April in Paris

[brianfellows]

How do you rate "April in Paris"?


http://www.dorisday.net/april_in_paris.html

Could people please leave me (webmaster) to set up the films in this section.

Brian* wrote:
This film was such a disappointment. Ray Polger was so bad. His singing was laughable. Doris needed a real man! I shall not watch this one again. Dreadful.

* Not Bryan the webmaster, who enjoyed the film and Ray Bolger - remember Wizard of Oz?

[howard]

I don't care for this one at all. Absolutely no chemistry between Doris and Ray Bolger. He's a good dancer, but he's holding the wrong partner here! I give it a rating of "poor." It's a tie for worst picture between this one and "Do Not Disturb."

[Jas1]

You are so right Lauren about the little scenes even in our least favourite films. I am very critical about Doris' performance in Move Over Darling (I know many who love this one) - but the scene around the pool with Jimmy where she tells him he has done a wonderful job bringing up the girls is so understated (amist all the over the top stuff) and I love it!

[webmaster]

I rather like the film. True it's not "Singing in the Rain" but it has a certain Warner Bros musical charm that was popular at the time.

As for Ray Bolger, I agree with Ralph's review:

"Many felt that her co-star, Ray Bolger, was not a suitable leading man and that Fred Astaire would have been more appropriate. I disagree, not because I don't think that Doris and Fred would have been wonderful together, but because I like Ray Bolger so much. He was one of the five or six best male dancers the movies have ever known. No, he was no Rock Hudson or John Gavin, in the looks department, but neither was Fred Astaire. "

[Ken]

I rate this as average as I can't see Ray Bolger as Doris' leading man. He was very good in other roles but this was not for him.I enjoyed the songs Doris did. I'd place this one toward the bottom of my list.

[Debbi Austen]

I love this film. A few years ago, I didn't know DD made films before the sixties. When I saw Dynamite Jackson (DD), I thought wow, she is dynamite! She looked so beautiful.

Ok, we need someone who is kind of a nerd, funny and can really dance. I thought Ray Bolger was perfect for this film. His acting was wonderful.
Ok, he is not handsome, but what's funnier two girls chasing after homily man? If D D didn't think he was attractive, she sure didn't show it. (she is one great actress). I liked DD's dancing, but still liked her dancing in Tea For Two and LOB better.

[Jeroen]

Hello everybody

You can now go to Amazon.com and vote to have April in Paris released on DVD. Use the following link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005 ... ance&n=130
and learn all about the how or why.

Greetz from Belgium
Jeroen

[webmaster]

I rather like it - surprised you rate it as bad as "Do Not Disturb", Howard.

You can 'vote' for it on Amazon as Jeroen says above or click on the title for info and reviews - mostly very positive:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/br ... 37-3679860

[howard]

Bryan: I can't put my finger on it, but I find AIP a chore to get through. Like I said, no chemistry at all between Doris and Bolger ... the story is too silly for words ... the scene between DD & RB as they go into the wrong cabins goes on forever, and drives me nuts! I do like the "Rock the Boat", "April in Paris," and "That's What Makes Paris Paree" numbers, so I guess I was hasty in saying it's as bad as DND. It has it's moments, but they're too few and far between. That about says it!

[Ralph]

Wow...I agree with everything that Howard said. I like the color, Doris' hair, her flawless rendition of "April in Paris," "That's What Makes Paris Paree" and I thought Doris very "randy" in the "It Must Be Good" number.

Day did what she could with Ray Bolger as a co-star, but nobody bought it that Doris Day could ever fall for someone like Bolger. He was a great dancer and his solo with the pictures come to life, was marvelous.

It was nice to see "Henry Miller" playing the irate councilman who accompanied "Dynamite" on her boat ride.

The version of "April In Paris" out today, omits a whole dance sequence between Doris and Bolger. It was sort of a "ballet." Doe anyone remember that?

