Eve Knew Her Apples

Terrible script for perky songbird Ann Miller (looking like a grown-up version of Shirley Temple), doing her best with a ridiculous, derivative plot and lukewarm ballads. A radio singer on vacation in Las Vegas attempts to escape her swarming managers by hitching a ride in a guy's car; turns out he's a reporter for the Los Angeles Bulletin, and he thinks she's an escaped murderess. Even at 64 minutes, this thing's a long haul. Miller's character seems much too busy to have a social life, but then we suddenly discover she's been promised to a man named Walter W. Walter II. She really loves the reporter, named Ward Williams and played by William Wright. Her managers are played by Robert Williams and Ray Walker. These "Apples" are 'W' crazy. Ann's a peach, and she has a funny scene where she's cooked some beans for breakfast, but this vehicle for her is just a quickie product from Columbia--unworthy of Miller or anyone else. * from ****

Over-worked radio star Eve Porter (Miller) escapes celebrity whirlwind by falling into cross- country car of reporter Ward Williams (Wright) who mistakes her for a serial killer. Hi-jinks ensue, along with several songs.

Ann Miller starred in a number of these low-budget wartime musicals. All that I've seen are entertaining and sprightly, thanks to her general sparkle and likability, and I expect all made money— (Columbia knew what it was doing). This one is not front rank—the songs are undistinguished and without Ann's trademark toe-tapping zip. The romance, however, is a cute mix-up where Ward mistakes Eve for a serial killer, of all things. Wright is an obscure leading man who unfortunately died young (38). Here, he makes a good reporter but rather bland male lead for the lively Miller.

One notable feature—the hair-do's of that time. I'm wondering how long it took the ladies to coif all their hair into the elaborate buns and curls that Ann, for one, sports. I don't think there's been any style quite like it since. Anyway, someone at Columbia deserved a bonus for the cutest movie title of the year, one I certainly couldn't resist.

It didn't take me long to realize that what I was seeing was a complete re-do by Columbia Pictures of 'It Happened One Night',except this time with music. It seemed that even the same sets were used in a number of cases. The characters almost look like clones of original cast. You even have the Shapley character who threatens to expose the two lovers if they don't go along his blackmail scheme. Ann Miller is an absolute delight. Whether or not her voiced was dubbed or not, it all comes over very effectively. It's just too bad she couldn't have gone into one of her dance routines. The film only runs 64 minutes but it's worth every second of it.

This film appears to be a remake of It Happened one Night. Took me a little while to figure it out, as this movie deals with a radio singer who is trying to give her producers and managers the slip. The plot for it happened one night is not as evident in the first part of the film as it is in the last say, half of the film. There is a scene where Miller and Wright attempt to sleep in the hay on some farm and up crops verbatim dialog taken from the Clark Gable/Claudette Colbert flick: That was were the tipoff was.

The only reason I liked this at all was Anne Miller. She was as good a singer as a dancer. I'll watch any flick with Anne Miller in it any day.

Actually as a remake this flick is not bad. Due to the lack of interest in it here, I suppose it flopped at the box office. It is too bad: because this film is just as entertaining as any of that years "A" movies. Just to sit in the theatre and look at Anne Miller was worth a quarter. But probably due to a lack of publicity (and the fact that there was still a war on)- I have never heard of this movie until Today.

The "Big Radio Band" theme kinda works with Anne as she had a pretty good voice and a good range, but is almost a waste of Ann's dancing talents. We never get to see the famous long legged full body shot of Ann. THAT is a disappointment.

Ann Miller was borne to grace the screen, it is almost impossible to get a bad shot of her face or other assets. This is the only film I have seen where she has the female lead, and she takes it.

Ann Miler (as Eve) is a popular radio singer who wants to vacation after a successful season; but, her handlers want her to film a movie. She leaves anyway; then, her handlers give chase, forcing the star to hide out with William Wright (as Ward), a traveling newspaperman. A series of misunderstandings threaten their chance for romance.

This film was re-made as "You Can't Run Away From It" (1956). It does compare favorably to that version; I think the situation works better in an older, black and white film from ten years earlier… and, this version is a re-make of an even earlier version, "It Happened One Night". This one, "Eve Knew Her Apples" is really just okay. Ms. Miller is pretty. The production is weak, with the editing its most obvious distraction.

**** Eve Knew Her Apples (1945) Will Jason ~ Ann Miller, William Wright, Ray Walker