Delightful Musical

What a shame that there hasn't been more discussion of this delightful musical film. Perhaps it is so rarely shown only on occcassion by PBS or TCM. The Encores series in New York City will have a revival of this show in the spring of 2009, giving us a chance to see how the original show may have looked and sounded. Only six of the songs were kept for the film. As if life imitates art the poor unfortunate June Lang didn't succeed as an actress in the film and she really didn't in real life. Her singing was actually dubbed. So was that of Douglass Montgomery but at least he was able to act and did so very well. He was rather handsome and looked sexy in his open shirt and Germanic leather hosen costume. Gloria Swanson was marvelous. It is a mystery as to why they didn't use her more until her last golden moment in Sunset Boulevard. John Boles was also very funny and sung nicely. A real telling moment comes when the conductor tells the young girl's father advice perhaps many an American Idol contestant should follow that there are those with talent who can and those who can't would do best to stay on the other side of the stage, in the audience there they belong.