My axiom is that any movie featuring Gene Tierney deserves to be viewed, and "On the Riviera" is one of them. The plot is a moderately funny comedy of errors, with Danny Kaye in the roles of an American cabaret-entertainer and of his double, a French hero-aviator. The acting is generally good. The photography is accurate, with bright, spirit-raising colors, worthy of the beauties of the Cote d' Azur (but the movie appears to have been largely made elsewhere). Kaye performs a number of nice, though longish, ballets. Gene Tierney has the opportunity to show her talent just in one scene, when she is uncertain whether she has slept with her actual husband, the pilot, or with his American double (by the way: a bit salacious situation for the early fifties, isn't it?). With her usual professionalism, Gene doesn't steal the show to the pretty Corinne Calvet, who in fact has a larger role. In any case, as soon as Gene appears on the screen, the movie soars: the splendor of her eyes obscures the sky and sea of Provence. After all, "On the Riviera" is an enjoyable movie, especially for fans of old classics.
21 Reviews
The Masquerade is for real
bkoganbing24 January 2014
There is probably more remakes left in The Red Cat, the play on which Folies Bergere, That Night In Rio, and now On The Riviera is based. Danny Kaye in this film steps into the shoes of first Maurice Chevalier and Don Ameche and they fit well.
Like his predecessors Kaye plays dual roles, an American entertainer who includes impressions in his act and a French industrialist who was an air ace a World War ago. The entertainer has Corinne Calvet in his act as an assistant and the industrialist is married to Gene Tierney.
When the industrialist makes a secret trip to Great Britain for some financing his associates are left holding the bag with another French industrialist. They hire Kaye the entertainer to impersonate the industrialist and the results, especially with the interaction between the women are hilarious.
I'm surprised that Danny Kaye never thought to play the Dromios in a film version of A Comedy Of Errors. With his friend Laurence Olivier as Antipholus it would have been a classic.
On The Riviera got two Oscar nominations for Art&Set Direction and for musical scoring by Alfred Newman. Sylvia Fine also known as Mrs. Kaye wrote most of the score and Popo The Puppet got Kaye a lot of success with his children fans. But the hit was the oldtime ragtime song Ballin' The Jack revived for On The Riviera.
This film holds up well and one of these days Robin Williams will see this as a property for him. As it is three fine films have been made already.
Like his predecessors Kaye plays dual roles, an American entertainer who includes impressions in his act and a French industrialist who was an air ace a World War ago. The entertainer has Corinne Calvet in his act as an assistant and the industrialist is married to Gene Tierney.
When the industrialist makes a secret trip to Great Britain for some financing his associates are left holding the bag with another French industrialist. They hire Kaye the entertainer to impersonate the industrialist and the results, especially with the interaction between the women are hilarious.
I'm surprised that Danny Kaye never thought to play the Dromios in a film version of A Comedy Of Errors. With his friend Laurence Olivier as Antipholus it would have been a classic.
On The Riviera got two Oscar nominations for Art&Set Direction and for musical scoring by Alfred Newman. Sylvia Fine also known as Mrs. Kaye wrote most of the score and Popo The Puppet got Kaye a lot of success with his children fans. But the hit was the oldtime ragtime song Ballin' The Jack revived for On The Riviera.
This film holds up well and one of these days Robin Williams will see this as a property for him. As it is three fine films have been made already.
The story is too old and too familiar.
planktonrules5 May 2011
"The Red Cat" was a Broadway play. It was back Darryl Zanuck and brought to the screen almost immediately as "Folies Bergère de Paris" and then, within a short time, remade it as "A Night in Rio" and now here in "On the Riviera"! And, if that isn't enough, the basic story idea of this script is very familiar--using one of Hollywood's oldest clichés--the 'identical stranger'. Like "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "The Prince and the Pauper", this movie hinges on the audience accepting that this is possible. In other words, if you can't accept this, the film will be rough sailing.
