For such a great cast (Debbie Reynolds, Gower and Marge Champion and Bob Fosse) and being directed by Stanley Donen, 'Give a Girl a Break' could have been a classic. Instead it was a modestly enjoyable film that could have been much better.
Visually, although the budget apparently wasn't huge, 'Give a Girl a Break' still looks pleasing with handsome costumes and sumptuous use of colour. The songs have garnered indifferent reactions, sure there are better songs in musicals but the songs here are pleasant and fun enough, especially for Ira Gershwin's (brother of George) very clever lyric writing. "In Our United State" and "Nothing is Impossible" stand out.
The best things about 'Give a Girl a Break' are the dance routines and the dancing. The choreography is nothing short of dazzling, especially in "In Our United State", "The Challenge Dance" and "Applause Applause". The dancing of it is even better, with electrifying work from the Champions, Fosse and Helen Wood.
Debbie Reynolds' performance is the most consistent in the cast, whereas everybody else were most successful in the dancing but less comfortable everywhere else Reynolds excelled in every aspect of her performance and gives her character spunk and perky charm.
On the other hand, the story is incredibly lightweight and too often so uneventful that the film does drag at times outside of the musical numbers. The dialogue has a tendency to be clumsy and some parts downright silly.
As an overall performance, Reynolds comes off best while the acting is stiff from particularly the likes of Wood and Kurt Kasznar and the singing very much variable (Reynolds and Wood faring best). Donen's direction is not always involving and occasionally a bit gimmicky.
In summary, modestly enjoyable musical that does enough right but it doesn't have much distinction and the wow factor comes in spades rather than as a consistent whole. 6/10 Bethany Cox
