O Mundo a Seus Pés

As a lightweight British post-war comedy, it's fine. David Niven's really charming, Vera-Ellen's trying like crazy. As a musical, it's very odd. There's nearly no 'musical' in it, and when you finally get to the two on-stage numbers near the end, you'll be glad. There's one long imitation Gene Kelly odyssey piece about a little girl in a big city that's strangely small and mean and bad. It looks like it should at the start, but I'd swear there wasn't any choreography design per se, just the general idea of a Kelly avant-garde set. Large scope, small stage, and the routines are so disjointed, you'll wonder how dancers learned the sequences. But as a comedy, it's quite adequate. Vera-Ellen mostly shines as she usually does though it looks like a bit of a struggle to hold onto the lead position. Fortunately for her, pretty soon she'll get a boost from David Niven. He's really the reason you'd want to see this movie, he just couldn't be more forthright, very plainly happy to be there. Caesar Romero's miscast but he's also obviously happy to be working. Both those big presences, Niven's nuanced, Romero's steamrolling, make this a piece of film worth keeping. And of course, as always, the number one attraction is how Vera-Ellen wore the clothes!

A few years ago, I bought several $1 DVD's that contained two movies each. One of them had Three Broadway Girls (an alternate title for The Greeks Had a Word for Them) and this one, Happy Go Lovely. It's basically a backstage musical comedy that takes place in Scotland and concerns mistaken identity involving one of the dancers hitching a ride from a millionaire's limousine. Vera-Ellen is that dancer and-wow, what legs! Ceasar Romero is her producer who takes a chance on her after the original leading lady leaves because he thinks she's dating the millionaire whose car I just mentioned. And David Niven is that rich guy who, when looking for Vera-Ellen, is mistaken for a reporter who's supposed to interview her but gets stalled by Romero. What I've just mentioned may be confusing but (mostly) makes sense if you're willing to check your brain while watching this charmingly screwball comedy with wonderful musical numbers as performed by the exquisite Ms. Vera-Ellen. Romero can be a bit frantic here but Niven becomes hilariously bemused throughout. The print I saw was actually pretty good considering its age and the fact that it's in public domain. And Vera-Ellen does pretty well with her lines since she's not really an actress. So on that note, I highly recommend Happy Go Lovely for movie buffs who love old-fashioned musical comedies.

Happy Go Lovely is an appealing British-American co-production starring David Niven, Vera-Ellen, and Cesar Romero, directed by American Bruce Humberstone.

The story is a light-as-air romantic comedy about a young American dancer, Janet Jones (Vera-Ellen), who is made the star of a 2nd-rate musical show because her producer-boss (Cesar Romero) mistakenly believes that she has become the mistress/fiancée of Scotland's wealthiest man, greeting-card-mogul B.G. Bruno (David Niven), despite the reality that Janet and B.G. have never actually met. The ensuing story allows David Niven to shine in one of his few truly ingratiating romantic leads, ably abetted by the delightful Vera-Ellen.

I love this film. I love Bruce Humberstone comedies. Many of his contemporaries (including movie star Maureen O'Hara) claimed that Humberstone didn't know much about movie making, dubbing him "Lucky Stumblebum" because he kept accidentally making hit movie after hit movie. Humberstone must have had incredible instincts; while none of his films are truly great, none of them are truly terrible, either. And many of them are quite memorable! Humberstone clearly had natural talent.

Humberstone films lack an auteur's vision, originality and inspiration, yes. BUT -- and this is a big BUT -- Humberstone had great instincts for creampuff comedy. His taste level was questionable, but I think that's part of his charm. Humberstone's comedies are always fun to watch, enlivened by musical numbers which mystify* as well as entertain.

* Mystify because... while they are very smoothly integrated into any given show in terms of pacing, Humberstone musical numbers are also shockingly haphazard, the product of random ideas generated by the talent surrounding each production. This gives the numbers an enlivening spark of kitsch and unexpectedness which amuses intellectuals like me. The numbers vary wildly in quality, but that's part of their pleasure. And the music is produced by some very capable professionals who were also responsible for music of many of the greatest British films of this period.

I don't know quite WHY this film is one of my favorite movies of all time. The story is preposterous, but nothing about the film is realistic so that doesn't matter. The film is never boring, but it's not riveting either. Yet, Happy Go Lovely IS a very soothing film to watch... maybe that's why I watch it so much. There is very little tension. Nothing mean or truly unhappy ever happens. The characters have issues and problems, but they're all basically decent human beings. The dark side of life is only hinted at, never exposed. And who doesn't like a good Cinderella story? Especially with David Niven smiling like that, while Vera-Ellen dances up a storm...

After a hard day's work, with all of life's stresses and miseries, there is something so life-affirming and refreshing in taking a dip into a kind, happy bubble-bath of musical romance and loveliness, played by movie stars who simply exude charm. Escapism!

As a huge fan of both Gene Kelly and Danny Kaye from a young age, it was something of a no-brainer for me when I came across this film on one of those public domain movie channels on my old Roku box, and saw that it starred the wonderful Vera-Ellen. Ellen was a co-star of Danny Kaye's in many of his movies, and was of course the unforgettable 'Miss Turnstiles' in Gene Kelly's all-time great 'On The Town.' With that kind of pedigree I am surprised that Vera-Ellen didn't star in more movies, and upon seeing this lovely little film musical, that feeling of surprise has only been strengthened.

Okay, so the plot isn't anything new; dance troupe struggle to get the finance needed to put on their show, and the film's budget is minuscule in comparison to the mega M-G-M Musicals of the period, but don't let either of those two things put you off. Vera-Ellen sparkles as small time singer and dancer 'Janet Jones' while David Niven is wonderfully engaging as the somewhat stiff and reserved B.G Bruno, the successful businessman who comes in to the life of Ellen's character through a misunderstanding.

It's predictable fair, but its two leads make Happy Go Lovely a much better film that it should, and otherwise would have been without them. A thoroughly charming, innocent and enjoyable film.

I find this movie very enjoyable. The plot is simple and easily digestible, the humour is light and clean, and because the storyline involving mistaken identity is quite common, I find myself looking forward to how this movie flesh this story out. Turns out to be very nice. The performance of the female lead is admirable; her portrayal of an innocent, naive girl trying to fabricate some white lies to David's sophisticated role was very charming. I also find Vera's dancing very, very well done. I find myself drawn to her toes as she pranced about the stage effortlessly and flawlessly.

For those who have had enough of profanity-filled movies of today, you will enjoy this movie thoroughly.