In this version, the lead is played by the talented Danny Kaye--who sings and dances up a storm. Now if you like singing and dancing, you're in luck. If you don't, then once again it will be rough sailing. My problems is that I am not a huge musical fan. There are, of course, exceptions. Kaye plays dual roles--a singer/dancer as well as a famous French aviator. The humor begins, such as it is, when the aviator is in London and he's needed in Paris--so, reluctantly, the actor/dancer is paid to pretend to be the aviator. The acting is quite good but the story is just too old and too familiar to make the story anything other than a time-passer.
By the way, while I wasn't all that impressed by this film, I must say that the special features on the DVD for the film are terrific--and actually make watching it worth while. I especially liked "The Rivera Story", as it showed side-by-side comparisons of the three films--and they were often word-for-word the same picture.
In this version, the lead is played by the talented Danny Kaye--who sings and dances up a storm. Now if you like singing and dancing, you're in luck. If you don't, then once again it will be rough sailing. My problems is that I am not a huge musical fan. There are, of course, exceptions. Kaye plays dual roles--a singer/dancer as well as a famous French aviator. The humor begins, such as it is, when the aviator is in London and he's needed in Paris--so, reluctantly, the actor/dancer is paid to pretend to be the aviator. The acting is quite good but the story is just too old and too familiar to make the story anything other than a time-passer.
By the way, while I wasn't all that impressed by this film, I must say that the special features on the DVD for the film are terrific--and actually make watching it worth while. I especially liked "The Rivera Story", as it showed side-by-side comparisons of the three films--and they were often word-for-word the same picture.
Lavish and colorful Danny Kaye comedy.
dmatthews0326 May 2001
Not all Danny Kaye films have lasted well. In my opinion the two that have are "The Court Jester" and "On The Riviera".
"On the Riviera" is a superbly mounted comedy, with gorgeous Riviera scenery, lavish sets, and some ravishingly beautiful women. The mistaken identity plot is an old one but there great scenes of confusion and some good and sometimes surprisingly suggestive dialogue, unusual for the time especially in a Danny Kaye movie.
Dance routines are imaginative and energetic with some statuesque and eager looking chorus girls. Gwen Verdon does a specialty number.
Thoroughly enjoyable, it stands up to repeat viewing.
"On the Riviera" is a superbly mounted comedy, with gorgeous Riviera scenery, lavish sets, and some ravishingly beautiful women. The mistaken identity plot is an old one but there great scenes of confusion and some good and sometimes surprisingly suggestive dialogue, unusual for the time especially in a Danny Kaye movie.
Dance routines are imaginative and energetic with some statuesque and eager looking chorus girls. Gwen Verdon does a specialty number.
Thoroughly enjoyable, it stands up to repeat viewing.
Interesting as a period piece
jcorelis-2433627 April 2017
On the Riviera is the third film made from a stage play called The Red Cat, the other two being L'homme des Folies Bergère (1935) with Maurice Chevalier and That Night in Rio (1941) with Don Ameche. The plot is an example of a genre that goes right back to Plautus and Shakespeare: the comedy and confusion that result when two people who happen to look identical keep getting mistaken for each other. In this case, the two people (both played by Danny Kaye) are a famous French transatlantic aviator and an American entertainer playing a club on the French Riviera. This seems like a very obscure film: it's not found in any of the half-dozen standard film guides I happen to have, though it's in IMDb.
The film, directed by Hollywood workmanlike director Walter Lang (who made a number of other 50s musicals, like this one now mostly forgotten,) is a semi-musical; that is, there are plenty of song and dance numbers, but they are all stage performances. The most interesting aspect of the film is its display of Kaye's multiple talents as a singer, dancer, comic and impressionist -- he's the sort of performer popular in the thirties through early sixties, but now seems an almost extinct species.
The film is an interesting period piece for its sumptuous female fashions and as an early example of what would become mainstream American Hollywood musical entertainment, and if you are interested in those topics, or in Kaye, this will be worth watching. Others may find it only moderately entertaining. There is some impressive landscape photography of the Riviera, though Hitchcock did this better in To Catch a Thief.
The 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Blu-Ray DVD is of good audio and video quality.
The film, directed by Hollywood workmanlike director Walter Lang (who made a number of other 50s musicals, like this one now mostly forgotten,) is a semi-musical; that is, there are plenty of song and dance numbers, but they are all stage performances. The most interesting aspect of the film is its display of Kaye's multiple talents as a singer, dancer, comic and impressionist -- he's the sort of performer popular in the thirties through early sixties, but now seems an almost extinct species.
