Sad to say that the sight of Hungarian-born Eva Gabor with flowing long black hair and wearing one of Dorothy Lamour's cast-off sarongs isn't enough to save this poverty row film. It's a love story between an island girl and the Navy lieutenant who parachutes on to her beach and is intermingled with shots of Balinese culture. Beautiful Sarna (Gabor) has marriage on her mind and plenty of suitors - there is the buff suitor who is really just a friend much to his chagrin and the nasty suitor who looks like Charlie Chan and tries to blackmail her into wedded bliss and the singing officer Dickie (Valentine) becomes known as the 'foreign' suitor. Out of this Tom, Dick and Harry group a decision must be made - will Sarna follow her heart or help her father by marrying not for love but for his safety. Or will she follow her girlfriend who walks into the ocean rather than stay married to her old husband now that her fisherman lover is dead. No mention of throwing oneself into a volcano a la Bird of Paradise! Will Sarna stay in the east or go west (Darling I love you but give me Park Avenue!). YOUR decision is if you stick with this film long enough to find out.
Reviews
5 Reviews
A Bride for Henry
(1937)
Three On A Honeymoon!
24 March 2016
Poor Henry! Spoilt Sheila (Nagel) has married him to save face after bridegroom Eric failed to turn up for their wedding. Henry (Hull) is in 7th heaven having loved Sheila all these years but learns to his dismay that she intends to go to Reno to sort things out as she really still wants to marry Eric. He's miserable on his honeymoon - only his clothes trunk makes it into the bridal chamber while he's banished to the couch and the sun-chair on the balcony. To add to his misery the 'late' groom Eric shows up making it three on a honeymoon. But Henry the lawyer is a man with a plan! He has been hiding his light under a bushel - he rides!, he dives!, he sings! - all to a chorus of Sheila saying "Oh Henry I didn't know you could do that!" Eric suddenly pales beside him as Henry has to swat away a bevy of female admirers while Sheila is overcome with jealousy. The three leads are most attractive and there is some witty dialogue and it reveals all its charms in 59 minutes. Oh Henry! I didn't know you could do that too!
A Man About the House
(1947)
More like a louse about the house !
12 October 2012
You may feel you have seen this film before as it contains elements of Suspicion (the glass of milk), Notorious (the poisoning scenes) and Gaslight (the Victorian melodramatics) but it has its own merits, most of all the glorious setting - a villa in Naples. Repressed spinster Agnes (Australian-born Margaret Johnston) inherits along with her sister Ellen (Dulcie Gray) a villa in Naples from their uncle. Agnes is cheerless, uptight, domineering and a snob. The sisters go to the villa with the intention of selling it as they need the money but are soon seduced by the scenery, the sunshine and for Agnes by the shirtless, Lothario Salvatore (Irish actor Kieron Moore) who worked for their uncle as his manservant/handyman. Soon Agnes is casting off her black mourning attire and restyling her hair and is smitten enough to marry him, totally blind to the fact he is a womanizer, deceiver and a possible serial killer (Did he do away with both their uncle and the American benefactor who taught him English ??) Suddenly Agnes health starts to deteriorate especially after Sal starts encouraging her to drink daily egg flips made from seagull eggs (I feel sick already!). Is he poisoning her so he can get his hands on the land that once belonged to his family ? I loved the contrast between grim Victorian England and sunny, flowery Naples which also heralded the blossoming of the two sisters. Enjoyable and atmospheric but don't be fooled by the 'introducing Kieron Moore' in the credits as this wasn't his film debut just the first under his new name change from Kieran O'Hanrahan. Seems you really can't trust anyone.
The Hideout
(1948)
you can't get a man with a gun
6 July 2012
Taut little British suspense feature sees Howard Keel in his film debut (billed as Harold Keel). Boke (Keel) is having a bad day he's broken out of Dartmoor Prison, shot a cop, been in a car crash and now is in a hostage situation with unhappily married couple James Donald and Valerie Hobson. He has Donald who writes plays about crooks trying to get into his psyche, Hobson looking at him like he's trash, the kid upstairs screaming from meningitis and two useless fellow escapees plus its hot inside and we've got no electric fan (James Donald didn't think it worthwhile buying one). Howard Keel looks lean and imposing and every inch his over 6ft height. American born Keel was in England starring on stage in 'Oklahoma'. You can hear him singing 'the hangman song' on the record James Donald plays. His next film was the big budget MGM musical ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. Oddly enough Keel played another escaped prisoner in the British made FLOODS OF FEAR. Valerie Hobson was married to the film's producer Anthony Havelock-Allan and later married politician John Profumo but that's a whole other story !!!
The Big Show-Off
(1945)
shy pianist pretends to be masked wrestler to get the girl
23 December 2011
after a miserable day at work I watched this 1945 film and my mood immediately lifted. How can you go wrong with Arthur Lake (during his period of playing Dagwood in the Blondie series)and Dale Evans (sans her hubby Roy Rogers)making a delightful duo. He's a shy pianist at the club where he teams with Dale, a singer. He can't get the girl and is the butt of jokes from George Meeker (as sleazy MC). But his boss Lionel Stander likes him (Max from Hart to Hart)and helps him in his plan to pretend that he is really the manly masked wrestler!!! that Dale admires so that she will fall for him. Lots of fun and mistaken identities abound. Especially liked two of the song numbers- Dale singing Hoops My Dear to a background of chorus girls with hoola hoops (got to be a first!!)at the nightclub and Dale singing (her own composition)at the music school where the musicians all wander in from their various rooms to join in. Also liked the cartoon drawings over the credits they got Lionel Stander's crumpled features to a T. Don't think to hard about this one just enjoy it, I certainly did.
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