Betty Grable’s Greatest: ‘Mother Wore Tights’ 1947

Dan Dailey & Betty Grable shine as a showbiz couple in 1947's "Mother Wore Tights."

The musical comedy/drama Mother Wore Tights was of Betty Grable's greatest hits and the biggest movie for 20^th Century Fox in 1947, next to Forever Amber. The Betty Grable vehicle was a big break for Dan Dailey, whose mugging was perfect for this movie’s leading man character. Betty and Dan had such strong chemistry that they were re-teamed three more times.

"Mother Wore Tights" was the first of four pairings of Betty Grable & Dan Dailey.

Based on a popular memoir by Miriam Young, Mother Wore Tights had the same flavor as Cheaper by the Dozen, a look at opposites-attract parents, viewed through the eyes of their children. Fox star Anne Baxter narrated the film with her insinuating voice, as the adult version of the oldest daughter.

Betty Grable's genuine warmth comes through in the scenes with her movie "family"
 in 1947's "Mother Wore Tights." With Mona Freeman as her oldest daughter.

Grable is at her likable best in Mother Wore Tights, especially the scenes where she’s interacting with her movie family. As Myrtle McKinley Burt, Betty’s character is ambitious and enjoys her career, though she prefers home life. But husband Frank Burt, while he loves an audience, also enjoys his wife as an on-stage partner. The two extrovert personalities strike sparks and sometimes fireworks. But the Burts adore each other and their stage act. It’s fun to see a couple where the wife is the wise, practical one—and here, Dailey’s Frank seems like a big kid at times—though a loveable one.

Dan Dailey looks downright boyish as the hoofer with the hots for Betty Grable,
in 1947's "Mother Wore Tights." Dailey & Grable make a winning team!

Dan Dailey is a terrific hoofer and musical performer here. I usually find Dailey rather repellent in the vein of Jerry Lewis and Milton Berle, but Dan is still young and fresh here, and his character is written to be a ham, so it works. Dailey is excellent in both the comedic and serious scenes, and he and Grable make a most believable film couple. As with many golden era stars, I first saw Dan Dailey in his later years, when hard living made him look very rough. It was a bit of a jolt to see him as fit and those blue eyes clear and alive. Dailey is a very energetic dancer and Betty Grable gives her all, so their performing of nostalgic vaudeville numbers are highly entertaining.

A sweet scene in "Mother Wore Tights," when Grable's Myrt informs Dailey's Frank
 that their going to have an addition in their show biz family.

Mother Wore Tights boasts a great back up cast: William Frawley as the producer in the opening scenes; Veda Van Borg as the tough chorus girl pal of Grable; and Sara Allgood as Betty's no-nonsense grandmother. Lee Patrick shows up for an entertaining musical/comedy bit on the train, and Ruth Nelson, who played John Garfield’s mother so memorably in Humoresque, is the kindly school headmaster. These are just a few of the many familiar faces in this film.

The Burt girls are sometimes mortified by their extrovert parents in "Mother Wore Tights."

Mona Freeman and Connie Marshall are endearing as Iris and Mikie Burt, Myrtle and Frank’s daughters. While playing to the era’s “adorable” juvenile mold, they’re still quite good and you really care about them. Robert Arthur is utterly adorable as the young man in love with Iris. After his acting career, Arthur went on to become a gay activist, particularly for seniors.

Robert Arthur was a charmer as the Burts' eldest daughter's beau in
1947's "Mother Wore Tights."

It's been said that Betty didn't want challenging material or leading men. I think that may be exaggerated. While Betty didn't want to do heavy drama like The Razor's Edge, which studio head Darryl F. Zanuck wanted her for, Grable may have welcomed variety within the formula pictures. Mother Wore Tights is a great example, and is said to be Betty's favorite movie. I can see why. Betty was at the height of her movie stardom, and her new marriage to Harry James was now blossoming into a family. As for leading men, usually female stars that carried a film didn't get their equals as leading men. Fox's top leading men did heavy drama, like Dana Andrews and Henry Fonda. Power had done his duty in musicals in the '30s. So Betty was often paired with Don Ameche or John Payne. That's why a pistol like Dan Dailey was a breath of fresh air. 

