L'Étoile des étoiles

Rita Hayworth shows why she was dubbed "The Love Goddess" in this technicolored musical fantasy incorporating some of the supporting players of "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" to flesh out its plot about Terpsichore returning to earth to help producer (Larry Parks) put on a correct version of his mythological musical. Unfortunately, the script doesn't provide Larry Parks with a role up to his Jolson impersonations and the chemistry between them isn't quite enough to make this more than a routine musical.

Rita is perfectly cast as a goddess and is at her most ravishing. She has several good dance routines which she performs with her customary grace and skill. Larry Parks, then riding the crest of his popularity after "The Jolson Story", does a workmanlike job in a lackluster role. But she steals as the spotlight as the Greek muse of the theater, unhappy about the way the nine Muses are being portrayed. Along with an angel (Edward Everett Horton), she is allowed to go down to earth in an attempt to give the show some class. It's a pleasant enough fantasy and gives Rita the chance to do some fancy footwork in dance routines staged by Jack Cole. The good cast includes Roland Culver, James Gleason and Marc Platt.

For more about Rita, watch for my upcoming career article slated for publication in FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE sometime soon.

This 1947 film still holds its own due to gorgeous Rita Hayworth, and excellent supporting cast James Gleason and Edward Everett Horton and William Frawley. Some good dance numbers. To surmise, this film is pleasant escapism fare.

Wow, Columbia Pictures really shocked me with how this film began. Believe it or not, it is a sequel, of sorts, to "Here Comes Mr. Jordan". While the main character (Robert Montgomery) is not in the film, many of the other characters are--such as his friend and agent (James Gleason) and the angel (Edward Everett Horton). However, this time they are not dealing with an accidental death and how to rectify it but with the angry Terpsichore (Rita Hayworth). Apparently, this Muse got wind of a Broadway musical down on Earth in which she and the other gods are portrayed incorrectly! She asks Mr. Jordan is she can have permission to go to New York and fix this problem. Jordan agrees and sends his befuddled angel (Horton) along as her assistant and to be sure she doesn't break any rules in fixing the play.

While the producer does immediately fall under Terpsichore's spell and lets her re-write the play as well as star in it, there is a serious problem. The final product is just awful--sort of like a Wagnerian opera and Busby Berkeley hybrid that dumbfounded the audience--and effectively killed the show. While it was SUPPOSED to be bad, I can't see why the Columbia folks also insisted on showing so much of this bad play that was supposed to be bad! In other words, why torment the audience when they can just show tiny snippets and let us know the audience hated it--instead of making the movie audience wonder why the heck they went to see this when there was a perfectly good Clark Gable film playing down the street!! Too, too much...that's for sure! Well, despite the problems, this is only about midway through the film--so it's obvious that something will happen next. What this is and how the whole production is salvaged (if it is) is for you to see for yourself. However, it's not one of the better musicals of the era and is no where nearly as good as "Here Comes Mr. Jordan"--so you'll have to decide if it's worth it!

Oddly, practically everyone in this movie cannot sing--a serious problem as it's a musical!! Many of the characters were dubbed and while Rita Hayworth was gorgeous, it was silly to pick a lead who could sing (though she was a fantastic dancer). I think the reason she was used is because she was the studio chief's (Roy Cohn) pet actress--and he featured her in practically all of the studio's A-pictures during this era. I guess, in an odd way, I can understand this--but why use Larry Parks and a couple others who also couldn't sing?!

Aside from its very dubious views on the afterlife and theology, this is an enjoyable bit of fluff and no more--and certainly not a must-see. However, the main story idea was never good enough to have encouraged some idiots to remake it decades later as the god-awful "Xanadu". Aside from some good music, "Xanadu" should rank as one of the dumbest major studio films of the last 40 years!

I was very surprised to have stumbled on Down To Earth on early morning television as I was recently having a discussion on Terpsichore (really!).

Anyway, it is a darned pretty film to look at for the Technicolour and Rita Hayworth alone, but it was so sad to see her so wasted on hideously mediocre musical numbers. The costumes and the sets were lovely and her fabulous red hair never looked better! What was so bizarre was this musical sequence she sings about wanting to marry two men -- who are more than eager to comply! Just watching the dancing steps of the two grooms made me uncomfortable.

Having this film based on an all-time classic was another huge error but bringing back Edward Everett Horton was the right move! He is always exceptional in his little character roles...

Alexander Hall, the director of "Here Comes Mr. Jordan", tried to give his old movie a new look by changing it into a musical. It must have sounded like a good idea at the times. The only problem was that this is not as charming as the model in which "Down to Earth" is based on. While the model picture seemed light and inspired, this one doesn't fare as well.

In theory, Larry Parks and Rita Hayworth, would have been a match made in heaven. Both were at the top of their fame. Larry Parks was a good actor who could act and sing as well and Rita Hayworth was a joy to watch, no matter in what vehicle. Somehow, the sparks both actors should have given their fans don't materialize, perhaps because of the way it unfolds on the screen.

There are some unexpected pleasures in the film, although not the unremarkable music. On the other hand, Rita Hayworth is quite good as the Muse who decides to take matters on her own and comes back to show Danny Miller how to stage his musical for the theater. Ms. Hayworth is at her most ravishing self dressed by Jean Louis and looking like the goddess she was! Larry Parks tries to be the suave musical theater man that falls in love with his Terpsichore.

The supporting cast is excellent. James Gleason, who played in the original film, here is seen as a theatrical agent. Roland Culver is the Mr. Jordan, who arranges the trip down to earth. The incomparable Edward Everett Horton is seen as the guardian angel, or Messenger 7013, who is made to follow Terpsichore/Kitty provoking some funny situations. William Frawley plays a small part.

This is a film to watch to see the gorgeous Rita Hayworth as the top of her profession.