YOLANDA AND THE THIEF (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1945) directed by Vincente Minnelli, stars Fred Astaire in his first musical release in lavish Technicolor. In spite of its reputation of losing money for the studio upon its initial release, and being a showcase for Lucille Bremer in her first major role, YOLANDA AND THE THIEF would go on record as a welcome change of pace for Astaire from his usual productions from the past. Even the weakest of the Astaire movies often has something going for it, including this. A mix of realism and fantasy taken from a story by Ludwig Bemelmens and Jacques Diery, its the sort of movie that could either be enjoyed for what it is or a complete misfire.
Opening in the country of Patria, the story focuses on Yolanda Aquaviva (Lucille Bremer), a convent-bred girl who, on her 18th birthday, is to leave her familiar upbringing surroundings to face the world on her own. Before leaving, her Mother Superior (Jane Green) suggests if she ever needs any help, to pray to her guardian angel for assistance. Being an heiress who has acquired control of her $72 million family fortune, she returns home by train to her estate in Esperando accompanied by her duenna (Mary Nash) and priest (Francis Pierlot) where she is to live with her Aunt Amarilla (Mildred Natwick). Also on the same train are Johnny Parkson Riggs (Fred Astaire) and Victor Budlowe Trout (Frank Morgan), a couple of crooks run out of town by the police. After learning about Yolanda through both their waiter and newspaper headlines, Johnny plots to follow Yolanda to steal her gigantic fortune. Overhearing her prayer to her guardian angel, Johnny later telephones Yolanda to tell her he is her guardian angel to assist her. He arranges for her to meet him at the Hotel Esperando as the humanly formed "Mr. Brown." While he succeeds in obtaining her confidence and her bag of $1 million in bonds, it mysteriously disappears. As much as Johnny and Victor suspect the mysterious Mr. Candle (Leon Ames), a passenger on the train, to be the prime suspect, it is uncertain what his connection to Yolanda is all about. Co-starring Ludwig Stossel; Leon Belasco; GiGi Perreau and Gino Corrado.
With music and lyrics by Arthur Freed and Harry Warren, songs include: "This is a Day for Love" (sung by Lucille Bremer); "This is the Day for Love" (reprise); "Angel" (sung by Bremer); "The Dream Ballet," "Will You Marry Me?" (sung by Bremer, chorus, danced by Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer); "Yolanda" (sung by Fred Astaire while playing a harp) and "Coffee Time" (danced by Astaire and Bremer). While "This is a Day for Love" is a pretty tune, with musical highlights featuring Lucille Bremer singing while in a bubble bath, the 15 minute "Dream Ballet" segment, and the dancing to the hand clapping crowd backdrop to "Coffee Time," YOLANDA AND THE THIEF produced no major song hits.
Possibly the problem of YOLANDA AND THE THIEF is the casting of Lucille Bremer. With only one previous movie to her name, Vincente Minnelli's direction of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), starring Judy Garland, and producer Arthur Freed's intention on promoting her into a major attraction, she just didn't have that star gazing ability to become another Garland or Kathryn Grayson. Though Bremer's dancing was agreeable, and was to dance again with Astaire in a musical segment from ZIEGFELD FOLLIES (1945), her career simply didn't make the grade and retired from films by 1948. Aside from great Technicolor, and some fine amusements involving a taxi ride that never takes place, even though Astaire is ageless, he seemed a bit too old for the teenage character of Yolanda. Frank Morgan as Astaire's partner in crime, a welcome presence, has little opportunity for being amusing. Had YOLANDA AND THE THIEF featured Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, the movie may have had a chance of becoming a minor MGM classic, especially since Kelly seems more capable of being a convincing but likable thief than Astaire.
Distributed on video cassette and later DVD format, YOLANDA AND THE THIEF can be seen and studied when shown on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (***)
Opening in the country of Patria, the story focuses on Yolanda Aquaviva (Lucille Bremer), a convent-bred girl who, on her 18th birthday, is to leave her familiar upbringing surroundings to face the world on her own. Before leaving, her Mother Superior (Jane Green) suggests if she ever needs any help, to pray to her guardian angel for assistance. Being an heiress who has acquired control of her $72 million family fortune, she returns home by train to her estate in Esperando accompanied by her duenna (Mary Nash) and priest (Francis Pierlot) where she is to live with her Aunt Amarilla (Mildred Natwick). Also on the same train are Johnny Parkson Riggs (Fred Astaire) and Victor Budlowe Trout (Frank Morgan), a couple of crooks run out of town by the police. After learning about Yolanda through both their waiter and newspaper headlines, Johnny plots to follow Yolanda to steal her gigantic fortune. Overhearing her prayer to her guardian angel, Johnny later telephones Yolanda to tell her he is her guardian angel to assist her. He arranges for her to meet him at the Hotel Esperando as the humanly formed "Mr. Brown." While he succeeds in obtaining her confidence and her bag of $1 million in bonds, it mysteriously disappears. As much as Johnny and Victor suspect the mysterious Mr. Candle (Leon Ames), a passenger on the train, to be the prime suspect, it is uncertain what his connection to Yolanda is all about. Co-starring Ludwig Stossel; Leon Belasco; GiGi Perreau and Gino Corrado.
With music and lyrics by Arthur Freed and Harry Warren, songs include: "This is a Day for Love" (sung by Lucille Bremer); "This is the Day for Love" (reprise); "Angel" (sung by Bremer); "The Dream Ballet," "Will You Marry Me?" (sung by Bremer, chorus, danced by Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer); "Yolanda" (sung by Fred Astaire while playing a harp) and "Coffee Time" (danced by Astaire and Bremer). While "This is a Day for Love" is a pretty tune, with musical highlights featuring Lucille Bremer singing while in a bubble bath, the 15 minute "Dream Ballet" segment, and the dancing to the hand clapping crowd backdrop to "Coffee Time," YOLANDA AND THE THIEF produced no major song hits.
Possibly the problem of YOLANDA AND THE THIEF is the casting of Lucille Bremer. With only one previous movie to her name, Vincente Minnelli's direction of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), starring Judy Garland, and producer Arthur Freed's intention on promoting her into a major attraction, she just didn't have that star gazing ability to become another Garland or Kathryn Grayson. Though Bremer's dancing was agreeable, and was to dance again with Astaire in a musical segment from ZIEGFELD FOLLIES (1945), her career simply didn't make the grade and retired from films by 1948. Aside from great Technicolor, and some fine amusements involving a taxi ride that never takes place, even though Astaire is ageless, he seemed a bit too old for the teenage character of Yolanda. Frank Morgan as Astaire's partner in crime, a welcome presence, has little opportunity for being amusing. Had YOLANDA AND THE THIEF featured Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, the movie may have had a chance of becoming a minor MGM classic, especially since Kelly seems more capable of being a convincing but likable thief than Astaire.
Distributed on video cassette and later DVD format, YOLANDA AND THE THIEF can be seen and studied when shown on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (***)