Anything Goes

It has all the trappings of an entertaining musical, but the chemistry is not there. A few of the musical numbers are worth seeing, but many are mediocre at best. The most peculiar thing about the movie is its substitution of boring, pedestrian new songs to take the place of Cole Porter's songs. Although Jimmy Van Heusen certainly composed some good songs in his day, the present "Ya Gotta Give the People Hoke," "Bounce Right Back," and "A Second-Hand Turban" are embarrassing. The producers couldn't find 3 more Cole Porter songs to use instead? Adding to the embarrassment is the bowdlerization of the song "Anything Goes," in which Mitzi Gayner is not even permitted to refer to authors' "four-letter words." Instead, we are nonsensically told that authors nowadays use only "three-letter words." Of course, such censoring of the lyrics of this song negate the entire premise of the song, which is that anything is permitted nowadays.

Donald O'Connor has a very nice dance routine with children and a lot of bouncing balls in "Bounce Right Back," which is the most original number in the film. The comedy duos by O'Connor and Crosby fall flat, as does the vocal by Jeanmaire. Indeed, after hearing the mangled arrangement of her trying to sing "I Get a Kick Out of You," I actually stopped the movie and played a Frank Sinatra version in order to get the bad taste out of my ears. Mitzi Gayner is lively and attractive and does a good job in belting out her songs. Crosby is always good, although the arrangement and photography of his performance of "All Through the Night" were so anemic that one might doze through it, without danger of anything happening to wake one up.

The plot is actually a very good basis for a musical comedy (a mix-up in which both Gayner and Jeanmaire are hired for the same part), but the writing is corny and stilted, there is little real humor, and the comic potential of the situation is simply not realized. Although the drama is of course not the most important part of a musical comedy, if it does not help to motivate the songs and does not create any suspense about what will happen, then the audience is just tapping its feet waiting for the next musical number.

I think that if someone were to edit the film to include five or so of the best musical numbers only (no plot, no weaker songs), one might have 20 minutes of decent entertainment. But to watch the film for 106 minutes to get those 20 minutes of entertainment is not that pleasant.

In 1956 Bing Crosby wound up his 25 year old contract with Paramount pictures. It remains the second longest contract for any star with any studio, only exceeded by Robert Taylor with MGM. This second version of Anything Goes was his farewell film for the studio.

Bing should have quit with White Christmas.

Again, Hollywood under the Code was to squeamish about filming any of Cole Porter's musicals. As they did in 1936 with that version of Anything Goes, it was censored heavily. Cole Porter's original score did not make it intact to the screen again. Other Porter songs were used and a few numbers written by James Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn.

As for the plot the only similarity is that it takes place on an ocean liner. In this one we have recent partners Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor each signing a leading lady for their new Broadway show. Both of their finds, Zizi Jeanmaire and Mitzi Gaynor are on the ocean liner with them. Mix the inevitable romantic complications and if you're any kind of a movie fan you'll figure what the result will be.

Phil Harris is also on hand as Mitzi Gaynor's father. One of the little known facts of Hollywood was that Harris was one of Bing Crosby's best friends in the motion picture capital. Harris had appeared with Bing previously in Here Comes the Groom, but that was only in one musical number. He has a nice turn here as a professional gambler that the IRS is looking to nail.

Usually Bing Crosby movies are just that, Bing is normally partnered with non-musical talent. Here he has three talented performers to share the spotlight with. All have some good numbers. I particularly liked Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor singing and dancing to It's DeLovely.

This was a reunion film for Crosby and O'Connor. Donald O'Connor got his first big break as a child actor in Bing's Sing You Sinners back in 1938. But that one was a far superior film.

If you like the talented performers involved, this is a good film. But Paramount should have done better by Bing in his farewell film for them.

I really enjoyed this movie. Typically, I hate remakes, but this one isn't so bad. Was Bing Crosby a better actor in the 30's and 40's? You bet your boots. Then again, I've never liked him in anything he's done, ever, and at least in 'Anything Goes' he doesn't try to act, and sticks to the crooning instead.

Also, I love Donald O'Connor, and he is at the top of his form here. I didn't know who Mitzi Gaynor was, but now that I do, I really like her. She's a good dancer with a pleasant screen persona. Jeanmaire is okay. I liked her wardrobe.

The art direction is good (I especially like the number where Donald and Bing sing the same song from two adjoining rooms) and the film hasn't been 'overproduced', as was the somewhat comparable 'White Christmas'. I hate it when musicals take themselves too seriously! The story is silly, but worrying about that sh*t is missing the point entirely.

Don't believe these over-critical snobs. They're missing out, and they don't even know it.

Another reviewer stated that no one goes to musicals for the story. Think of The Band Wagon, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Meet Me In St. Louis, State Fair (1945), Singin' In The Rain. Did you really enjoy those musicals just for the songs and dances, and ignore the story, dialog, and situations? I doubt it.

Some reviewers have criticized the screenplay by Sidney Sheldon. It's not great, but I think the direction is really the problem here. Robert Lewis was an accomplished theatre director and teacher (The Actors Studio), as well as an occasional Hollywood actor, but this was his first and last feature film as director.

There's some originality and wit (think of the two French sailors who appear periodically - a well-done bit), but the tone of the whole picture is off, the pace is off, the director doesn't know the tricks to brighten and even out the screenplay's banalities.

Disagreeing with some other reviews here, I think Jeanmaire has a surprisingly good, strong singing voice for a non-singer She was a professional ballet dancer, not a singer. And she was a pretty good actress - watch carefully and you will see her emotional responses are real. You can even see her breath come fast when she tells Crosby how much she loves him.

I disagree with the reviewer who criticized the number Donald O'Connor did with the kids. Please look at this number carefully and see exactly what an amazing dancer and athlete this guy is. Notice how he dances with that small ball, and the larger ones. How he's able to make the ball bounce exactly right, off of opposing walls, to match his turns, etc. It's amazing.

The song itself - like all the interpolated Cahn-Van Heusen songs - is so completely different in style from the old Cole Porter tunes, it just sounds out of place. Like Neil Simon had written some new scenes for a Kaufman-Hart play. It isn't that Cahn and Van Heusen aren't great, they just aren't the same style of songwriter as Porter, so their songs up against his are jarring.

Mitzi Gaynor, as usual, gives her all. I saw her stage show, once. Though she's very good on film, she was phenomenal onstage.

I could watch Bing in anything.

One of the most polarizing Best Picture winners I can think of is "An American in Paris". Some adore it, some hate the very long modern dance portion that seems to go on and on. How much you like modern dance will also play a big part in whether or not you love or dislike "Anything Goes". The dancing doesn't go on as long...but there is a ton of it and it's very much unlike a musical of the 1930s or 40s.

Speaking of 1930s, I should point out that this 1956 film has very little to do with either the 1936 film or the Broadway musical...apart from the music. The plots are completely different...though Bing Crosby stars in both films.

When the film begins, you see that Bill (Bing Crosby) is a bit singing star. When he's introduced to newcomer Ted (Donald O'Connor), Bill is very taken with him and wants to partner up with him for a show. After agreeing on this, Bill is supposed to find a leading lady for their show and he finds Patsy (Mitzi Gaynor) and signs her. At about the same time, Ted discovers Gaby (Zizi Jeanmaire) and signs her as well. Ted knows this is Bill's job but KNOWS Bill will love Gaby!! Now, with two leading ladies, the partnership is in for some rocky times!

This film is well made and the dance numbers are fine. But it's all a matter of taste...and I prefer older fashioned musicals without the modern dance numbers. For me, I'd give it a 6 but perhaps your reaction will be quite different.