Cole Porter and Ethel Merman struck gold on stage with half a dozen hits but the movie versions of these shows greatly edited down his songs, made alterations to the stories, and gave da Merm's part to contract players. "Panama Hattie" went to M.G.M's Maisie, only changing the name to Hattie which makes the role indistinguishable for star Ann Sothern. Add in newcomer Red Skelton, comic sidekicks Rags Ragland and Ben Blue, and it is obvious that this is a streamlined version of a stage hit that ran for over 500 performances.
The plot switches gears from romance to farce, easily wrapping up each plot in order to throw in some specialty numbers. Lena Horne has a cameo singing, very briefly, "Just one of Those Things", and later the mediocre "The Sping", which at least a lively dance sequence to go with it. Virginia O'Brien gets at least a character to play in addition to her two deadpan songs. Sothern does get two of Merman's hits and is especially memorable with "I've still got my Health". Also retained is "Let's Be Buddies", Hattie's duet with potential stepdaughter Jackie Horner. Future Betty Grable partner Dan Dailey is Sothern's love interest and Marsha Hunt a bitchy rival, but both are wasted. But in retrospect, this has a rushed together feeling that makes it no more special than many of M.G.M.'s programmers.
The plot switches gears from romance to farce, easily wrapping up each plot in order to throw in some specialty numbers. Lena Horne has a cameo singing, very briefly, "Just one of Those Things", and later the mediocre "The Sping", which at least a lively dance sequence to go with it. Virginia O'Brien gets at least a character to play in addition to her two deadpan songs. Sothern does get two of Merman's hits and is especially memorable with "I've still got my Health". Also retained is "Let's Be Buddies", Hattie's duet with potential stepdaughter Jackie Horner. Future Betty Grable partner Dan Dailey is Sothern's love interest and Marsha Hunt a bitchy rival, but both are wasted. But in retrospect, this has a rushed together feeling that makes it no more special than many of M.G.M.'s programmers.