Step Lively

Do you like good romantic music with beautiful vocals and crisp clear images? Certainly you do. But if you're looking for "Citizen Kane" or "Gone With the Wind" then you too should be gone and not allowed to comment on this sparkling gem. The film was made in 1944 with a gorgeously tender 19-year-old Gloria DeHaven and a 29-year-old Frank Sinatra in perfect voice. The songs are perfect: Where Does Love Begin (and where does friendship end), Some Other Time (I could resist you), Ask the Madam (she knows it all), and the fantastic Come Out (wherever you are) featuring Gloria in a bathtub in the final year of her teenage glory. Good God how could anyone resist the lure of this film? Now I will admit that George Murphy and company are way over the top as far as vociferous antics are concerned and they are certainly no match for this film's progenitors, Room Service, and the Marx Brothers. And I admit that according to IMDb the film did not do well at the January 1945 box office when it was released. But then honestly if you consider the fact that the USA was fighting for its life in World War II and it was frigid throughout half of the country that is extremely forgivable. Just ask yourself how many Academy Awards are ever given to films released in January! So in summary I suggest that this movie is artistically filmed, delightfully cast and a true beauty in every way. However I do suggest that you turn down the sound until Frankie and/or the incredibly delectable Miss DeHaven (or even Mr. Murphy) begin to sing. Watch the crip clean contrasts of the film and immerse yourself in the perfect images captured and then when the greatest song phraseologist of the 20th century, Frank Sinatra, or his distaff partner, gloria DeHaven, open their mouths to sing turn up the volume and luxuriate in the fantastic melodies and harmonies from Gene Rose, Alex Stordahl and C. Bakaleinikoff. This is a film to immerse oneself in and feel the joy of life and love rather than tear apart pretending one is some sort of Ebert and Roper tyro. This movie is an emotional rejuvenation. Frankly I love this film, Gloria DeHaven, and the era in which it was made; the greatest generation as Tom Brokaw would say. If you're out of high school and capable of any sincere feelings you will love it too.

Step Lively is simply Room Service with a musical score by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. It was Frank Sinatra's second feature film role and it marked the first time he worked with that team of songwriters. There would be others, especially with Cahn who has the distinction of putting more words in Frank Sinatra's mouth than any other lyricist.

The original Room Service took place in the hotel suite of Gordon Miller, fast talking producer/conman and was originated by Sam Levene on stage and Groucho Marx on screen. George Murphy is certainly a lighter, gentler version of both of them. But he's passable enough in the part because we wouldn't want too much attention taken from Frank Sinatra.

Sinatra's role as the naive singer/playwright from Oswego was built up considerably from the original play. It was because of him that this film version was taken out of the one room setting of the original. His role was first played by Eddie Albert on Broadway and Frank Albertson with the Marx Brothers.

One song stands out in the score, As Long As There's Music which Sinatra really aces. Yet while Step Lively was being filmed at RKO and while it was out the recording industry was being struck by the musicians union. Additionally shellac which was needed to make those 78 RPMS was in short supply because of World War II. Sinatra never recorded the songs from Step Lively even after the strike was over. Yet As Long AS There's Music still became a hit. I have a version by Eddie Fisher on one of my record albums. Yet it's never identified with Sinatra.

Playing the roles that Chico and Harpo did are the comedy team of Wally Brown and Alan Carney, RKO's attempted answer to Abbott and Costello. RKO also got Adolphe Menjou and Walter Slezak to play the exasperated hotel managers and Eugene Palette had a memorable bit as the representative of Murphy's secret show backer who wants discretion in all things.

The female roles are from a pair of lovely RKO starlets who had substantial careers, Gloria DeHaven and Anne Jeffreys. So you can't say they didn't do all right by Old Blue Eyes.

On the strength of this film which did very well at the box office, MGM bought half of Sinatra's contract from RKO and he went on to make some great musicals in the Forties with them. But that's coming very soon.

Step Lively is both funny and contains some great singing by The Voice.

Gordon Miller is a Broadway producer with not much cash and even fewer scruples. He has ensconced the young cast of his new show in a large New York hotel, and is feverishly rehearsing them for opening night. Along comes the young writer Glenn Russell, and it transpires that the kid can sing ...

