L'or du ciel

Jimmy Stewart is Jimmy Stewart, in this film as much as in any. The hoofers, musicians, dancers and others are very typical and very good.

Because of our impressions and biases, we expect something very different in a Jimmy Stewart film. This one is way beyond 'Philadelphia Story', on a scale that runs from that to, say, 'Rear Window'.

This, however, is a very lightweight musical, to be considered closer to the 'Follies' films and shorts like the one about Catalina Island than such heavyweights as 'Carousel', 'L'il Abner' or 'Showboat'.

It actually reads more like a cartoon script than any coherent, literary film such as 'Golden Caddillac', 'Animal Crackers' or 'Bringing Up Baby'. Speaking of the last, it is a pity that JS and KH did not work together more.

The pace is frenetic ala Marx Brothers, the dance and musical numbers done very well and the emphasis is on having the minimum story necessary to string together the music.

There is a subtle but very special scene, near the end, when Paulette Goddard goes to Jimmy's place to rouse him out and get him to the studio for the climactic radio show. It is not a musical number though there is a great deal of physical comedy in the scene. What makes it special special part is, without rhythm or music, that it is very clear that Paulette Goddard is dancing. The blocking, direction and her own talent shine. This one scene is worth the price of admission.

With a story in the best tradition of American Musical Tradition, more talent per actor than many better known and better thought-of films, this is a very enjoyable diversion. I was constantly impressed with the tight writing and talent. Did I mention that the folks are good?

It ain't 'Grapes of Wrath' but 'Pot 'O Gold' is well worth the watching.

A really fun movie. The music was performed live in front of a camera, no overdubing. I was amazed at how well arranged, choregraphed and performed the pieces were. I only wish that the DVD master had cleaned up the sound more and brought out better frequency response.

Jimmy Stewart was his usual charming self. Its hard to hate a movie with Jimmy in it. Even better, Jimmy actually sang and did quite well with the song. The first half of the movie had me laughing out loud!

As a concert organist/pianist always interested in musicals I just discovered this movie five days ago (5-1-05).

I was stunned by the musicality of the performers. These guys and gals could really sing and play...what a joy to hear fantastic intonation and real "in tune" singing.

The boarding house number is easily one of the most beautifully done and also the most complicated. The guys really played the water glasses and I can tell you that trying to get crystal to play as a "glass harmonica" (invented by Ben Franklin) is no easy job.

From start to finish a truly heartwarming film. From a more innocent era and one without guile. I laughed my self silly during the "drive uncle Charlie crazy" sequence.

How anyone could not like this as pure clean fun is beyond me. Perhaps you are hearing "Bugles on the phone"...hahaha,

This is a nice little part for Stewart, he's the reason to watch it. Stewart's demeanor and delivery are a joy to watch and he delivers some great classic comic moments. The story has that Shakespearean comedy feeling: comedy driven by mistaken identity which ends in marriage. Some good color added by journeyman studio character actors. There's some nicely blended musical numbers which mesh naturally with the story ... then there's the big production number during the radio program which feels like it dropped in from another planet and during the boarding house initiation number, I kept worrying about the stew getting cold. Aside from the musical interludes, the story is tight and never loses its way, delivering comic payoffs all along.

I didn't know what to expect when I bought this movie. It was on sale really cheap and I just wanted something different to watch. Well, that's exactly what I got! This movie is sweet, silly, and completely outrageous. I was laughing out loud at the unabashedly large plot holes. They were just having fun and didn't care. Neither did I. Loved it. For its fun spirit, this film reminded me a lot of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge - characters just breaking out into song and dance for no real reason. It's a musical that doesn't admit it.The last half hour is a little long and doesn't seem to really go with the rest of movie, but I'll forgive that because it was so fun to watch.