The film is an interesting period piece for its sumptuous female fashions and as an early example of what would become mainstream American Hollywood musical entertainment, and if you are interested in those topics, or in Kaye, this will be worth watching. Others may find it only moderately entertaining. There is some impressive landscape photography of the Riviera, though Hitchcock did this better in To Catch a Thief.
The 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Blu-Ray DVD is of good audio and video quality.
Not better the third time around
scooterberwyn1 December 2007
First of all, I must confess that I haven't seen the original Chevalier film on which "On the Riviera" is based. However, Fox recycled the plot before this film for "That Night in Rio" with Don Ameche, Alice Faye, and Carmen Miranda in the Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney, and Corinne Calvet roles. I think "Rio" is far superior to "Riviera." The plot is much better paced, less frantic and frenetic (although that may simply be the difference between Ameche and Kaye as performers). For me, a little Kaye "shtick" goes a long way, and the more he uses it, the less amused I get. In this film, he lays it on with a trowel. Fox dipped into the well once too often. The only saving grace is the lustrous Tierney in luscious color.
Danny Kaye at his best
donaldgreybarnhouse18 December 2006
I can't imagine why anyone would dislike this marvelous film. Danny Kaye does a superb job playing a double role, showing a subtlety of acting ability that some might not have thought he had. He is not, for once, cast like a complete fool. Don't get me wrong; he plays those parts well, and is often hysterically funny, as in The Inspector General and The Court Jester. In that picture he does get to play a part that is not a fool, as he is hypnotized into thinking himself a swashbuckling hero, but it is a role that calls for him to lampoon the part he is playing. In On The Riviera, however, he plays a genuine masterful leading male role: a millionaire French airplane manufacturer with a gorgeous wife who is worth the price of admission. His other role is a traditional Kaye role: an American comedian. The gimmick is that he is an almost perfect double for the suave French romantic lead. He really plays three roles, and the subtlety with which he distinguishes them is superb. He is the American comic, he is the French millionaire looking a little like Yves Montand, and he is the American comic successfully passing himself off as the millionaire, fooling the wife and the valet as well as the general public. The role reminds me of Yves Montand in Let's Make Love with Marilyn Monroe: he plays the millionaire and he plays a poor guy trying to break into show business by passing for the millionaire. All in all, a triumph for Danny Kaye, well decorated with gorgeous females.
Comedy, Song and Dance, and Romance - what's not to like?
SimonJack12 April 2010
Most actors and performers excel in one field, with maybe a second very good talent. Bing Crosby could croon, and add a little tap or soft shoe. Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly could hoof up a storm, and often add a tune or melody. Frank Sinatra and others could sing, or play dramatic roles in films. Bob Hope and many other comics could toss in a little shuffle and/or tune with their comedy.
But, once in a while, a multi-talent comes along - like Danny Kaye. He could sing and dance, cavort and crack tongue-twisters, play it straight, and just put life and zest into a film. Movie goers since the mid-20th century have seen Kaye perform some or many of his talents in various movies. He displays them all here, in "On the Riviera." The plot in this film wasn't new or intriguing for then or now, but it was just the right venue to allow Kaye to show us his many talents.
Kaye's performance in a double role (impersonation) is far and away above that by actors in any other film (see Maurice Chevalier in "Folies Bergere de Paris," Yves Montand in "Let's Make Love," and Don Ameche in "That Night in Rio"). His comedic exchanges in this film are crisp as ever, and he shines in all his song and dance numbers, four of which were written and composed by his wife, Sylvia Fine, for this show. One particularly creative routine, "Popo the Puppet," lets Kaye show his exceptional physical versatility and talent as a dancer.
This isn't the best of Kaye's outright solo lead comedies. That honor belongs to "Knock on Wood" of 1954. In that, he had three major scenarios of tongue-twisters, long stretches of running funny dialog, and a number of superb disguises and impersonations that are hilarious. But "On the Riviera" is guaranteed to please anyone who has a funny bone to tickle.
