Avril à Paris

Of all the major Hollywood studios, Warner Brothers were always the most cheese-paring. All of their musicals -- except the wonderful 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' and some later adaptations of Broadway musicals -- are marred by extremely low budgets and obvious economy measures. 'April in Paris' is one of several Warners musicals featuring an established popular ditty (with a stiff price-tag for performance rights) as the movie's title song, buttressed by some very forgettable songs by resident Warners tunesmiths. Except for one high-spirited and high-kicking number called 'Ring the Bell Tonight', only the E.Y. Harburg/Vernon Duke title song is memorable here.

Doris Day amazes me, not only for her unearthly beauty and her quiet sex appeal, and for her underrated acting ability, but also for her musical talents. I've read that Day originally trained as a dancer, but switched to a career as a vocalist after she was injured in a car accident. Her singing voice is so clear and beautiful, I've difficulty believing that singing was her second choice of career. And, as she proves here, she has no physical handicap as a dancer ... unless you count the dull choreography of LeRoy Prinz.

Ray Bolger is an interesting choice of romantic leads for Day, but the two of them don't really team very well. Here, he plays a character very similar to the one played by Donald O'Connor in 'Are You with It?': a repressed wonk who turns out to be a superb dancer. Bolger (an underrated actor) is quite good in his straight scenes here as a harried bureaucrat, a less nelly version of Edward Everett Horton ... but that character just doesn't match up with Bolger's dazzling dance numbers. Bolger's Massachusetts accent is much more obvious here than in any of his other films. Bolger was sometimes required to play epicene men, as in the Broadway musical 'By Jupiter'. Here, he's impressively virile, as he strips off his dinner jacket and lights into some rapid-fire nerve taps far more proficient than Ann Miller's.

I always enjoy watching Bolger dance. Here, regrettably -- blame it on LeRoy Prinz -- Bolger doesn't do anything he hasn't done better in several better musicals, except for a brief trick shot in which he dances between two full-length portraits of Washington and Lincoln (also played by Bolger) who dance along with him. I was impressed with a brief pas de deux between Bolger and Day, in which she dances conventionally but manages to keep up with Bolger while he does his usual "Where's Charley?" moves.

The contrived plot line requires Bolger and Day to mistakenly believe they're married to each other. Two Frenchmen perform the wedding service without actually being qualified for that job. This being a Hollywood film of the 1950s, it's imperative that the fake marriage remain unconsummated, so the two Frenchmen then have conscience pangs and sabotage the marital bed so that no sex can take place ... instead of simply admitting their deception. Speaking of 1950s morals: this movie's dialogue features several occurrences of the word 'gay' in its innocent sense.

Two of my least favourite movie clichés are: every building in Washington DC is directly across the street from the Capitol, and every location in Paris has a clear view of the Eiffel Tower. We get both of those clichés in this movie. On the positive side, we get a brief appearance by character actor Shepard Menken as a Parisian waiter. Actress Eve Miller does her best in an unplayable role as Day's rival. Eve Miller's acting career never quite caught on; she suicided shortly after her fiftieth birthday.

The movie's weird plot gives us Claude Dauphin as an omniscient Frenchman. A gag sequence requires that Ray Bolger's hat be several sizes too large ... but later the same chapeau fits him perfectly, and later still it's too large again when the scriptwriter recycles the gag. This movie is more than competently directed by the underrated David Butler, but matters are not helped by a script which requires Day's and Bolger's characters to be unable to make up their minds about deeply important issues such as love and career. Still, as enjoyable froth, I'll rate 'April in Paris' 7 out of 10.

Before seeing April in Paris I saw a fair few bad things written about it, about Ray Bolger being miscast, the story being disposable and the songs being weak. As someone who liked Doris Day, I went ahead and watched it anyhow. The criticisms are understandable actually, but April in Paris is not as bad as it has been made out to be and is hardly a film without redeeming qualities. Ray Bolger is not really the ideal lead role for Day, he was a likable comic actor when his skills were used well but he is too old here and is more supporting comic role actor than leading man. He and Day don't have very much chemistry either, or one that is completely natural. The story is toilet-paper-thin and contrived- true that not many musicals of that particular time had particularly great stories, but there are not many that are as redundant as the story here- and while there are nice snappy moments the wit and satire in the script isn't sharp enough. April in Paris doesn't look too bad though, one does wish that real Parisian locations and more Parisian fashions were seen and some of the sets are on the garish side but the photography is still attractive and Day's dresses are lovely. The songs are definitely not weak either, "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight", "April in Paris" and "That's What Makes Paris Par-ee" are simply beautiful songs and while not quite as great the other songs work. While Bolger is not leading man material and his strengths are not really used, his dancing is very light-as-a-feather and he looks very comfortable doing it. Charles Dauphin is charming too, while the choreography and dance routines are at least well-staged and put you in a good mood. Day is the best thing about the film, her singing is just enchantingly beautiful, she's completely at ease and she lights up the screen in everything she does from smiling, dancing, singing and acting. Overall, not a great film but while the criticisms are valid it is better than given credit for and Day is fabulous. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Doris Day is fun in this movie. Her smile lights up the screen, her rendition of the title song is not corny- it is terrific. Her dancing is vivacious and guaranteed to brighten up your day.