"Mother Wore Tights" is forward-thinking for 1947 in depicting the showbiz couple
 mixing career and family.

The story in Mother Wore Tights goes to some interesting places for a '40s movie, like working parents, and how kids cope when their show biz parents aren't around. The rapport between Betty and Dan really carries this picture, and you totally believe them as this dynamic couple who are also devoted parents.

Betty Grable as a high school senior at the start of "Mother Wore Tights" is a bit much, though Betty at 31 plays the mother of teens through half of the movie.

Though it was not uncommon for stars to play young versions of themselves, Betty Grable as a high school senior at 31 was perhaps a bit of a stretch. But Grable was not vain in the least, and happily played the mother of teens in the latter portion of the movie. Betty was pregnant during this movie and I think they may have filmed Mother Wore Tights in sequence as much as possible; in Grable's last big number, her waist is noticeably larger. That’s how they rolled in the days of stars making several films per year. Orry-Kelly shined when he designed for period films and has a field day here. Betty wears some lovely off-stage costumes in particular and in unusual but flattering colors for the blue-eyed blonde.

Betty Grable wears some stylish Orry-Kelly costumes in "Mother Wore Tights."

Mother Wore Tights is old-fashioned and sentimental but in a natural way, and is leavened by some authentic moments about parents and kids. A terrific cast, nostalgic songs, solid story, and superb production all make for a feel-good movie!

A tender moment at the finale of "Mother Wore Tights," the Burts watching their
 daughter perform their signature stage number.

Here's my look at the movie that made Betty a 20th Century Fox star!  https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2023/07/betty-grable-found-stardom-down.html

Betty Grable Found Stardom 'Down Argentine Way’ 1940

 

Betty Grable got the call to stardom in 20th Century Fox's "Down Argentine Way."

After years of toiling away as a child performer and later a starlet in B-musicals, Betty Grable became a bonafide star at the ripe old age of 24 in 20th Century Fox's Down Argentine Way in 1940. 

Ironically, Fox honcho Darryl F. Zanuck saw her not in one of her collegiate musicals, but on Broadway in DuBarry Was a Lady. Zanuck was wowed by her sparkling personality. When Fox’s reigning musical star Alice Faye had to drop out of Down Argentine Way due to illness, Grable was brought in and a star was born.

Betty Grable's first leading lady role in an "A" movie, "Down Argentine Way."

Frankly, I was unfamiliar with Betty Grable onscreen. I knew that she was Fox's biggest female star and specialized in musicals, but the only movie I ever saw her in was the comedy How to Marry a Millionaire, near the end of her career. For decades, I thought Grable’s musicals sounded silly, and critics usually brushed her off, compared to other golden era beauties and musical stars.

Within two years, Betty would get top billing.

I was pleasantly surprised. I recalled a friend who watched Betty Grable movies back in the '80s to take her mind off two pregnancies. Now this pal was a very no-nonsense and modern woman, but she found Grable very cute and charming, and the movies just plain fun. Okay, so it took me awhile to catch up!

Betty Grable & Don Ameche make a fine pair in 1940's "Down Argentine Way."

Fox musicals were mostly interchangeable, with often the same casts, directors, songwriters, designers, etc. And yes, the “good neighbor” policy that studios sought to promote flew in the face of Hollywood stereotyping. But everyone is a stereotype in these cartoonish musicals: the spoiled rich girl or likeable gold digger, the playboy leading man, the rich stuffed shirts, and the comic relief supporting cast. Still, Argentina wasn’t thrilled with Hollywood’s representation of their citizens. But they are the epitome of ‘40s escapist entertainment, especially during war time. 

All-American girl Betty Grable with Argentinean characters played by white actors.
20th Century Fox's first "good neighbor policy" film, 1940's "Down Argentine Way."