One of the great attributes of the talented Danny Kaye was his ability to bring out the best in his co-stars and fellow performers. That shows as well in the performances of all the fine cast in this film. What a great performer and entertainer this man was - and global humanitarian as well. What great fun and enjoyment for those of us who love all these aspects of entertainment.
I didn't always recognize the greatness of Kaye's talent. In my younger years, I liked the more manly figures or accomplished voices in films. But as I watch films not seen for decades, and as I look for the best of the music and musicals for my family film library, I see Kaye as the much bigger all around talent - and top entertainer - that he was.
If you like great entertainment with song, dance, comedy and romance, you'll love "On the Riviera."
But, once in a while, a multi-talent comes along - like Danny Kaye. He could sing and dance, cavort and crack tongue-twisters, play it straight, and just put life and zest into a film. Movie goers since the mid-20th century have seen Kaye perform some or many of his talents in various movies. He displays them all here, in "On the Riviera." The plot in this film wasn't new or intriguing for then or now, but it was just the right venue to allow Kaye to show us his many talents.
Kaye's performance in a double role (impersonation) is far and away above that by actors in any other film (see Maurice Chevalier in "Folies Bergere de Paris," Yves Montand in "Let's Make Love," and Don Ameche in "That Night in Rio"). His comedic exchanges in this film are crisp as ever, and he shines in all his song and dance numbers, four of which were written and composed by his wife, Sylvia Fine, for this show. One particularly creative routine, "Popo the Puppet," lets Kaye show his exceptional physical versatility and talent as a dancer.
This isn't the best of Kaye's outright solo lead comedies. That honor belongs to "Knock on Wood" of 1954. In that, he had three major scenarios of tongue-twisters, long stretches of running funny dialog, and a number of superb disguises and impersonations that are hilarious. But "On the Riviera" is guaranteed to please anyone who has a funny bone to tickle.
One of the great attributes of the talented Danny Kaye was his ability to bring out the best in his co-stars and fellow performers. That shows as well in the performances of all the fine cast in this film. What a great performer and entertainer this man was - and global humanitarian as well. What great fun and enjoyment for those of us who love all these aspects of entertainment.
I didn't always recognize the greatness of Kaye's talent. In my younger years, I liked the more manly figures or accomplished voices in films. But as I watch films not seen for decades, and as I look for the best of the music and musicals for my family film library, I see Kaye as the much bigger all around talent - and top entertainer - that he was.
If you like great entertainment with song, dance, comedy and romance, you'll love "On the Riviera."
Kaye has lost his magic
malcolmgsw8 March 2005
When i was young i was a great fan of Danny Kaye.I even remember being taken to see him at the London Palladium.I saw all of his films and watched his TV shows when they were aired as BBC2s prime variety show when it opened in 1964.Now i look at films like these and wonder why.This is a tepid remake of Follies Bergere which starred Maurice Chevalier.The original was far funnier and had a couple of marvellous musical numbers.Unfortunately one has to say that one let alone two Kaye performances in this remake is too much.Lets be honest he just isn't funny.All of his routines we have already seen many times before this GE Walter Mitty.The musical numbers are long and drawn out and with more perspiration and inspiration.There must have been a reason why i liked him but i cant imagine why now.
On the Riviera
Coxer998 June 1999
Kaye won a Golden Globe for his great performance in dual roles as a military giant and an entertainer who tries to win the love of Gene Tierney. A fun filled musical comedy with great dancing and the always unstoppable Kaye, doing what he does best.
On the Riviera-Vacation Somewhere Else **
edwagreen16 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Predictable Danny Kaye farce with the beauty Gene Tierney attempting to leave drama and go to comedy for a change. Ms. Tierney probably knew that her forte was the former.
We know what's going to happen when Kaye impersonates a debonair look-alike who is having financial difficulties. We know the latter will show up and cause some comic complications.
The cinematography is beautiful and the songs, some of them written by Kaye's wife Sylvia Fine, are flamboyant. Kaye does brief take-offs on Carmen Miranda and Jimmy Durante. They would have been hilarious had he been allowed to pursue them.