A frivolous, fizzing little musical from RKO Radio, "Step Lively" doesn't even pretend to be sensible. The frenetic farce is augmented by workmanlike songs from Cahn and Styne, two numbers standing out as better-than-average - "Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are" and "As Long As There's Music". Both are staged impressively.

"Come Out" gets the full production treatment, with Gloria De Haven heading a floorshow-style ensemble. "As Long" is the big finale, with two pieces of silver-screen magic. Gloria walks down a beam of light, and the chorus line have striking black-and-white gowns which enable them to 'disappear' impressively.

The sets are fun. Glenn walks Christine home to her brownstone, and the couple is tracked by a neat crane shot. When Glenn runs out of the hotel, we see him sprint away from the camera, down the sweeping staircase, across the lobby and out through the revolving door. Now that's what I call a set.

Frank Sinatra had made his name fronting the big bands, and now he was making the transition to independent actor-singer. He is good in the role of Glenn, the jeun-naif, but clearly lacking the poise of later years.

Gloria De Haven (Christine) began her movie career eight years before this film, appearing as Paulette Goddard's sister in Chaplin's "Modern Times". She was still showing up in TV movies two years ago. How many actors working today have resumes dating back to the silent era? She is pretty and engaging as Christine, the romantic lead.

"Step Lively" is a curiously old-fashioned musical. It is almost as if RKO was trying to hark back to its heyday of a decade earlier, and the 'come on kids, let's rehearse a show' approach. Compared with "Meet Me In St Louis", it seems a cinematic dinosaur, and yet both were made in the same year.

Verdict - A light-hearted, if light-headed, musical that was already old-fashioned in 1944.

An uneven script plagues "Step Lively", which, despite the addition of songs, cannot even live up to the entertainment value of "Room Service", the Marx Brothers comedy that came first. But manic does not equal madcap. And frenzied does not equal funny. And George Murphy is no Groucho Marx.

The best parts of the film are the Sinatra stylings and some of the onstage performances within the film. But Frank is underused. He had not yet been recognized for his filmic appeal. And those elements of the onstage song and dance numbers that are visually arresting are undermined by more numerous examples of special effects and editing decisions that fail. It's all very hit or miss.

No doubt the teen bobby-soxers of 1945 appreciated Frank's cinematic charisma and his smooth crooning, and were able to ignore the rest of the film. But as we now view it within the context of his entire film career, it can only be viewed as anemic.

"Step Lively" from 1944 is a fun, energetic musical, based on the play Room Service. It's the story of a broke producer, Gordon Miller (George Murphy) housing his actors in a hotel. The actors sign for everything to the consternation of the manager (Walter Slezak), who has to answer to the owner (Adolphe Menjou). Miller has an investor on the line but with no money yet, he has to keep making promises he can't keep.

Along comes Glenn Russell (Frank Sinatra), a serious playwright who sent Miller his script and $1500 so it could be produced. Miller hasn't produced the play, and he doesn't have the $1500. He is charmed by Miller's girlfriend and star of Miller's show, Christine (Gloria de Haven). And at dinner that evening, after watching Christine's show at the hotel, guess what, Glenn Russell sings like Sinatra! The next day, Miller stages a fake rehearsal of what is an awful play, and the man representing the potential backer (Eugene Palette) sees that rehearsal with the benefactor's girlfriend, a Miss Abbott (Anne Jeffries) and is not impressed. As a diversion, Christine has Glenn sing through a song. Abbott falls in love, and it at last looks like Miller will get his investor.

This is a charming musical with a great young cast. It's easy to see why girls were mad over Sinatra - skinny, his suits just a little too big, those huge eyes, gentle manner and romantic singing voice - he is captivating. He sings "Where Does Love Begin," "As Long as There's Music," "Some Other Time," and "Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You are," some with the pretty De Haven, who does a lovely job. Walter Slezak is a scream as the put-upon Gribble, and Menjou is appropriately grumpy as the owner of the hotel.

Anne Jeffries is stunning, as she remains today, but I'm curious if her age could possibly be correct. She was supposedly born in 1923 to De Haven's 1925; that makes De Haven 19 in this film and Jeffries 21. I doubt it. The woman defies gravity, age, and everything else and if she's even older than 87 - wow! Lots of fun and nice to see the immature, sweet version of "Frankie."