[bluebird1115]

Ralph~

Can you explain "randy"?

Lauren

ran·dy ran·di·er, ran·di·est

1.
1. Lascivious; lecherous.
2. Of or characterized by frank, uninhibited sexuality.
2. Scots. Ill-mannered.

[DorisDayFanatic]

I also never cared for April In Paris, too much. Doris and Ray just had no chemistry. Granted though the dancing was fun, and there were some good songs. And the unforgettable # "That's What Makes Paris Paree" was truly classic. Shame that Gordon MacRae didn't portray Ray Bolgers role, now that would have been fantastic.

[Debbi Austen]

It suprises me that people can accept that Doris fell for Danny Thomas in I'll See You in My Dreams but can not accept her with Ray Bolger. Even though I would not think that they would be a likely pair, I can not get over how Doris acted like she was absolutely in love with those two men. This has to be a credit to her great acting

[howard]

Debbi wrote:

"It suprises me that people can accept that Doris fell for Danny Thomas in I'll See You in My Dreams but can not accept her with Ray Bolger."

Ray Bolger had an abrasive personality ... all sharp edges. Danny Thomas, however, had one important thing that Bolger lacked .... WARMTH. He had a warm, winning way about him. I could understand DD going for his charms.

[Ralph]

Danny Thomas wasn't "bad." He was rather handsome if you can ignore that nose! He had nice black hair, a kind face and an innocence bordering on participating in an x-rated movie. I certainly see how Day would be "curious" about Thomas and NOT about Bolger (zero sex appeal).

Just look at Marty Melcher! Many times, I pictured Doris with Jeff Chandler or some other hunky movie star. But, who knows? Beautiful women often pick men who look like they belong on the board of directors at Merril-Lynch. Lovely Debbie Reynolds married such a man.

Movie actresses who married "hunks" had problems with them...mainly with OTHER WOMEN!

[webmaster]

Candidates for DVD are odd, long list:

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635212131,00.html

[Ralph]

Seems that Doris' handsome husbands and "in-betweens" all came *after* Marty. Just my opinion.

Lauren

Both Al Jorden and George Weidler were "darkly handsome." And, when he was young, Marty Melcher wasn't a "dog."

When Julia Roberts married that homely singer, what's his name. Lyle Lovett? I was praying that she wouldn't get pregnant...she's not that goodlooking without makeup. Her brother, Eric Roberts got the looks in that family.

Shirley MacLaine was pixie and kinda cute, but her brother, Warren Beatty outshown her in the looks department.

I know that make-up makes the ladies beautiful and you wouldn't recognize them without it, but Debbie Reynolds and Janet Leigh were very lovely stars, but their daughters didn't measure up to their mothers' glamour.

[Jas1]

Ralph, I agree about Miss Day's husbands - the first two were very good looking (as was the last) and some pictures of Mr Melcher he looks good in and in others, not so! I would imagine what was more important to Doris was the character, the humour and the passion!!!!!

[Ralph]

I love this film. A few years ago, I didn't know DD made films before the sixties. When I saw Dynamite Jackson (DD), I thought wow, she is dynamite! She looked so beautiful. I have to say though the costumes were a different color in this film than in the picture Bryan posted. Has this film been colorized?

No, it was not colorized. It was shot in blazing Technicolor. The only "colorized" picture I've seen of Doris Day's was "Julie." I think I have it somewhere.

[webmaster]

April in Paris..
Who can I run to..
What have you done to..
my heart?

I agree with Debbie.

Put it this way, which would you rather watch (again): "The Shining", "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure", etc - no that's not a fair comparison - more the films of that period. I turned on this film called "Summer Stock" on TCM with Judy Garland - she was singing this terrible song (in the shower) for an opener, something about being happy - it was so bad I turned over before the song ended. I know she was great in "The Wizard of Oz" but here she was terrible in a run-of-the-mill musical that Doris always managed so well with a voice that made you listen rather than "this is too much". Like "The Doris Day Show" it probably got better as you watched it but sometimes you don't have the patience.

