Faisons les fous

The dancing is impressive, and it is quite witty and funny. I had never heard of this film, but if you are a fan of Donald O, you will love it!

Actuary Donald O'Connor misplaces a decimal point and doesn't get the promotion at the insurance firm. He wanders the parks of Hartford. Lew Parker waylays him and impressed by his ability to predict when slot machines will pay off and how to dance -- all done by mathematics, of course -- he takes him back to Walter Catlett's carnival, where he becomes a hit.

Parker was in the Broadway show, but nothing else. They even used all-new musical numbers, despite some sprightly Harry Revel tunes. The loose and simple plot is an opportunity stage dance numbers choreographed by Louis Da Pron (who plays a dancing bartender in the first number). The movie version's songs aren't much to write home about, but O'Connor's confident hoofing, Parker's fast-talking patter, and the charms of Olga San Juan, Martha Stewart -- not that one! -- and Patricia Dane help to make this a very pleasant musical.

I wasn't born yet, but in November of 1947, my mother won "Queen for a Day". One of many prizes she won was an all expense paid trip to Hollywood, CA for her and my father. While in California, they got to spend some time on the set where Donald O'Connor was filming "Are You With It". (released in 1948). My father passed away in 1987, I had to fly from Sacramento, CA back to Philadelphia, PA. for the funeral. On the plane, sitting next to his lovely wife was unmistakeably Donald O'Connor! They were in first Class, I wasn't. We exchanged pleasantries for a brief moment, but before I could tell him about my mother, i.e., the "Queen for a Day" thing...the flight attendant jabbed and pushed me into the back of the plane as though I had some kind of communicable disease. Now, I have no doubt that Donald O'Connor had personally met millions of his fans, but even an actor on that level would have to had remembered a visit to his sound stage from the winner of "Queen for a Day". I never did get to see the movie, but one day I will. I rated it a 10 because while watching it, I'll be totally aware that while some of those scenes were being shot, just out of frame was my mother and father, like a couple of wide-eyed kids in their absolute glory, watching all of the magic of Hollywood.

At only 93 black and white minutes, ARE YOU WITH IT? (released by Universal International - not famous for its musicals - on 20 March 1948) is undoubtedly a minor effort but, considering its provenance, it's a delightful entry well worth a look on a number of levels.

The property started out on Broadway at the New Century Theatre up on Columbus Circle the season after Sigmund Romberg's UP IN CENTRAL PARK (another Universal International film in 1948 with its choreographer recreating the stage dances on film) appropriately opened there and ARE YOU... was a moderate 264 performance hit, playing out the season (11/10/1945 - 4/27/1946) before moving to the more centrally located Shubert Theatre for the final two spring/summer months (4/30/1946 - 6/29/1946) of its run.

The show, centered on the interaction of an insurance executive with circus performers, very nearly didn't happen at all with memories still fresh of the tragic and nationally publicized July 6, 1944 fire (around 168 of the 6,800 people seated under the paraffin coated - for waterproofing - "big top" died) at a performance of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the insurance capitol, Hartford, Connecticut, but rewrites to remove ARE YOU WITH IT? from the big top to a smaller "carnival" and the presence of such stars as Joan Roberts, Lew Parker and Dolores Gray overcame the untoward connections and allowed the simple fun if the incongruous associations to shine through.

When Universal-International picked the show up, it did the (then) usual Hollywood hack job of "improving" it by replacing most if not all of the original score with pleasant but unmemorable numbers - mostly for the dancing Donald O'Connor in one of his best but most unheralded performances - but retaining the plot and the lead comedian, Lew Parker (who would go on to a major television career as a "second banana" - probably most famously as "Lou Marie," Ann's father on THAT GIRL), as the fast talking shill who ropes the disgraced insurance numbers man (Donald O'Connor, who had misplaced a decimal point in the latest rate calculations) into carnie work and skills he in turn winds up taking back to his insurance company to everyone's benefit.

While the rest of the Broadway cast didn't transfer, the film boasts two excellent leading ladies in Broadway stalwart (PAINT YOUR WAGON) and wife of Edmund O'Brien, Olga San Juan (she would follow up ARE YOU WITH IT the same year with the second female lead in another Broadway transfer, ONE TOUCH OF VENUS - if she'd been at a better studio, she might have had a major musical film career) and Martha Stewart (no, not *that* Martha Stewart, an earlier one) who also needed a better studio to truly shine.

Even with the ersatz score, the legitimate pleasures of ARE YOU WITH IT? in O'Connor's dancing and the clever plot make it a real shame that the movie hasn't followed Universal-International's UP IN CENTRAL PARK and ONE TOUCH OF VENUS into video release. All three deserve good DVD releases to please a new generation of Broadway and film musical fans.

I had never seen it before, until only a few days ago- and during that weeks' time, I have watched it I believe once on each day of the week. The story is simply delightful, the music the best. Donald O'Connor is always heaven to see, to hear, and he can act wonderfully.

The music is heavenly! Down at Baba's Alley, and What Do I Have To Do, and I'm Looking For a Prince of a Fella'- all delight to hear! I can never get enough of it- it's all the good words in all the good languages! Carefree and joyful, and a very wonderfully funny plot, to the very instant you hear Milton's matter-of-fact speech.

The characters all very bright and cheerful- I have nothing bad to say about it, only good sentiments!