We know what's going to happen when Kaye impersonates a debonair look-alike who is having financial difficulties. We know the latter will show up and cause some comic complications.
The cinematography is beautiful and the songs, some of them written by Kaye's wife Sylvia Fine, are flamboyant. Kaye does brief take-offs on Carmen Miranda and Jimmy Durante. They would have been hilarious had he been allowed to pursue them.
The ephelant and hipponoticus get their romantic and professional lives tangled by impersonating each other: Danny Kaye shines.
weezeralfalfa9 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The third and final filming of the same basic story by Fox studios over a 16 year span. Originally conceived as two distinct films: one an impersonation farce, based on the play "The Red Cat", and the other a musical romance. Zanuck knew it would be a compelling story of perfect mimicry of a rich philandering man by a stage performer, and sometimes the opposite. I have seen the last 2 versions in full, and a 20 min. compendium of mostly the musical numbers of the first. They all have their distinctive overall personalities, especially in the stage numbers, thus warrant viewing each. The '35 version includes a number of Busby Berkeley-like kaleidoscopic productions involving a large team of chorus girls, as was the 'in thing' during that era, along with Maurice Chevalier's distinctive stage personality(which Kaye briefly imitates in the present film). The '41 version introduced Technicolor, dominated by the 3 musical-drama stars of Don Ameche, Carmen Miranda, and Alice Faye, with new songs by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon. Whereas the other two versions were sited in France, as intended, the second one was awkwardly sited in Rio(actually, a sound stage), in deference to the presence of Carmen, and the 'good neighbor policy' of FDR. In contrast to Gene Tierney's persona in the present film, as simply an elegant gorgeous 'trophy wife', Alice Faye, in Gene's role in that film, sang a romantic tune on several informal occasions. Although both beauties, they were quite different: Gene with her cool natural smiling regal demeanor vs. Alice, with her big languid soul-searching eyes.
Corinne Calvert hardly had the popular visibility of her counterpart in the '41 film: Carmen Miranda. She came across as a conventional French chorus girl, who happened to be showman Martin's current girlfriend. She rather reminds me of the later Ann-Margaret, in looks and personality. My impression is that she got more screen time in the non-musical portions than did Carmen, who dominated most of the staged musical productions.
Behind the camera, the film was directed by veteran Walter Lang, with veteran Sol Siegel the producer, both with quite few past and future Fox musicals to their credits. Legendary Alfred Newman was the music director, as he was in the '41 version. Danny's wife, Sylvia Fine, composed most of the music, as she apparently had for most of his career.
Legendary Jack Cole was chief choreographer, as betrayed by the lavish, imaginative, sometimes exotic, exuberant stage dance routines, which provide a more than credible answer to the lavish Carmine Miranda-led dance routines in the '41 film. Jack devised the unique memorable "Popo the Puppet" production, with Danny speaking childlike, including some trademark mangled nouns(ex.: ephelant, hipponoticus), and including some supporting clown-like puppets. Certainly the highlight of the film for children, and my all time favorite Kaye performance. Jack's penchant for multileveled dance and skit productions is also evident in most of the numbers. Instead of the traditional brief reprisals of the main songs in the finale, as in the '41 version, we have a new appropriate song and exuberant dance production to end the film on. Jack's star pupil, Gwen Verdon, leads the introductory stage show. Jack would go on to be Marilyn Monroe's requested choreographer for most of her high profile films.
Danny plays a famous airplane pilot and investor in new plane design manufacture. Ironically, about a decade later, he would become interested in piloting airplanes, bought several, and became a vice president of Learjet!
The complicated non-musical portions apparently are considered boring by some, but not by me. Overall, they are certainly more interesting than in the '41 version. You certainly have to pay close attention not to get occasionally lost on whether you are watching Durant or Martin, and whether they are playing themselves or the other. This is complicated by the sometimes uncertainty as to whether the women are being fooled or only pretending to be. In the end, all is forgiven. Durant presumably saves his airplane business, and Martin's attention to Durant's wife made Durant realize that he should cutout his philandering and concentrate on her. Martin and Corinne also make up in the finale.
All in all, I think it's a toss up whether this or the '41 version is more entertaining. This one is more dependent upon a single superstar.
