Eva em Apuros

This film has not been shown in so long that I thought maybe it was one of the lost films that are so often talked about. Recently Turner Classic Movies showed a fairly good print, so they must have gotten it out of Columbia's vault.

This remake of "It Happened One Night" changes the plot enough to suit Miller's talents, but retains a few of the original plot devices. However, don't judge this film by the original. This one is strictly fluff to showcase Miller, who even though a "B" star, made plenty of money for Columbia in films like this.

Miller doesn't dance at all in the film, but she does a creditable job singing four songs, and looks great (at age 22!). In her autobiography, Miller mentions good reviews she got for her singing, so I'm assuming that she didn't need dubbing. In all of her films, her singing voice sounds the same, not that this is any proof.

The title must have been chosen to insinuate more to the audience than is actually delivered. Nevertheless, if you like just looking at Ann Miller, you'll enjoy this film. After all, it's only one hour long.

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.

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.

Eve Knew Her Apples (1945)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Lighthearted remake of Frank Capra's It Happened One Night has a famous singer (Ann Miller) running away only to be picked up by a man (William Wright) who she doesn't know is a reporter. This is pretty much a scene by scene remake of the Capra film but it removes a lot of footage and just mainly copies the most famous scenes. There's nothing overly funny about this comedy and Ann Miller is a complete bore but fans of the previous film will be slightly entertained by seeing that film redone. Wright certainly steals the show and makes for several nice moments but the screenplay really doesn't allow him to do too much. The film runs a short 64-minutes and goes pretty quickly throughout.

What's this? Ann Miller playing a singer (with vocals obviously dubbed, I've heard her singing voice in MGM musicals, and this ain't it) instead of a dancer? Seems like an odd casting choice. She plays a runaway singing star on a wacky road trip with a reporter who's initially only interested in her for the story/reward money, but (I trust I'm not spoiling anything here, as the outcome is very predictable) ultimately falls in love.

Sound familiar? Substitute "singing star" with "heiress" and you've got the basic premise of "It Happened One Night"... minus Frank Capra's directorial magic, Robert Riskin's witty script, and charismatic stars like Gable & Colbert.

If you've never seen "It Happened One Night"... go see it first! But if you happen to see "Eve Knew Her Apples" first... just don't, okay!? But if you *do*, you might find it a pleasant diversion. Fans of the far superior film will probably feel nothing but dismay and disgust.

How blatant are the thefts? In the end, Ann Miller's character dumps her wealthy fiancé, and William Wright, when questioned as to whether he loves her, steals Clark Gable's line, "YES! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself!"

Oh my. Such direct theft only invites unfavorable comparisons. And Wright is NO Gable. I'm amazed the writers of "It Happened One Night" weren't given any credit here. Perhaps they were indignant and didn't want to be associated with a tacky rip-off of their classic? Perhaps Columbia simply felt entitled, since this studio released both films. But there's a reason nobody's heard of "Eve Knew Her Apples".

I could make some cracks about studio heads being such SNAKES, and how SINful it is to produce a cheap imitation that taints a beloved classic - but you get the idea.