Bolger's dancing is a bit vaudevillian but has a happy uniqueness that is very watchable. Many of his moves are like a series of "controlled falls" that require tremendous balance- this is harder than it looks. On the other hand some of his dance is very above-average tap or two-step. Overall he seems to combine a lot into his different routines. As a bonus, his acting is not bad and better than you might expect.

This film suffers from cheapness and a nothing plot, but is overcome by exceptional talent and charm by all the cast. Who cares if it is cheap and set-bound? The results are entertaining and that's the true bottom line.

Doris Day as Ethel 'Dynamite' Jackson gets a letter from the State Department saying that she's been chosen to be an American representative at an Arts Festival in Paris. The letter was supposed to go to Ethel Barrymore instead. Doris had written the State Department about a work permit visa to work at a nightclub in Montreal.

It's a faux pas of the highest order that State Department bureaucrat Ray Bolger has committed and he tries to rectify the situation. But when the press gets a hold of it, the thing becomes a popular move. So Bolger's boss Paul Harvey puts him in charge of getting Doris's diplomatic etiquette up to speed. For better or worse Bolger and Day are going to spend April In Paris together.

The popular Vernon Duke-E.Y. Harburg standard serves as the title for this film and Warner Brothers got Vernon Duke to write the balance of the score with Sammy Cahn's lyrics. Nothing really outstanding here, but the score fits well with styles of the two leads.

Doris is great as always, the problem here is Bolger and the part he plays. Ray Bolger was a great personality on stage who but for two roles never quite was able to translate the same popularity to the big screen. One role was of course the Scarecrow in The Wizard Of Oz and the other was the lead in Charley's Aunt. And both of those were comic parts.

As a traditional screen lead Ray never quite made it. In fact in watching April In Paris I couldn't quite see what Doris saw in him. Of course with her attraction it was obvious as Bolger so succinctly put it, 'What a Built'. Ray plays a traditional WASP stuffed shirt diplomat who is engaged to the demanding daughter of Harvey, Eve Miller. Getting involved with Day was not an upward career move.

Of course Doris sparks the attention of Claude Dauphin who's working his way back to France on the same ship that Bolger and Day and company are traveling. She has a nice number with Dauphin in a Parisian nightclub.

Bolger's big moment on the screen is a very nicely staged fantasy number where portraits of Lincoln and Washington come alive and dance with him as Bolger dreams about his future. It was as creative as something Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire might have done.

Still Ray is not quite leading man material and the film can't overcome that. Fans of Doris and Ray will like it though, but I fear it's not one of Doris Day's best films.

This picture was made when Doris Day was "Doris Day", that fresh-faced, delightful blond singer who lit up the screen with her beautiful smile and glorious singing.

"April in Paris", directed by David Butler was a colorful, joyous romp for Doris Day and Ray Bolger. Mr. Bolger has been criticized for not being a suitable co-star for Miss Day, but I felt he did a credible job in the picture. No, he was not handsome, like Rock Hudson, but Rock couldn't DANCE like Bolger!

And dance up a storm, he does! I enjoyed his acrobatic dance routines in "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight" and the political-themed dance with former Presidents' portraits, coming to life to dance with Bolger.

Doris Day, as Ethel "Dynamite" Jackson, a chorus girl, who is mistakenly chosen, instead of Ethel Barrymore, to represent America at a Paris Festival, is energetic and bouncy and mostly delightful. Her rendition of "April in Paris" was hauntingly beautiful and the highlight of the film.

The nicely staged, "It Must Be Him" also showcased Miss Day's glorious voice and dancing skills as did "That's What Makes Paris Paree".

Claude Dauphin lugubriously reprises the title tune in a side-walk cafe with the wind blowing bitterly while he sings the song to Doris Day.

To my knowledge, this is the only occasion in which Doris Day has a fist fight on the screen! If you can believe it, she was battling over Ray Bolger with Eve Miller, who also had the illusion that Bolger was "Clark Gable".

In the aforementioned, "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight", Doris Day opens the number with some rousing singing and later joins Bolger for some fancy footwork.

If you love Doris Day, you'll like this picture. As usual, there was able support by veteran actors like Paul Harvey, who later played "Henry Miller", proprietor of the Golden Garter in "Calamity Jane".