Anyway, Ralph, I thought you liked this film from your review (I'll have to read it again) and stuck up for Ray Bolger. We can't all be beautiful all the time and I like 'unconventional' looks anyway.

I'd like to see "Julie" in colour. Can you send us all a copy?

[Ralph]

I have seen Judy Garland, Jane Powell, Alice Faye, Betty Grable in musiclals and the music was awful. Everybody cannot do musicals!

Doris Day, however, had the ability to make practically any song sound good. I certainly wasn't in love with "Bluebelles of Broadway," but there were some great tunes in "Lucky Me." It was fun watching Doris work with Phil Silvers. And, her ballad, "Love You Dearly" was sung with tremendous feeling. The hit record from that picture, of course, was "I Speak To The Stars," but, for me, the showstoppers were "The Supersition Song" and "I Wanna Sing Like An Angel."

[nelson]

Ralph

I agree with you on Superstition and Angel. Naturally, the two songs that have never been released on any record or CD, Naturally.

I also agree that Doris could sing absolutely anything and make it sound good to great; even things like purple cow.

[dayniac]

I used to REALLY dislike this movie. But- for some reason -- now I really enjoy it. Bolger is boring - he can dance - but he's boring. Not much chemisty between them. But -- Doris is fabulous ! Talk about spunk !! I just get a kick out of watching her super spunk in this one. And - she has to have given the world the best rendition of April in Paris ever !!

[Natalier]

I thouggoodht this movie was ok, but there was no romance at all for me. Altough the dance scenes in the kitchen there were

[Tom Ryan]

I rated it "good" but certainly most of the movie was only average at best. The highlights of the movie to me are Doris's singing, especially the title song and "I Know a Place", and the dancing of Ray Bolger. I agree that Bolger was an outstanding dancer, one of the all-time bests. He had an unusual style of dancing but he was very, very good at it. (I am a former dancer.) I have watched his dance routine on that table top more than a few times and there are one or two steps he did that are hard for me to see how he was able to do them. I don't know if he lucked into it or if it was planned. Definitely unusual.

[Ralph]

I rated it "good" but certainly most of the movie was only average at best. The highlights of the movie to me are Doris's singing, especially the title song and "I Know a Place", and the dancing of Ray Bolger. I agree that Bolger was an outstanding dancer, one of the all-time bests. He had an unusally style of dancing but he was very, very good at it. (I am a former dancer.) I have watched his dance routine on that table top more than a few times and there are one or two steps he did that are hard for me to see how he was able to do them. I don't know if he lucked into it or if it was planned. Definitely unusual.

______________________________________

As a dancer, Tom, rate the following as Excellent, Very good, good, fair, poor:

Fred Astaire
Gene Nelson
Gene Kelly
Ray Bolger
Gregory Hines
Judy Garland
Jane Powell
Ann Miller
Doris Day
Eleanor Powell
Bill "Bo Jangles" Robinson
Buddy Ebsen
Bob Fosse
Michael Jackson
Gower Champion
Marge Champion
Cyd Charisse
Shirley Temple
Virginia Mayo
James Cagney
Bill Robinson
Nicholas Brothers
Shirley MacLaine
Savion Glover
Donald O'Conner
Carol Haney
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Rita Moreno
Ginger Rogers

[Tom Ryan]

I rated it "good" but certainly most of the movie was only average at best. The highlights of the movie to me are Doris's singing, especially the title song and "I Know a Place", and the dancing of Ray Bolger. I agree that Bolger was an outstanding dancer, one of the all-time bests. He had an unusally style of dancing but he was very, very good at it. (I am a former dancer.) I have watched his dance routine on that table top more than a few times and there are one or two steps he did that are hard for me to see how he was able to do them. I don't know if he lucked into it or if it was planned. Definitely unusual.

