Anything Goes

It's easy to understand why they took their time getting around to releasing a DVD of this one. As can be seen from other comments, the 1956 film version of "Anything Goes" will generally disappoint those who love the stage version. Other than some of Cole Porter's songs and a setting on a cruise ship there is no similarity between the two productions. The very entertaining (and still frequently performed) Cole Porter musical has been transformed into a pretty lame film, and three songs by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn have been inexplicably added to the production. Even worse is the loss of most of P.G. Wodehouse's clever script, which was rewritten by a Hollywood hack into this dumbed-down version.

This doesn't make "Anything Goes" unwatchable. The choreography is mostly first rate. Most of the musical numbers are entertaining and several are excellent. The performances are typical of each cast members career work (both good and bad) and the film has some interesting Hollywood cinema history aspects.

You know almost immediately that this will not be a rousing bit of entertainment, instead of a high-energy opening number the film begins with a back stage party scene that is about as lively as an abandoned railroad track.

Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor play Broadway co-stars who go to Europe to recruit a leading lady for their upcoming show. Each brings their discovery aboard a cruise ship for a transatlantic voyage. Mitzi Gaynor and Zizi Jeanmaire play the girls. Since there is only one role the remainder of the film is about determining which one will be featured and keeping it secret that both were already promised the role. There are two romances, with the two actors falling for each other's girl during the ocean crossing. Suspense and comedy are in short supply.

Gaynor manages a pretty good performance; she gets one very hot feature number (the title song-although Porter's original four letter word lyrics are toned down) and duets with O'Connor in the film's best number "It's De-lovely". O'Connor is also featured in a very original dance routine with children and a lot of bouncing balls. In this he dances to Van Heusen's "Bounce Right Back," not much of a song but a good excuse for using him in another unique routine.

Jeanmaire was a French ballet star ("Carmen") who briefly tried her stuff in mid-50's Hollywood. She was a Leslie Caron clone complete with the same hairstyle. Her two solo numbers "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "Dream Ballet" are surprisingly good, at least the dancing portions.

Bing Crosby of course is well known to old movie buffs but others will be somewhat puzzled by his popularity. Nothing he does in "Anything Goes" sheds light on this question. He was a "popular" extremely bland singer and a horrible actor with some comic ability. In "Anything Goes" even his comedy stuff is pretty awful. Paired with Bing, O'Connor has about the same chance for success as someone trying to sneak through a balloon shop wearing a porcupine overcoat.

The Technicolor and VistaVision completely overpower the cheap production design as well as Sidney Sheldon's (the hack writer mentioned above) weak adaptation.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

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.

I haven't met a musical that I couldn't find something to like about it, so although the story is somewhat bland one can still enjoy the good highlights. It's wonderful to see these stars in their prime -- Bing, Mitzi, Donald, Jeanmaire, and Phil Harris as the father figure.

The dance routines of "You're the Top" and "It's Delightful" are great musical show stoppers. Basically Bing and Donald play the part of two showmen who unknowingly sign two different dancers, Mitzi and Jean, to be the star in their musical. Obviously they have some sorting out to do on this matter while all are sailing back to America.

In my later years I'm learning to appreciate Bing's movies more than when I was young. All in all this is pleasant entertainment that leaves you with a good feeling.

Sorry, we are watching this one on TCM Thanksgiving evening. Both of us have played in the pit orchestra of the stage play. Sadly, this is so far removed from the original that it should definitely NOT be called "Anything Goes." This "new" story with some of the original songs plugged in with other non-Porter songs added, is a pretty lame rehash of the worn out "Let's put on a show" theme. There are some entertaining moments but don't expect the Broadway Show. We say "Arf-Arf." Especially the crystal ball routine is more like the Three (two) Stooges! There are some of the original Cole Porter songs from the musical but they are taken out of their original context. The vocal performances also don't have the high level of Broadway intensity one expects from better film adaptations. Some of the dance routines are fun, but, again, this is NOT Cole Porter's "Anything Goes!"