 

The premise of Down Argentine Way is simple. Don Ameche’s horse breeder brings his horse to a New York racing event to sell. But his father forbids him to sell to Betty Grable, because of a long ago feud with her family. This creates tension between the two young folks. But never fear, after much bickering and bantering, a happy ending is celebrated with music and dance!

What a treat watching Betty Grable perform. In terms of looks, Betty was somewhere between Lana Turner and Ginger Rogers. Betty was pretty in a normal, accessible way. Grable wasn't the perfect platinum blonde like Lana, but she had a sassy, girl next door quality, and she didn't become mannered as Ginger Rogers gradually did. While many noted Grable didn't try to extend her range into more substantial roles, I found her acting surprisingly contemporary and natural, especially for the era. Betty was no Judy Garland as a singer or Eleanor Powell as a dancer, but Betty's voice was substantial enough to not be dubbed like so many glamour girls of the era and her dancing seemed skilled and energetic. And Gable was glamorous enough to wear those Travis Banton gowns with ease.

In an era when many glamour girls' dancing was swanning and singing
was dubbed, Betty Grable was an energetic dancer and very pleasant singer.

Here, Grable gets her first leading lady in an “A” picture and scored a home run at new studio Fox. And for nearly 15 years, Betty was Fox's top leading lady. Betty Grable was gradually replaced by Marilyn Monroe by the mid-50s. At that point, Betty had enough of films, anyway.

Betty Grable plays the rich girl who wants Don Ameche's race horse in 1940's 
"Down Argentine Way."

Down Argentine Way is not Betty's best picture by a long shot. The plot is especially paper thin, and the stereotypes are very dated and offensive to some. The one big song, the title tune, gets played three times, at least! But this picture is significant because it was the first Fox "good neighbor" film, for better or worse. Second, it was Carmen Miranda's first American picture. Finally, this was Grable's first big hit at Fox. Betty was almost always in the Top Ten list of Box Office Stars, 10 years consecutively from 1942-52. The only female star of the golden era that popular with the public was Doris Day, who had the edge over Betty in that Doris had a great singing career. Though Marilyn replaced Betty as the "new blonde" at Fox, it was really Doris Day who took over as movies' singing and dancing "girl next door."

Don Ameche was dapper, charming, and with a pleasant singing voice,
in 20th Century Fox's "Down Argentine Way," from 1940.

Don Ameche, half-Italian, was cast as an Argentinean playboy with an eye for horses and the ladies. Ameche is attractive, charming, and sings quite well. Ameche also has a relaxed chemistry with Grable. Charlotte Greenwood gets to do her comedic dancing shtick and this is her first of several films with Grable. A veteran cast of white actors pretend to be from Argentina! Henry Stephenson as Ameche’s papa was British, Leonid Kinskey was Russian, J. Carrol Naish was Irish, etc. Carmen Miranda, who was stuck in New York City with a nightclub contract, sings three stand-alone numbers. She was a big hit with Americans, but singing in Portuguese while presented as an Argentinean, did not endear the latter country.

Carmen Miranda had three numbers, one costume, all filmed separately in NYC,
for 1940's "Down Argentine Way." That would soon change!

Typical of these films, there was some location filming for establishing scenery, but the stars filmed on the studio lot, joined by rear projection. This added to the overall inauthentic nature of Down Argentine Way, when it was supposed to wow our neighbors from down under.

20th Century Fox musicals always had happy endings! "Down Argentine Way."

The Travis Banton gowns are over the top gorgeous for Betty Grable, who has the figure and confidence to wear them. Fox's gaudy color must have made Technicolor gurus Natalie and Herbert Kalmus very happy.

Charlotte Greenwood, doing her trademark high kicks, in "Down Argentine Way."

The amazing Nicholas Brothers do their acrobatic dancing in "Down Argentine Way."

If you can overlook the flaws of another era in film, Down Argentine Way offers colorful, high spirited fun. Most of all, it showcases Betty Grable in her ingratiating introduction to stardom.

Betty Grable, beloved in the war era for her high spirits, likability, and famed legs!