Moon Over Miami

I have to agree with one of the people who posted, that 20th Century Fox musicals are overlooked due to the expensive, soft-toned family musicals of MGM. It's a shame, because there was nothing more fun than a Fox musical and the Fox cover pallet.

In this film, Betty Grable and Carole Landis play sisters, who with their aunt, work at a Texas diner when they learn they've inherited money. It doesn't come out to a lot, but the gals take off for Florida so that Kay (Grable) can find a millionaire husband. Her sister Barbara (Landis) poses as her secretary.

Before long, pretty Kay has a couple of men on her dance card - Phil McNeil (Don Ameche) and Jeffrey Boulton II (Robert Cummings).

As others have mentioned, the costumes are exceptionally beautiful, and the movie was shot all over Florida, accounting for some beautiful scenery. The songs are tuneful, and the film is highly entertaining.

It's such a talented cast - Fox gets a bad rap for its lightweight film stars, but they were some of the most popular stars in films, particularly Betty Grable, who was probably THE most popular for a time. Landis is beautiful and delightful, and Charlotte Greenwood is very funny.

This was a good film for Cummings, who was always excellent in comedy, and the smooth Ameche, whose light tenor is put to good use here.

One thing about Fox musicals, they were always fun, feel-good movies. Perfect for times like these.

MGM is always the studio that film historians gush about for turning out great musicals. Unfairly snubbed is 20th Century Fox that used the richest, most brilliant color composition in the rainbow for its unforgettable string of Technicolor sundae delights starring Bette Grable. "Moon Over Miami" begins with the bouncy, adorable Texas Tommy Hamburger Drive-in sequence where Grable and Carole Landis show off their figures and talents. Quickly, the action shifts to a long gone Miami of l940 where people actually dressed up in stunning gowns and frocks by Travis Banton. Grable is unusually great looking in her gray ensemble trimmed in fur and she and Landis and Charlotte Greenwood prance around to "Oh, Me, Oh Mi-Ami!" Other fantastic numbers follow, showcasing Grable at her verviest--like her tap dance routine to "You Started Something," then onto "I've Got You All to Myself" and maybe the best, "Conga to a Nursery Rhyme." Banton's costumes, shimmering photography by Leroy Shamroy, electrifying charisma of Grable and the very hunky Don Ameche (who surprises with an outstanding singing vocie), all help make "Moon Over Miami" a sheer delight. Also, dig the decor of the fancy hotel suites, night clubs, the mansions.

This movie is the pure essence of the idea 'movies the way they used to be made'. I honestly can't find any fault with this movie.......the plot, music, scenery, acting......all perfect! I'm so glad that it finally came out on DVD. Thank goodness we have great movies like this to watch instead of the incredible garbage that is out there today. This is Hollywood at its finest......and the vivid technicolor photography makes you feel like you're in 1940 Miami. Don Ameche gives a fabulous performance and Betty Grable's dance numbers are wonderful. This is a must-have DVD.....for anyone who enjoys class, style, great acting and wonderful music! This is absolutely among my favorite musicals along with Easter Parade and Holiday Inn.

Fox believed in remakes and this one was used again in THREE LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE and HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE--three girls in search of a millionaire husband. While the plot is a flimsy one, it does give Betty Grable fans a chance to glimpse her in a fluffy technicolor musical (with location photography in Florida), engaged in romantic shenanigans with two leading men (Don Ameche and Robert Cummings), and supported by pros like Jack Haley, Charlotte Greenwood, Carole Landis and Minor Watson.

It's a typical Fox musical made to order for Grable fans and photographed in some scenic Florida locales serving as Miami. Robert Cummings and Don Ameche are impeccably clad and flashing the kind of smiles that belong in a toothpaste ad--thus serving as perfect foils for Betty's curvaceous blonde charms.

Some of the specialty numbers are good--especially those by the Condo Brothers--and Betty herself gets to do a couple of sprightly tap dance routines. None of the music is memorable but it's easy to see why Grable was so popular at the box-office in escapist films of this nature at a time when war weary audiences craved this kind of entertainment at the start of World War II. Her modest talents are on full display here--and Ameche and Cummings show that they had a definite flair for this kind of romantic comedy--especially Cummings who was always better in lighter assignments as opposed to dramatic roles--contrary to what another commentator says.

Carole Landis can do little with her role as Betty's sister (posing as her maid). She is very prettily photographed but walks through the role in an aloof manner that makes her almost invisible.

Of course these Fox musicals of the 40's were flimsy. They were meant to be. They were what they were and MOON OVER Miami is one of the better Betty Grable flicks. Great color, location work, acting and especially the singing and dancing. Grable has been criticized for her singing and dancing. WHY? She was brilliant. Nice acting style for movies of this sort, wonderful voice and her dancing is up there with the best of them, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, and the rest of them. Have the Grable collection and they are all enjoyable but Fox needs to put the rest of her movies on DVD, especially MOTHER WORE TIGHTS, WABASH AVENUE; CONEY ISLAND and SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES as well as BILLY ROSE'S HORSESHOE REVIEW. The plot of MOON is similar to THREE LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE and the wonderful HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE. Yes, they CERTAINLY don't make em' like this anymore.