La marraine de Charley

Ray Bolger's career in movies has a passing resemblance to another performer who did not quite fit in, but who achieved stardom through a back door of sorts: Robert Preston. If one looks at the credits of both men most of their films are quite forgettable, but their musical work lifts them. Yet Bolger, although recognized for his abilities as an eccentric dancer, only hit the target on film twice: as the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz" and as Charley Wykeman in "Where's Charlie". The first one was a lucky fluke, as he was hired in the Hollywood studio system at it's height. But after appearing in that classic, Bolger was wasted in movies (one can make an exception with his appearance in "The Harvey Girls" but it is still pale in comparison). He had a habit of returning to Broadway, appearing in Roger & Hart's "By Jupiter" in the early 1940s. Then he returned to Broadway in the late 1940s. And he got his greatest Broadway success there as Charley Wykeman in "Where's Charlie". A musical version of the farce, "Charlie's Aunt", he played the hero who dresses up as his wealthy aunt from Brazil (where the nuts come from). The highpoint of the musical was when he sang "Once In Love With Amy", and got the audience to join in the singing. Bolger's performance and enthusiasm made Broadway history. With his established reputation in Hollywood musicals he was able to get the lead in the Hollywood version. So as a result of this we are able to still enjoy that rarity - an actual Broadway star's performance on celluloid in the role he made famous. It is identical to Preston's return to Hollywood as "Professor Harold Hill" in "The Music Man". But the latter film really began a second half to Preston's career. He would spend most of his later years on Broadway, not in Hollywood, and only pick and choose those films that he wanted to do, culminating with "Victor/Victoria". That did not happen with Bolger. His next musical, "April in Paris" was with Doris Day, but was not very good. He never starred in another Hollywood film. He played "Barnaby" in Walt Disney's "Babes in Toyland, but most critics did not care for that film either. Bolger's stardom was never in doubt, but his days of growth in his movie roles were over. Not quite like Preston, who seemed to have a better presence for some reason. Still, "Where's Charley?" is in that select group with "The Man Who Came to Dinner" and "Call Me Madame!" wherein we are able to see what the Broadway audiences saw. For that alone we should be grateful.

Ray Bolger gets to re-create his most famous stage role, right down to the audience-participation gimmick in "Once In Love With Amy." The George Abbott-Frank Loesser stage hit was a little ramshackle to begin with, and there's plenty to complain about in this adaptation, if you're ornery: It's stagy, with too-elaborate choreography. (The opening number, with the stylized dance steps played against the natural setting, looks terribly stilted.) Bolger, great as he is, isn't remotely convincing as an Oxford undergrad -- twice the right age, and with an accent that goes in and out. Some good songs from the stage version are missing, notably "Lovelier Than Ever." David Butler directs with his usual dull competence.

But there's Bolger's eccentric dancing, not only wonderful itself but a valuable historical link to a theatrical style that was old by the time Bolger appropriated it (think Montgomery and Stone, and all their imitators). There's a fun, unpretentious "dream ballet" set in Brazil, sort of like MGM's "The Pirate" as reimagined with a Warners-cartoon sensibility. The old "Charley's Aunt" plot still plays, the Technicolor is pretty, the production is handsome. And one mystery: How does someone as pretty, charming, unaffected, talented, and spirited as Allyn McLerie not get to be a movie star?

I was only seven years old when my parents took us kids to see Where's Charley? I have never forgotten it or the song Once In Love With Amy which Ray Bolger sang. I was madly in love with Amy myself after we left the movie. I still remember the opening words, Once In Love With Amy and the melody they were sung to. I'd love to see this on DVD too. Why can't Hollywood get all these old movies out to DVD anyway? They are leaving gold buried in the vaults. What I mostly remember about the movie was the dancing Ray Bolger performed, although I don't remember Amy dancing or not, but I assume she did too. Too bad the IMDb contains no pictures of the actress who played Amy, Allyn Ann McLerie. I'd love to see what she looks like now, or then, so maybe I could understand why I fell in love with her when I was only seven.

I too loved this film and would be over the moon to be able to have a copy on DVD. I think that the scene where Ray Bolger sings 'Once in love with Amy' is fabulous. I think everyone remembers Ray Bolger as the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz where he was one of the main cast members (he was originally meant to play the tin man and Buddy Ebsen was going to play the scarecrow), but I think this was a true starring role for him and he rose to the challenge. It's a true family film and one where you don't have to worry about violence or language, which makes a change in this day and age. Come on people let's get this released on DVD so everyone can enjoy it.

I met Mr Bolger when I was an interpreter/guide at Tehran's Film Festival in Iran in 1977. He and his wife were utterly charming. I told Mr Bolger that, although much fuss was being made over his role in "The Wizard of Oz" (he confided that he was getting a bit fed up with doing his "scarecrow stance" over and over again for photographers), I had preferred his performance in "Where's Charley?" He said, "Oh, my dear, I'm so pleased. That was my favourite film." He went on to tell me how much he'd enjoyed making the film in my native England. The film, a musical version of "Charley's Aunt" was so very well done. I do hope it's released on DVD or VHS at some point. It's so worth seeing again.