Top o' the Morning

The plot of Top o' the Morning seemed like it had potential to be a good movie, but it just wasn't that fun. Bing Crosby had a few songs, but even those were forgettable. It wasn't funny, it didn't have much action, it wasn't a serious drama. An enjoyable movie should have at least one of those criteria, but this movie had none of them.

This film is set in Ireland. Apparently, the famed Blarney Stone has been stolen and an insurance investigator (Bing Crosby) has been sent by his company. After all, the rock was insured and they don't want to have to pay off if they can help it. When Bing arrives, the town and especially the constable (Barry Fitzgerald) do not welcome him. So, naturally, it's up to Bing's considerable charms to warm their hearts. One whose heart warmed quite quickly is Fitzgerald's daughter (Ann Blyth)--who becomes smitten with Bing and thinks his arrival signals some sort of weird prophecy.

Overall, the film is a lot of agreeable blarney. It's enjoyable but silly and inconsequential. The songs, while enjoyable, are also easy to forget and the film it NOT another "Going My Way". A few things that kept it from being better (other than the silly plot) were that many of the actors and accents seemed about as Irish as pizza--another is that Ann Blyth was 25 years younger than Bing--and that's just a bit creepy.

Bing Crosby is an insurance investigator sent to Ireland to look for the stolen Blarney Stone. There he finds Barry Fitzgerald (in his fourth and final pairing with Der Bingle), the local sergeant of the Garda. Ann Blyth is Fitzgerald's daughter. Between the usual courting, misunderstanding and songs, as well as an old prediction puzzled out by Eileen Crowe, it takes half the movie before the investigation gets underway.

There are a couple of new songs, including the title song. That's sung three or four times. Older and traditional songs make up the balance. They serve to punctuate the scenes, rather than advance the plot or express the emotions of the moment, as they do in better musicals. Miss Blyth only gets one duet with Crosby. Despite her ability, it wouldn't be until she got to MGM that she got a chance to show off her voice.

DP Lionel Lindon, unusually for American cinematographers, lights the scenes rather than the actors and seems surer with interior sets rather than outdoors. His unflattering non-portraiture makes it appear like steel engravings and makes me think this would have been better shot in color. Lindon's facility for scenery meant he spent his later career doing science fiction movies, AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS (for which he won an Oscar) and the 3D JIVARO.

This was a very enjoyable movie. The plot sounds silly, but the script is quite witty and the characters are really well done. Barry Fitzgerald and Hume Cronyn are especially good as the police sergeant and his assistant. Bing Crosby plays Bing Crosby, but that's ok with me, since the songs in this one are lovely to listen to. The plot however, does turn surprisingly dark towards the end, but that's a minor point. I watched this on AMC so I'm sure it will play again sometime......if it's on, watch it......you won't be disappointed.

If you're not tapping your toe at the opening credits of Top o' the Morning, you must not have Irish blood in your veins. And if you're not Irish, you won't be able to enjoy this movie nearly as much as everyone else will. My fellow Irishmen and women, rent this adorable flick!

In a small, eventless Irish town, there's a huge uproar when local cop Barry Fitzgerald finds out the Blarney Stone has been stolen. Everyone's eager to be the hero and find it, but when American Bing Crosby comes to town, there's a bit of a distraction. Not only is he charming, and fresh meat, but everything he does seems to be fulfilling a prophecy. . . Sound ominous? Don't worry, it's a romantic prophecy!

While searching for the Blarney Stone and making friends with Barry, Bing starts to fall for Barry's daughter, Ann Blyth. Their courtship scenes are too cute; if all you've seen her in is Mildred Pierce, you'll be surprised by how sweet she is in this movie. In one scene, she confides to Bing that every Irish girl prays to be sent a man. He gives her the perfect come-on: "Where do I get in line? Honey, you're getting some action already!" In another, she tells him she's been kissed 67 times and says another girl in the village, Abby, has had 81 kisses. Bing leans in asks, "Would you like me to help you shatter the record?" Then, just before the kiss, he says, "Abby, you're through." I just love Bing!

So, with tons of Irish songs thrown in for Bing and Ann to sing, an entertaining plot, and an irresistible romance, you can't go wrong with this movie. Try it next St. Patrick's Day for bonus points!