Steineded
How sad is this?
ShangLuda
Admirable film.
Fleur
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
richard-1787
I can't remember the last time I saw such a wonderful, talented cast in such a forgettable movie. Take a look at that cast: Red Skelton, Howard Keel, Marge and Gower Champion, Ann Miller, even Zsa Zsa Gabor (and yes, I'm leaving out Grayson intentionally; she was not that talented). But the script is God-awful, and nothing works. What was the point of redoing a very exceptional previous movie, the 1930s Roberta with Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rodgers - and yes, Randolph Scott - if you weren't going to do something at least as good? Grayson can't hold a candle to Dunne when it comes to singing the big numbers in the show - Yesterdays, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes; they don't trust her with You're Lovely to Look At, and give it to the chorus instead - and she certainly was not in Dunne's league as an actress. The Champions do a beautiful dance number with Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which is probably the highlight of the movie, but they don't have any charisma as actors. Keel is a great singer and has real charisma as an actor, but he's largely wasted here, as is Skelton, who has an embarrassing comedy number.If you know the 1930s Roberta, this will make you cringe. If you don't, it still won't hold your interest.Why they bothered with this, I don't know. Everyone in it did much better elsewhere.
sschimel
This is a very loose remake of The wonderful "Roberta", one of Jerome Kern's finest Broadway shows. The original movie starred Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Irene Dunne (in one of her finest singing roles on screen, the other being the original "Showboat"). There is absolutely no comparison between these movies. The original is really a fabulous Art Deco wonder, and includes a fashion show near the end, during which an extremely young, very blond Lucille Ball can be seen as a model. Skip this horrible movie and see the original in all of its splendor. As much as I love Ann Miller and Kathryn Grayson, this is far from their best work, and I simply cannot stand Red Skelton.
sloflyer
Typical MGM treatment. Not much plot but the musical numbers are beautifully staged and the whole production is much more enjoyable than the Astaire-Rogers version. Grayson and Keel blend well in their duets and Ann Miller is in top form. Marge and Gower Champion have a field day in their roles and certainly deserve the praises they received during their time together. Red Skelton was always a class act and this role is no exception.
LaDiva
A lackluster reworking of Jerome Kern's "Roberta" threw the original plot out through the window, and the magic with it. What we are left with is no plot and mediocre interpretations of the music. None of the stars are in top-drawer form, and Red Skelton is enough reason to miss this film altogether. Skip this one and go straight for the Rogers-Astaire version, "Roberta".