The current DVD release has excellent documentary extras on Danny and Jack Cole, as well as a partial comparison of the 3 versions.
If you like this type of film: fusing comical impersonations by doubles with song and dance, I can also recommend a much more obscure, but fun, film from the '30s, called "Honolulu". Robert Young plays 2 look alike men: a movie idol trying to escape from suffocating celebrity, and a member of a rich Hawaiian family who also wants to escape from his limited life. Eleanor Powell provides some unique exuberant dancing, and a masquerade party heightens the theme of impersonations.
Corinne Calvert hardly had the popular visibility of her counterpart in the '41 film: Carmen Miranda. She came across as a conventional French chorus girl, who happened to be showman Martin's current girlfriend. She rather reminds me of the later Ann-Margaret, in looks and personality. My impression is that she got more screen time in the non-musical portions than did Carmen, who dominated most of the staged musical productions.
Behind the camera, the film was directed by veteran Walter Lang, with veteran Sol Siegel the producer, both with quite few past and future Fox musicals to their credits. Legendary Alfred Newman was the music director, as he was in the '41 version. Danny's wife, Sylvia Fine, composed most of the music, as she apparently had for most of his career.
Legendary Jack Cole was chief choreographer, as betrayed by the lavish, imaginative, sometimes exotic, exuberant stage dance routines, which provide a more than credible answer to the lavish Carmine Miranda-led dance routines in the '41 film. Jack devised the unique memorable "Popo the Puppet" production, with Danny speaking childlike, including some trademark mangled nouns(ex.: ephelant, hipponoticus), and including some supporting clown-like puppets. Certainly the highlight of the film for children, and my all time favorite Kaye performance. Jack's penchant for multileveled dance and skit productions is also evident in most of the numbers. Instead of the traditional brief reprisals of the main songs in the finale, as in the '41 version, we have a new appropriate song and exuberant dance production to end the film on. Jack's star pupil, Gwen Verdon, leads the introductory stage show. Jack would go on to be Marilyn Monroe's requested choreographer for most of her high profile films.
Danny plays a famous airplane pilot and investor in new plane design manufacture. Ironically, about a decade later, he would become interested in piloting airplanes, bought several, and became a vice president of Learjet!
The complicated non-musical portions apparently are considered boring by some, but not by me. Overall, they are certainly more interesting than in the '41 version. You certainly have to pay close attention not to get occasionally lost on whether you are watching Durant or Martin, and whether they are playing themselves or the other. This is complicated by the sometimes uncertainty as to whether the women are being fooled or only pretending to be. In the end, all is forgiven. Durant presumably saves his airplane business, and Martin's attention to Durant's wife made Durant realize that he should cutout his philandering and concentrate on her. Martin and Corinne also make up in the finale.
All in all, I think it's a toss up whether this or the '41 version is more entertaining. This one is more dependent upon a single superstar.
The current DVD release has excellent documentary extras on Danny and Jack Cole, as well as a partial comparison of the 3 versions.
If you like this type of film: fusing comical impersonations by doubles with song and dance, I can also recommend a much more obscure, but fun, film from the '30s, called "Honolulu". Robert Young plays 2 look alike men: a movie idol trying to escape from suffocating celebrity, and a member of a rich Hawaiian family who also wants to escape from his limited life. Eleanor Powell provides some unique exuberant dancing, and a masquerade party heightens the theme of impersonations.
Beautiful style, women and songs highlight Danny Kaye
joshgrey1319 July 2006
There is nothing new about Danny Kaye playing a dual role, however, there is nothing wrong about it either. To observe the delightful manner in which he almost distorts the language, while playing a puppet is always a joy. The added charms of Silvia Fine's skill at twisting the words while allowing her husband to remain twisted in the puppet strings is fun. Only Danny possessed the tongue to deliver such new-fangled words. Watch out, did you recognize Gwen Verdon? She is there all right! Those legs can not be missed, although her beautiful voice is dubbed right out of the movie. The best line of this film has to be, "Mnnnn" with the impersonator unable to say either yes or no to the business mogul's demands, thus increasing the bid ever higher. Did Gene sleep with her husband or with the actor? To this day, I still don't know, and that was a sexy idea to develop. Three cheers for it.
