April in Paris

This is a pleasant but basically forgettable musical from a decade that produced far better. The performers are all talented and have done much better elsewhere; they are not to blame. The script is basically boring, and the title very misleading: only the last 15 minutes or so of the movie takes place in Paris. And when it does, it's all painted backdrops. We never really get to Paris.

What I found interesting was the post-WW II notion that Americans are very up-tight, especially sexually, and that a trip to Paris could do wonders to loosen them up. (This idea is well presented in the great 1948 Billy Wilder movie, "A Foreign Affair," though there Paris is not the answer, it's just getting out of the American mindset and encountering Europeans.) One of the bright spots of the movie is Doris Day's dance-and-sing number on the ship, "I'm gonna ring the bell tonight," when she encounters the "joie de vivre" of the French crew on the ocean liner and starts to loosen up herself.

For what it's worth, the setting for this number seems to have been taken from a Jane Powell movie from four years before, *Luxury Liner*. Jane's character does an interesting - but not as interesting - number in the kitchen of the title's luxury liner with the kitchen staff early in the movie.

Later, there is a decent number with Day and the Frenchman, Philippe Fouquet (Claude Dauphin, playing the role that Georges Guétary had played so much better the year before in "An American in Paris") in which the appeal and disappointments of Paris are sketched out.

In sum, this is a pretty forgettable movie: forgettable music, certainly, forgettable dialog mostly (though there are a few nasty lines between Day and her female rival), unremarkable story - you never believe there is any real feeling between Ray Bolger and Day - forgettable if energetic dancing. Coming a year after "An American in Paris" - and no doubt meant to play off the success of that movie - this is pretty much a letdown. Even the scenes of Paris are fake.

Doris Day is fun in this movie. Her smile lights up the screen, her rendition of the title song is not corny- it is terrific. Her dancing is vivacious and guaranteed to brighten up your day.

Bolger's dancing is a bit vaudevillian but has a happy uniqueness that is very watchable. Many of his moves are like a series of "controlled falls" that require tremendous balance- this is harder than it looks. On the other hand some of his dance is very above-average tap or two-step. Overall he seems to combine a lot into his different routines. As a bonus, his acting is not bad and better than you might expect.

This film suffers from cheapness and a nothing plot, but is overcome by exceptional talent and charm by all the cast. Who cares if it is cheap and set-bound? The results are entertaining and that's the true bottom line.

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.

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

First off, I am a huge Doris fan and I thought this movie was not one of her best (her own autobiography said she wanted someone different for the choreography...but I thought that was the best part). Doris is always good but the movie might have looked better if we saw some of the real Paris and why not show off some of the fashions sung about and actually see real settings.

Ray Bolger was NOT Fred Astaire but he sure is energetic. There was no real spark between Ray and Doris (who is excellent in the "Rock the Boat" number in the Cruiseliner's kitchen).

I bought this inexpensively from Ken Cranes on Laserdisc and Doris looks terrific as always. From what I've read Ray had some trouble with the director who accused him of trying to upstage Doris on camera - as if that were ever possible.

My advice...rent TEA FOR TWO instead.