If I'm Lucky

This is an entertaining remake of "Thanks A Million".I do not know much about American politics in the thirties but i would guess that the original was probably a swift punch to the midriff of the American body politic whereas this is more a nudge in the ribs.If you stand this on its own you would say that this is a reasonably entertaining Fox musical from the 1940s with all the usual ingredients,the best of which is Carmen Miranda who really steals the show.As for Perry Como well we all know he can sing but unfortunately he cant act and that is one of the main problems of this film,particularly if you compare him to Dick Powell in the original.Also i have to say that not one of the songs stays in the mind for one second after the music has faded away.I would be bound to say that if you had to see one version it would have to be the original.Any film with Fred Allen,Patsy Kelly and Raymond Walburn has to be unmissable

Silly but pleasant little Fox B trifle. A Carmen Miranda musical in B&W is an oddity but in B&W or color she is always Technicolor and is as full as sass as ever and her headgear is as truly astounding. Perry Como sings well and is certainly attractive but he is missing that big screen charisma needed for major stardom. It is easy to see why he was a big hit on TV, he possessed a very warm and friendly presence that makes you feel right at home. Vivian Blaine is lovely and Edgar Buchanan is always a welcome addition to any movie but Phil Silvers is an acquired taste, there's no in between either you like him or not. For me he's hard to take but if you're a fan than he can be amusing. One big plus this has is that Harry James and his band provide the music and that's always a good thing.

This is a lightweight but enjoyable remake of "Thanks a Million" (1935). While it's far from a must-see, it has modest aspirations and makes for a decent time-passer. The star of this one is Perry Como--and his singing is typically smooth and enjoyable even though none of the songs are particularly memorable. He is supported by Vivian Blaine, Harry James, Phil Silvers and Carmen Miranda. As far as Silvers and Miranda go, they are pretty low-key in this film and lack the loud and brash qualities that made "Something for the Boys" a rather poor musical. In fact, this prior film ALSO starred Vivian Blaine and Perry Como--making "If I'm Lucky" sort of a reunion picture. Of the two films, "If I'm Lucky" is the vastly superior film.

The five stars all are out of work and need a musical gig. By luck, they are discovered by a political machine--who puts the band to work during their gubernatorial campaign providing a warm-up act before their candidate gives a speech. However, during one of their stops, the candidate (Edgar Buchanan) gets stinking drunk and Como instead entertains the audience and makes a small speech. It ends up going over so well that the political machine offers to run Como for governor instead of Buchanan! Como knows he cannot win but realizes it would be great publicity for him and his friends and their band. The problem is that he DOES have a chance and his squeaky clean political machine is not so squeaky clean after all! And, these new 'friends' threaten to ruin his friends' careers if he doesn't play along. What is this honest guy going to do?

Overall, this is a very pleasant little film. I already commented about the music by Como, but this film features a few insane musical numbers (such as Miranda's "Botocudo") as well. While these folks are SUPPOSED to be performing a few songs during an election run or in night clubs, the production numbers become ridiculously big as the film progresses. This isn't a complaint--just an observation about the sort of song and dance numbers that were popular during this era. Not a must-see but a decent little time-passer.

If a film was described as "made by 20th Century Fox, featuring Vivian Blaine, Carmen Miranda, Phil Silvers, Harry James, and Perry Como," you might reasonably expect the sort of bright, brash, and breezy Technicolor musical of which TCF were the masters during the 1940s.

If a film was described as "a black and white political satire about an upright young man duped into standing for office only to find that he was intended to front for a gang of corrupt politicos," you might reasonably expect the sort of film of which Frank Capra was master, perhaps starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur.

It is unlikely that you would envisage one film to fit both descriptions, but "If I'm Lucky" does just that. Perhaps we shall never know what prompted TCF to produce this unlikely hybrid, but surprisingly it works quite well. The musical numbers are neatly integrated into the plot, Phil Silvers' usual over-exuberance is kept in check, one misses Technicolor only during Carmen Miranda's numbers, and the political shenanigans are carried mainly by Edgar Buchanan, Reed Hadley, and other supporting players, thankfully making little demand on Perry Como's acting abilities.

This is not a particularly good movie, but nor is it a bad one, and it is sufficiently unusual to warrant attention.

The music and cast make this movie. "If I'm Lucky," is one of the lighter musicals of the 1940s with thin or silly plots. It's in the field of musical review, with a plot just to tie together the songs, music and dance numbers. And this film has some very enjoyable entertainment.

Harry James and his orchestra make it a collector's film for those who like the big bands of the swing era. Perry Como has a minor speaking role that provides his stage for some good songs. And, Vivian Blaine is good with her numbers. Some of the best stuff comes from Carmen Miranda with the entertaining choreographed dance numbers built around her songs.

Phil Silvers provides some light comedy as Wally Jones. The best lines are spoken by Michelle O'Toole (Miranda) and Wally. O'Toole, "Baby, don't forget my harp, Wally." Wally, "Oh, yes. Why didn't you play a piccolo?"