April in Paris

Before seeing April in Paris I saw a fair few bad things written about it, about Ray Bolger being miscast, the story being disposable and the songs being weak. As someone who liked Doris Day, I went ahead and watched it anyhow. The criticisms are understandable actually, but April in Paris is not as bad as it has been made out to be and is hardly a film without redeeming qualities. Ray Bolger is not really the ideal lead role for Day, he was a likable comic actor when his skills were used well but he is too old here and is more supporting comic role actor than leading man. He and Day don't have very much chemistry either, or one that is completely natural. The story is toilet-paper-thin and contrived- true that not many musicals of that particular time had particularly great stories, but there are not many that are as redundant as the story here- and while there are nice snappy moments the wit and satire in the script isn't sharp enough. April in Paris doesn't look too bad though, one does wish that real Parisian locations and more Parisian fashions were seen and some of the sets are on the garish side but the photography is still attractive and Day's dresses are lovely. The songs are definitely not weak either, "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight", "April in Paris" and "That's What Makes Paris Par-ee" are simply beautiful songs and while not quite as great the other songs work. While Bolger is not leading man material and his strengths are not really used, his dancing is very light-as-a-feather and he looks very comfortable doing it. Charles Dauphin is charming too, while the choreography and dance routines are at least well-staged and put you in a good mood. Day is the best thing about the film, her singing is just enchantingly beautiful, she's completely at ease and she lights up the screen in everything she does from smiling, dancing, singing and acting. Overall, not a great film but while the criticisms are valid it is better than given credit for and Day is fabulous. 6/10 Bethany Cox

A late-night viewing of this period piece shows it to be a charming and amusing glimpse into an earlier time. Doris Day holds up well, brightly singing, dancing, and portraying the all-American girl with gumption. Bolger's dancing is phenomenal, but the chemistry between them is not really there; it's hard to believe they really like each other very much. The costumes are outrageous in a campy way - almost Busby Berkley level synchronized dance scenes. A fashion-show scene shows overdone eccentric outfits in various colors, with French poodles dyed to match. In the last musical scene, Doris starts out with a floor-length gold cape with mini-pleats radiating from her shoulders; and then takes it off to show a bare midriff any current teenager would be proud of. The movie opens with some vintage scenes (current to the time of the film) of Washington DC, complete with streetcars. But the most anachronistic element is the main theme of the plot, which revolves around Bolger and Day coming close to sleeping together, thinking they are legally married, when in fact (horrors!!) they're not. In summary, it's a great combination of lightweight plot, eye candy, good music and a few laugh-out-loud lines, wrapped in the relative innocence of the fifties.

Easily the worst film Doris Day ever made. She plays a brassy show girl from New York who is mistakenly invited to represent the USA at a cultural shindig in Paris. The stuff-shirt dope who made the error is played by Ray Bolger (nearly 20 years Day's senior). Neither Day nor Bolger manage to stay in character.

Title song aside, all the other songs stink. Claude Daupin occupies a dumb subplot about a Frenchman trying to get home without any money to pay for a passage on the ocean liner ... even though he's a famous impresario. Paul Harvey plays the senior US official and Eve Miller (she's terrible) plays his daughter who's supposedly engaged to Bolger.

Day and Bolger did not get along during production and it shows. Even under the best of circumstances, it's unlikely there would have been any chemistry between them. Bolger had a reputation for upstaging his fellow performers and acting like a prima donna. Having said that, it's amazing how many off-key notes he hits in his opening song-and-dance number. Painful.

Bolger had made a hit on Broadway with 1948's "Where's Charley?" and he starred in the film version the same year he made this film with Day. It was his last starring role in a film.

The cheesy sets and lackluster supporting cast add to the misery. Director David Butler, who had been an actor in silent films, directed Day in several other films with much better results. Bolger seems to be the fly in the ointment.

True, even for the breezy 1950s, the plot for this musical is as light as a feather--but if you are a DORIS DAY fan, as I certainly was during these early Day films at Warner Bros., you'll be enchanted by her way with a song--particularly "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight", "April in Paris" and "That's What Makes Paris Par-ee". And on top of that, she excels in all of her dance routines, even those in which RAY BOLGER clearly has the spotlight to himself.

It's one of those mistaken identity plots that Warners used extensively throughout the '40s and '50s, something about a showgirl being mistaken for a diplomat and mistakenly invited to represent the U.S. at a French festival. Naturally, all is straightened out in time for a happy ending although I can't say I detected any real chemistry between Bolger and Day--even in a musical where logic doesn't really matter.

The dances staged by LeRoy Prinz are not the best, but there are some cheerful, well staged moments when Bolger gets to do his tap routines and limber legged dancing. All in all, it passes the time pleasantly if you have a weakness for musicals the way they were in the '50s. And Doris proves that singing wasn't her only asset. Her dancing is also very professional (and not surprisingly, she intended to become a dancer before an accident ruined her plans and she switched to singing).

This picture was made when Doris Day was "Doris Day", that fresh-faced, delightful blond singer who lit up the screen with her beautiful smile and glorious singing.

"April in Paris", directed by David Butler was a colorful, joyous romp for Doris Day and Ray Bolger. Mr. Bolger has been criticized for not being a suitable co-star for Miss Day, but I felt he did a credible job in the picture. No, he was not handsome, like Rock Hudson, but Rock couldn't DANCE like Bolger!

And dance up a storm, he does! I enjoyed his acrobatic dance routines in "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight" and the political-themed dance with former Presidents' portraits, coming to life to dance with Bolger.

Doris Day, as Ethel "Dynamite" Jackson, a chorus girl, who is mistakenly chosen, instead of Ethel Barrymore, to represent America at a Paris Festival, is energetic and bouncy and mostly delightful. Her rendition of "April in Paris" was hauntingly beautiful and the highlight of the film.

The nicely staged, "It Must Be Him" also showcased Miss Day's glorious voice and dancing skills as did "That's What Makes Paris Paree".

Claude Dauphin lugubriously reprises the title tune in a side-walk cafe with the wind blowing bitterly while he sings the song to Doris Day.

To my knowledge, this is the only occasion in which Doris Day has a fist fight on the screen! If you can believe it, she was battling over Ray Bolger with Eve Miller, who also had the illusion that Bolger was "Clark Gable".

In the aforementioned, "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight", Doris Day opens the number with some rousing singing and later joins Bolger for some fancy footwork.

If you love Doris Day, you'll like this picture. As usual, there was able support by veteran actors like Paul Harvey, who later played "Henry Miller", proprietor of the Golden Garter in "Calamity Jane".