Stingaree

Based on a story by "Raffles" creator E. W. Hornung (brother-in-law of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), directed by William A. Wellman and promoted as reuniting Irene Dunne (billed first this time) and Richard Dix from the cast of RKO's blockbuster "Cimarron," "Stingaree" is a ridiculous film but also an enjoyable one if you don't take it too seriously. True, it doesn't play to Wellman's strengths as a director (as the awesome, woefully underrated "Safe in Hell" had done a year earlier) or to Irene Dunne's talents as a comedienne, but her singing (her own voice; she was a fully trained operatic mezzo-soprano and had auditioned for the Met before signing with RKO) is gorgeous. Plot-wise this seems like a beta version of a Jeanette MacDonald-Nelson Eddy film — all it needed was a male star who could sing (or a voice double for Richard Dix) — and though the promise of the first reel that it was going to be "Cimarron" in Australia was not fulfilled, it was still a lot of fun. Incidentally, I wondered if any of it was inspired by the life of real-life diva Nellie Melba, the first international opera star to come from Australia. (There's been at least one other since: Joan Sutherland.)

It was a static bore, and there wasn't a single actor in it remotely believable as an "Australian." I stayed up until 2Am to watch it, but it wasn't worth it. Only surprising thing was that Irene Dunne occasionally had a look which reminded me of how beautiful she really was at that time, I finally understood how the likes of Cary Grant could lust after her on screen. Otherwise, there's very little to this one. Richard Dix may have been a big star post-"Cimarron," but his over-emoting and head-wagging hearkened back here very obviously to the silents. And he and Andy Devine (of course, in this instance) both looked suspiciously well-fed for bandits beating their perilous way through the Outback

So yes, it's basically a clinker.

Or perhaps "The Phantom of the Opera, Down Under" with a dash of Cinderella thrown in for good measure.

This is one of six RKO films that were buried in rights problems that Turner Classic Movies managed to resurrect and show back in 2007, with the rights having been resolved by their legal department. Only this one is less than excellent.

Of course, Irene Dunne has a great singing voice. She was the songbird of the RKO lot in the 1930s, but this was just a terrible vehicle for her talents.

There are some good individual performances. The looks on Henry Stephenson's face were priceless. Also, how was little RKO able to get Reginald Owen for what was basically an uncredited cameo? This film falls into several categories - adventure, romance, comedy, musical. If RKO had left out the music and concentrated on one or a couple of the other genres it might have worked.

I've just seen "Stingaree" the first time on TCM and enjoyed every bit of it as it takes me back to the excitement of the early movies I saw as a kid paying 25 cents for an all-day stay at the theatre on Saturday. To start was an hour of cartoons, the newsreel, then two feature films and we could stay to see it all over again if we wanted to. Those were the days! It does seem that the subject of Nellie Melba could've had a strong influence on this story, an unknown Australian singer who becomes famous worldwide. Irene Dunne is the servant girl Hilda who has dreams of a career and is given the chance to sing for the impresario Sir Julian. I had visions of Jeannette MacDonald in this role, it's her style, but Irene Dunne gives a more integrated performance and her singing is finer as it has somewhat more volume to project, in my opinion.

There ought to be a special medal created for Mary Boland, she's quite something in all her films, over the top, hilarious, showy, a grand flurry of mannerisms, delightful and absurd. She certainly adds wit to her films. Her amusing reference to protecting "British womanhood's virginity" brought back the quip, "Oh no, my dear, you mean chastity. Britain wouldn't have survived on women's virginity," was quite a funny hint.

Richard Dix has the role of Stingaree, the thief who is being hunted but he does have a good heart and is determined to help Hilda get her chance to be heard by Sir Julian which succeeds and she's off to make her career although Stingaree unfortunately gets captured in the process and must put in his time in jail during her venture into the world.

I'm always charmed by Una O'Connor who plays Annie the maid. She has such a distinctive presence in all her roles, one can only wonder what it'd have been without her in so many great movies such as Robin Hood (Errol Flynn) and Witness For The Prosecution (Ty Power).

Henry Stephenson performs as the man of the house, Mr Clarkson, married to the Mrs., Mary Boland, his is not a very large role but well done.

Andy Devine is quite young in this film and he plays the 'sidekick' of Stingaree for their robbery excursions.

One ought to be fair in judging the old movies, after all, the acting that was done in silent films is not what they did when talkies came along. So too, we should consider the time period and settle into that when viewing the oldies. Each decade brought along its own styles and fashions, and that needs to be taken into account when making a comment.

All in all I enjoyed a first viewing of this adventure/ romance/ comedy film and I believe it's available to buy so that's good news too. Add it to your collection if you are a dedicated collector. Well worth it!

Richard Dix and Irene Dunne, both from Cimarron, star in this very strange little film about an opera-loving outlaw on the run. Richard Dix happens to meet Irene Dunne and hears her sing. When Mary Boland (who is a total hoot as a self-absorbed patron of the arts and herself), from Greer Garson's Pride and Prejudice, won't let her audition for an influential friend, but only sings herself in her own off-key and shrill way, Dix fixes it so that Irene can audition for the V.I.P., despite the fact he puts himself at risk in doing so. As usual, Dix likes to ham it up, but endears himself at the same time. Ms. Dunne has never sung better in some very dramatic songs. And, what this film may lack in some technical ways and by feeling rather dated and old, it makes up for in originality and presentation. Overall, I liked it, despite its flaws and its incredibly unrealistic ending! Just go with the flow with Stingaree!