Two Danny Kayes and Two Beauties
smithy-81 November 2003
Danny Kaye has made many good movies, but "On the Riviera" and "White Christmas" are my favorites. Danny Kaye plays two men who look alike but have different personalities and lives. One is a philandering industrialist, who is elegant, and the other is an entertainer, who is silly. Each man has a beautiful woman in his life: the industrialist's wife (Gene Tierney) and the entertainer's girlfriend (Corinne Calvet). Both women are funny and this is their best comedy.
Disappointing and unwatchable
Iluvcleanfunnymovies3 December 2023
Let me premise this by saying that I love Denny Kaye! I was looking forward to seeing a movie of his that was new to me. I also love musicals, some of my favorite movies of all time are musicals.
That said, this movie stinks. It's a bad mix of something - only everything!
I don't know where they went wrong, but everything was wrong. The music was loud, and obnoxious, the acting was flat, and unbelievable. The music even made the beautiful scenery lackluster. It's shocking how much the music clashed with the beautiful scenery.
For everything to be so wrong, I put the blame squarely on two sets of shoulders: the producer, and the director. I'm not turned away from Denny Kaye, I'll continue to love him and look for his movies and shows.
That said, this movie stinks. It's a bad mix of something - only everything!
I don't know where they went wrong, but everything was wrong. The music was loud, and obnoxious, the acting was flat, and unbelievable. The music even made the beautiful scenery lackluster. It's shocking how much the music clashed with the beautiful scenery.
For everything to be so wrong, I put the blame squarely on two sets of shoulders: the producer, and the director. I'm not turned away from Denny Kaye, I'll continue to love him and look for his movies and shows.
Kaye Impersonates Celebrity Aviator.
rmax3048232 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I'm afraid I couldn't get with the program here. Danny Kaye is responsible for some of the funnier movies ever made, but this plot is a weak comedy of manners. It has Kaye as Jack Martin, a nightclub impersonator, being called on to pretend he's a celebrated, aristocratic French aviator. There is a mix up with the aviator's wife, Gene Tierney, and Kay's girl friend, Corinne Calvet, gets jealous.
It's in glorious Technicolor but it's all been done elsewhere, often better, as in "The Prisoner of Zenda." Sometimes worse, as in "The Front." There's little in the way of physical comedy. Kaye doesn't take any pratfalls. He rarely seems as rattled as he does in his usual screen persona -- more embarrassed than neurotic and cowardly. He doesn't sing a gibberish song. The location needn't have been the French Riviera. Kaye's part could easily have been given to anyone else.
It's as much a musical as it is a comedy. Kaye plays a showman and does his musical numbers straight. None are memorable ("Ballin' the Jack") and Kaye wears a tuxedo. Kaye is energetic enough, on stage and off stage, and his voice is pleasant, but that's about it. One of his songs' best features is that it used (unless I'm mistaken) Gwen Verdon for one of the lead dancers. She should have had more screen time.
If this was an attempt to broaden the style of Kaye's performances, it really doesn't work. As a comedian, with a good script, he's superb. As a singer and dancer, he's mediocre.
It's in glorious Technicolor but it's all been done elsewhere, often better, as in "The Prisoner of Zenda." Sometimes worse, as in "The Front." There's little in the way of physical comedy. Kaye doesn't take any pratfalls. He rarely seems as rattled as he does in his usual screen persona -- more embarrassed than neurotic and cowardly. He doesn't sing a gibberish song. The location needn't have been the French Riviera. Kaye's part could easily have been given to anyone else.
It's as much a musical as it is a comedy. Kaye plays a showman and does his musical numbers straight. None are memorable ("Ballin' the Jack") and Kaye wears a tuxedo. Kaye is energetic enough, on stage and off stage, and his voice is pleasant, but that's about it. One of his songs' best features is that it used (unless I'm mistaken) Gwen Verdon for one of the lead dancers. She should have had more screen time.
If this was an attempt to broaden the style of Kaye's performances, it really doesn't work. As a comedian, with a good script, he's superb. As a singer and dancer, he's mediocre.