______________________________________

As a dancer, Tom, rate the following as Excellent, Very good, good, fair, poor:

Fred Astaire -- Excellent
Gene Nelson -- Excellent
Gene Kelly -- Excellent
Ray Bolger -- Excellent
Gregory Hines
Judy Garland -- Fair
Jane Powell -- Good
Ann Miller -- Excellent as a tap dancer, very good overall
Doris Day -- Very Good
Eleanor Powell -- Excellent as a tap dancer
Bob Fosse -- Very Good
Michael Jackson
Gower Champion
Marge Champion
Cyd Charisse -- Very Good
Shirley Temple
Virginia Mayo -- Good
James Cagney
Bill Robinson
Nicholas Brothers -- Excellent
Shirley MacLaine
Carol Haney -- Very Good
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Rita Moreno
Ginger Rogers -- Very Good

Ralph, I think you are trying to put me to work here. Do I get paid for this? LOL I didn't rate all of them because I have not watched the dancing of some of them closely enough to be able to give them a rating with which I would be comfortable.

Let me make a few comments about some of those people whom I did rate.

I wish you had asked me to rate Vera-Ellen, as I would have rated her "Excellent". I consider her to be the best female all-around dancer of all time, as do many others. We can use Fred Astaire as a benchmark and see how crisply his partner executes dance steps relative to his execution of those steps. Vera-Ellen scores high in my book for her dancing with Astaire in "Belle of New York".

With this benchmark in mind, I would rate Ginger Rogers as something like a "Very Good minus". She could dance, but I don't consider her to be one of the all-time greats.

We can only conjecture how good Doris would have been had she pursued a career as a dancer. With her athletic ability and rhythm, she might possibly have pushed Vera-Ellen for the top spot.

When speaking of superlative dancers, we should not overlook Lorene Yarnell of Shields and Yarnell. She was a dedicated dancer who was very good.

At the other extreme, Judy Garland was no dancer. This was especially apparent when she danced with Gene Kelly in "Summer Stock". Of course she was having personal problems during the filming of that movie, so we can only guess how much that affected her performance, but what I remember convinces me that she simply wasn't a dancer.

I believe that Virginia Mayo was underrated as a dancer. I felt that her dancing in "She's Working Her Way Through College" was actually pretty good.

Of course Carol Haney had a short dancing career and a short life and was better known for her choreographic work than for her dancing.

Among the others, Bob Fosse showed that he could dance as well as choreograph when he did some athletic dancing (back somersault) with Carol Haney in "Kiss Me Kate", and the "Moses Supposes" tap dancing routine of Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor in "Singing in the Rain" is an absolute masterpiece and is quite possibly the best tap dance performance ever captured on film. Gene Nelson was a very talented dancer who did some novel dancing, including dancing on a staircase and its railing in "Tea for Two". Not quite in the same class with Astaire and Kelly, however, in my opinion.

Although I rated the Nicholas Brothers as Excellent, I would rather talk about Harold Nicholas because he was clearly the superior dancer. In terms of pure dancing ability, Harold Nicholas is quite possibly the best dancer who ever lived. Of course his volume of work does not compare with that of Astaire because the latter had far more opportunities to showcase his talents, but if they had been equal in this respect, I believe that a careful analysis of their respective performances would probably lead me to give Nicholas a very slight edge.

Okay, Ralph, I have the Index for a book to finish, so I need to get back to my income-producing work.

Tom

[Tom Ryan]

As an addendum, I will mention that, when age is factored in, I could not expect to see a better dancing performance than the one I witnessed in person from a 64-year old Tommy Tune on the evening of May 17, 2003 in Atlanta. Astaire was essentially retired from dancing by that age (except for Finian's Rainbow) and Gene Kelly's dancing in "Xanadu" was not at the same skill level.

[dayniac]

[webmaster]

That's What Makes Paris, Paree: