The Time, the Place and the Girl

While THE TIME, THE PLACE AND THE GIRL never rises above being a pleasant little "let's put on a show" musical, it does feature a few sprightly song numbers that are easy on the eyes and ears--and all of the performances are genial and appealing.

Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson are ideal as show biz guys willing to put something over on Martha Vickers in order to get backing for their enterprise. Vickers comes across as even more appealing than she was in THE BIG SLEEP as the nymphomaniacal daughter. And for good measure, there's the always vivacious Janis Paige doing her standard musical comedy thing with finesse. Donald Woods does a standout job as the stuffy tutor of musical pupil Vickers.

Comic relief from Florence Bates and S.Z. Sakall is a big help--especially since the script itself is none too witty. But what really makes the film a special delight are the handsome production values which went into this formula musical and two outstanding songs that are given first-rate treatment: A GIRL FROM CALICO and A RAINY NIGHT IN RIO.

If you like backstage musicals, you'll enjoy this minor delight.

What can be said about this WB boxoffice hit of 1946? The word inconsequential comes to mind. The formula for the WB musical is in full effect here, slight, fluffy story, plain and unsubtle vaudeville pastiche and affable leading men with slightly jarring crooning voices, a couple of hit songs by the top writers of the day and the best of them in the WB movies, impressively photographed, lit and well executed musical numbers to match the songs. If this is your cup of tea, so be it. Carson and Morgan do have a Crosby/hope chemistry and were supposed to be WB answer to the Road movies. They made a couple more but the success waned creating the end of the team.

Pleasant musical, colorfully produced, but with more plot and talk than necessary for a musical. The plot's well worn—the guys and gals want to put on a musical in spite of a couple of killjoys (Bates & Woods). Seems the money needed for the show keeps getting passed around between good guys and not-so-good guys. Anyway, count on Morgan and Carson to get things right. The musical numbers are eye-catching, especially the rope-twirling "Calico", along with tap-dancing whirlwinds the Condo Brothers. I expect one reason for the talk is the large number of featured players, from Morgan to Bates. Each name player has to get enough dialogue to maintain status and pay-rate.

This is still early in the Morgan-Carson pairing, so fans may be disappointed they don't get more shtick. Nonetheless, their chemistry shows promise. And, of course, there's Cuddles Sakall doing his ain't-I-adorable bit, which of course he is. But the real surprise, to me at least, is noir vamp Martha Vickers. None of that here; instead, she shines in a sparkly role I would never have suspected. Too bad she never rose to the level her talent clearly warranted. For those fans of 40's women's big hats, catch Paige's menacing flower combo early on. I'm surprised the actress kept her head.

Anyway, it's an eye-catching 100-minutes, and if not memorable, at least entertaining.

For what it is, and it is simply a well crafted ball of fluff, THE TIME,THE PLACE and the GIRL is a delight. From Dennis Morgan crooning to Jack Carson clowning there are worse ways to spend a few hours. Best though is the Arthur Schwartz score with RAINY NIGHT IN RIO and A GAL IN CALICO rolling around in your brain days after the film is over. Check your brain at the door and sit back and relax. THE TIME THE PLACE AND THE GIRL is a real old fashioned charmer!!!!!!!!!!

My Mother, Martha Vickers was in this wonderful movie , that I love to this day and still sing " Met a Gal In Calico"...I lost my mother Martha when I was 16 and now I will be 50 in June...so many moons ago but I can still get this movie to view at Eddie Brandts on Vineland and watch it and smile and still sing the songs from this wonderful movie....as it is her best I feel she has done....even better then the Big Sleep!....go and get it and enjoy!... This movie was never put on video but you can get it from Eddie Brandt on Vineland as long as you rent another movie...so if you are there then get my mothers other movie, " That Way with women" another great classic and then you get these two for free and just have to rent tow other movies..do it!...