Danny Kaye at his best
tbsuta20 January 2019
Danny Kaye was, no doubt, one of the most versatile actors of all times. Although, he was not the John Wayne type he was great in comedies. This movie, with such a clever plot, works well with Kaye's intelligent abilities. Added the visual eye candy of Gene Tierney and Corrine Calvet and all the other scantly dressed chorus women, this movie was stimulating to watch. Interesting about the morals of those days, women in long dresses and public attire, how these movies passed the movie standards is an interesting conundrum. So it was wrong to wear underwear in public but in a movie it was okay?
If you like dated, fake "musicals," you'll love this
Davalon-Davalon11 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Danny Kaye was obviously such a big star at the time that he was given carte blanche to do whatever he wanted. That's apparent in this overwrought "star vehicle."
This self-indulgent piece of flotsam/jetsam involves an insane and totally unbelievable storyline about Danny being an "entertainer" who strongly resembles a playboy pilot. For reasons that remained incomprehensible to me, Danny must take the pilot's place and "fools" everybody, including the pilot's breathtaking beautiful, but ignored wife (Gene Tierney).
This "plot" is stretched so that Danny can sing, dance, ape his way through jokes, and show us how "versatile" he is.
The best thing that can be said about this movie is that the sets (not the outdoor "Riviera" ones) and the costumes (including a dress worn by Danny's supposed girlfriend Corrine Calvet that will make you gasp) are wild. The colors are so vibrant that you'll feel you got lost in a Technicolor dream.
There were about 5 really good laughs as the movie progressed, but, honestly, there was lots of babbling and insanity.
The main thing I enjoyed was watching Danny Kaye, knowing how closeted he was, portray a hot ladies' man. He does look good on the screen, and the camera definitely "sees" him and he did have a unique talent.
But at the end of the day nothing really matters because most of this film is, forgive me, dreck.
All of the musical numbers are horrid, especially the nightmarish "Popo the Puppet" -- which looks like a bad episode of "The Twilight Zone."
But the colors are certainly intense and Gene Tierney is one of those women the camera loves and she was at the height of her beauty. So there is some eye candy.
Otherwise you will be completely and totally wasting your time.
This self-indulgent piece of flotsam/jetsam involves an insane and totally unbelievable storyline about Danny being an "entertainer" who strongly resembles a playboy pilot. For reasons that remained incomprehensible to me, Danny must take the pilot's place and "fools" everybody, including the pilot's breathtaking beautiful, but ignored wife (Gene Tierney).
This "plot" is stretched so that Danny can sing, dance, ape his way through jokes, and show us how "versatile" he is.
The best thing that can be said about this movie is that the sets (not the outdoor "Riviera" ones) and the costumes (including a dress worn by Danny's supposed girlfriend Corrine Calvet that will make you gasp) are wild. The colors are so vibrant that you'll feel you got lost in a Technicolor dream.
There were about 5 really good laughs as the movie progressed, but, honestly, there was lots of babbling and insanity.
The main thing I enjoyed was watching Danny Kaye, knowing how closeted he was, portray a hot ladies' man. He does look good on the screen, and the camera definitely "sees" him and he did have a unique talent.
But at the end of the day nothing really matters because most of this film is, forgive me, dreck.
All of the musical numbers are horrid, especially the nightmarish "Popo the Puppet" -- which looks like a bad episode of "The Twilight Zone."
But the colors are certainly intense and Gene Tierney is one of those women the camera loves and she was at the height of her beauty. So there is some eye candy.
Otherwise you will be completely and totally wasting your time.
Just Kaye things
rassezeus18 August 2020
What a gem!
slabihoud18 February 2022
This is such an overlooked gem it is really unbelievable that It is not to be seen on TV for many years, at least not in German speaking countries. I remember I saw this film dubbed in German when I was a child, must have been in the 70s, but since than... nothing. I bought a DVD from Spain which also has the original English version on it. Danny Kaye shines in what he was best, playing doubles, something no other screen actor did so often and so well. Here he does the incredible, he splits into a comic and a completley serious character, forshadowing his serious roles to come. I am a great fan of Danny Kaye but I fairly admit not all his films are as good as this one!
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