mbking

This musical bio of Gus Kahn, the "Corn Belt Bard," selected by New York's Radio City Music Hall as their Christmas presentation in 1951, is one movie you can just sit back and listen to. Doris Day sings one great song after another, while Kahn, the author of countless tunes from the title number to "Ain't We Got Fun" and "Makin' Whoopee," is portrayed by Danny Thomas, in his first screen role. Day is the "Song Plugger," who believes in his greatness and eventually marries him. A virtual survey of American popular music from the days of Tin Pan Alley, vaudeville, Broadway and early sound movies, the story is swept along by the expert direction of Michael Curtiz (YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, CASABLANCA et al.). Patrice Wymore (at one time married to Errol Flynn) does a wonderful turn as a singer in Florenz Ziegfeld's "Whoopee," performing "Carolina in the Morning" and "Love Me or Leave Me," with elan. It may be corn, but there is a nostalgic glow about the production that is most appealing.

A throwback to the "old fashioned" Westerns of the 30s and 40s (such as DODGE CITY), DALLAS has a number of things going for it: Gary Cooper at his coolest, blazing Technicolor photography by Ernest Haller (GONE WITH THE WIND) and a pulse-pounding Max Steiner (KING KONG, GWTW, DODGE CITY et al.) score. In addition, there is a masquerade, mistaken identity, a faked death and more hair-breath escapes than a Republic serial. As always, Cooper defines what it is to be a man under pressure. Forget the 50s angst Western... this is pure entertainment!

The first time I saw this film, I was mesmerised by the moody cinematography, the perfect casting of all the players and the unexpected twists and turns of the plot. Similar to the Noir classics, DOUBLE INDEMNITY and OUT OF THE PAST, the hero (Robert Cummings) is drawn into a web of intrigue by a beautiful woman (Michele Morgan), but in this case she turns out to be a legitimate "dream walking." The film was even better the second time around, as I could savour the various clues sprinkled throughout. Even by today's standards, Steve Cochran, Peter Lorre and their canine friend have to rank high among the screen's most vicious heavies. Vastly underrated, THE CHASE will set your heart a thumping! (According to the 2001 Maltin MOVIE & VIDEO GUIDE, it is now available on video)