La blonde incendiaire

As splashy entertainment goes, this one is very splashy indeed, wrapped up in an abundance of Technicolor and show biz with costumes and sets that stamp it as a big-budget extravaganza centering on BETTY HUTTON.

While she creates a colorful portrait of Texas Guinan, none of the other characters really stand out, not even BARRY FITZGERALD who is short changed by playing a dim supporting role as her "so Irish" father. ARTURO de CORDOVA is decent enough as the man she falls head over heels in love with, but again, his role is strictly second tier while Hutton has the spotlight. Her musical numbers are all performed with skill and given the full Hutton personality which suits the Texas Guinan character completely.

For Betty Hutton fans, this is certainly one of her better films at Paramount, where she demonstrated a talent for playing wacky dames with a zest for life. She's zestier than ever here, in a colorful role that is a forerunner of things to come--mainly, her Annie in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. She even has some tearfully dramatic moments when the script tries to dig deeper into her personal loves and fears. She handles the varied situations well under George Marshall's direction.

But when it's all over, it's a bit of a disappointment that leads to a downbeat ending.

INCENDIARY BLONDE came somewhere in the middle of Butty Hutton's film career and there is no doubt that every moment she is on screen she is a wonder to behold. Gorgeous, funny, sexy, talented, are all words to describe Betty Hutton and without a doubt films like this are why. Like many of her better films this is a biography of a famous performer, in this case, Prohibition-era nightclub performer Texas Guinan who rose to fame starting in a Wild West Show and then onto a brief stint in Hollywood's silent films. Though this is not a lesser film in any respect (it boasts a good budget, nice color and costumes, and a good supporting cast) it fails to rise to the level of Betty Hutton's great films. INCENDIARY BLONDE begins with two equestrian policeman watching a memorial for the late performer and one of them telling the story of the woman who predicted she would die at the heights of her career as a young woman. Curiously, this device is not continued and is not used as a framing device, in fact, the film ends shortly before Texas Guinan's death. Even at close to two hours, the film zips through several career changes and because of this, we never settle in long enough for her to develop relationships with any of the other characters, nor is there much development of her own character. The always enjoyable Charles Ruggles is unrecognizable as a Buffalo Bill type of character for half the film (later clean shaven as he heads for Hollywood) and therefore he has much less impact than he normally would. The part of her family (the only consistency in the film) is kept in low profile with the exception of her father, played by the always great Barry Fitzgerald. Even though, Fitzgerald's role is small and he has no room to develop more than just a cartoon persona of a "hick" in the big city (he has no time to slow down and act as say he did in GOING MY MY.) Because his role is smaller, Fitzgerald's relationship with Hutton is not as developed either as it was in their earlier pairing in THE STORK CLUB. Hutton joins a Wild West show for a short while and we shades of a relationship between her and her boss, played by Arturo de Cordova. The film does a nice job in this area but it is eventually overshadowed by memories of the much grander ANNIE GET YOUR GUN which Hutton would make five years later. We see a little of early Hollywood as Guinan moves into silent pictures, which is also nicely done, and also overshadowed by memories of the much grander PERILS OF PAULINE. After a blink-of-an-eye career on the Broadway stage (the highlight: Hutton wears the sexiest skin-revealing costumes of her career), Texas Guinan builds a career as a nightclub performer (also nicely done, also overshadowed by memories of the much grander THE STORK CLUB). There is nothing terribly wrong with this film and Hutton fans will place this higher than her early career black-and-white low budget efforts, but the ending is a terrible let down, without any hope. Caution: If you are expecting the film to resolve it's problems, it won't. In whole, it does not reach the heights of her classics, but still there are enough parts to warm anyone who loves Betty Hutton (as long as you don't finish the film).

Tough to tell where to start with this picture as I was very disappointed. I know Betty Hutton is an acquired taste but I thought supporting performances, music and a good storyline would offset her usual over-the-top star turn.

Production values were excellent and Fox spent plenty of money producing this one. Good support, especially dependable Charlie Ruggles. The male lead, Arturo DeCordoba, was lifeless and uncharismatic, his acting ranging from a pained,crestfallen look to a wan smile. I never thought I would say this let alone write it but Barry Fitzgerald was an annoying presence and spent a lot of his Irish charm in 'Going My Way". I did think the music would be a saving grace as there are many songs listed for this picture, but it was mostly incidental and background. She did sing a few songs in her inimitable style.

But the worst offense was the script which created and telegraphed artificial moments, falling flat in crucial spots and playing to the crowd too often. It is a stem-winder of a family picture for viewers of all ages, and the younger the better, I suppose.

This one is an 8x10 glossy for die-hard Hutton fans, all form and no substance.

If you like Betty Hutton, you'll like "Incendiary Blonde," the story of Texas Guinan, made in 1945.

The story of the famous owner of the 300 Club (one of several she owned or co-owned), a speakeasy, at 151 W. 54th Street in New York City, is perfect for Hutton. Texas was a larger than life figure who started out as a chorus girl, appeared in silent films, and became most famous for being hostess of her club, which was patronized by people such as George Gershwin, Pola Negri, Mae West, Jeanne Eagels, Gloria Swanson, John Gilbert, Clara Bow, Gloria Morgan (Gloria Vanderbilt's mother) and many others.

Though constantly being raided by the police, she pulled in a fortune. She died of ulcerative colitis at the age of 49 in Vancouver, while on tour with her show, Too Hot for Paris, though the film doesn't end with her death or go into her tour.

I suspect the film is highly fictionalized, as it leaves out her three husbands, instead concentrating on an affair with Bill Kilgannon (Arturo de Cordova) who was married to a woman in a sanitarium and wasn't free.

Betty Hutton wears a series of gorgeous costumes and is able to use her big belt voice in songs like "Row, Row, Row," "It Had to Be You," and "Ragtime Cowboy Joe." She captures the essence of what Guinan must have been like: a huge personality, brassy, and glamorous.

Others in the cast include Barry Fitzgerald as Tex's father, Mary Philips as her mother (both her parents outlived her, and her mother died at 101), Charlie Ruggles, and Albert Dekker.

The end is a little unsatisfactory and may have been an alternate ending.

All in all, Hutton makes the movie, which is otherwise not much.

Absolutely fabulous Betty Hutton vehicle where she portrays the life of Texas Guinan, rodeo queen, actress, Broadway starlet and nightclub entertainer, whose personal life was such a heartbreak. This is definitely one of Hutton's better films and finer performances. It was as if the part were written for her.

She had wonderful support from Arturo de Cordova, a business person falling in with gangsters and who had horrible tragedies with the loves of his life.

Barry Fitzgerald provides some comic relief as her spud investing father who found himself on Broadway instead.

The singing and dancing routines are marvelously staged, but it's Miss Hutton's vehicle all the way. What stamina and true grit she gave to the part.

The picture begins in an interesting way, not often tackled that way by Hollywood. Of course, it works its way back to depict her tragic, but exciting life.