, who can truly sing, and comedy by Tommy Noonan and Kaye Ballard. Cliff Robertson's singing is dubbed by Hal Derwin. The songs are only serviceable, even though they are written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, who gave us "Meet Me in St. Louis" and "Best Foot Forward". The best musical number, however, is the title tune, actually written by Nelson Riddle, with a vocal by the Hi-Los. Riddle's arrangements, which never seem to date, keep the music interesting. As for the plot, there isn't much of one. As for the comedy, both Noonan and Ballard were better served elsewhere. The choreography, however, is spectacular; this is Gower Champion's first attempt to stage dances for performers other than himself and wife Marge. From here, Champion went to Broadway and became a legend.

This is an odd, but charming, little film. A remake of an old Ginger Rogers film called Tom, Dick or Harry. But somehow in musicalizing it and making the changes necessary for the new location, something has been lost and I just can't quite put my finger on it.

Your have a great cast! Jane Powell, fresh from her MGM days. Kaye Ballard in one of her very rare movie roles (there are times when she still seems to be playing to the balcony) and a great supporting cast of people like Frank Caddy, Una Merkel, Cliff Robertson, Tommy Noonan and Keith Andes, who was also rarely seen on film. The choreography by Gower Champion is bright and inventive, especially the number on the beach and a score by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane. What else could someone want?

I still don't know.

Ms Powell's character has no redeeming characteristics. She is out for one thing and one thing only - to marry a rich man and she doesn't care who she steps on along the way. Then when she does have the millionaire she just drops him suddenly,on the very hour of their wedding, to go back to Fiancée #2, the mechanic, with no thought to Fiancée #1 (her childhood friend) who seems to be the only one honestly in love with her. Ah love - one can never understand it.

This role was so beneath Powell. You can see why she left Hollywood two years later. She is almost 30 years old here and still being given the part of the young innocent being courted for marriage. I have no problem with the premise but the storyline and direction is totally amateur hour. This is really at the beginning of movies taking a turn for the worse as the studio system collapses. The one interesting thing about this film from a sociological perspective is you can really see the beginning of the sexual revolution as there is a scene here where there are teams of couples on the beach wrapped around each other (you will see a lot more of this in the next five-year period with all of the beach party movies).