Tonight's Movie: Lovely to Look At (1952) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The MGM musical LOVELY TO LOOK AT (1952) has just been released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

The film is a loose remake of RKO's ROBERTA (1935), which starred Randolph Scott, Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rogers. The MGM version retains the Jerome Kern score, composed with several different lyricists.

LOVELY TO LOOK AT is a relatively minor film in MGM's pantheon of great musicals, but sometimes the "lesser" films are among my top favorites, another example being the recently reviewed TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE (1950).

The plot, scripted by George Wells and Harry Ruby, is fairly simple: A trio of performers (Howard Keel, Red Skelton, and Gower Champion) can't get backing for a new Broadway review.

When Al (Skelton) inherits partial ownership of a Parisian dress shop, the men fly to Paris hoping to cash in on the inheritance as a means of financing their show. However, they discover from the shop's other owners, sisters Stephanie (Kathryn Grayson) and Clarisse (Marge Champion), that the shop is a failing enterprise.

Amid various romances, which also involve "Bubbles" (Ann Miller), a musical fashion show is created to save the shop, with Broadway success sure to follow.

The film is fairly light on story and heavy on glorious musical numbers, choreographed by longtime Astaire collaborator Hermes Pan.

Marge and Gower Champion have three dance numbers, two of which I consider all time greats: Their closing fashion show dance with Gower as a thief and Marge as his willing victim, and especially the great "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes." The swooping camera work of George J. Folsey is the perfect complement to the latter dance's choregraphy.

"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is a stunning number I've watched countless times, and the Blu-ray's song selection menu makes it easier than ever to revisit favorite musical moments.

As a side note, I found a still online (seen here) which seems to indicate a fourth dance number featuring the Champions was cut.

The Champions are easily the best part of the film for me, with their charmingly uncomplicated love story. Miller is underused, with only one substantial dance number, but she lights up every scene, and the development of her affection for Skelton is sweet.

Grayson and Keel's relationship is more complicated, but naturally all's well that ends well. This was the middle of Grayson and Keel's three films together, falling between the better-known Kern musical SHOW BOAT (1951) and Cole Porter's KISS ME KATE (1953).

The only blight on the film is a typically unfunny stand-up routine by Skelton, although even that has the plus of the viewer being able to watch handsome Gower Champion's reactions, which appear to be genuinely amused laughs.

Otherwise this is a "feel good" movie for me from the start to the finish of its 103 minutes. As the lead couples swirl around the dance floor to the title song at the end, I can't help having misty eyes from pure happiness.

LOVELY TO LOOK AT was directed by Mervyn LeRoy. The uncredited director of the gorgeous fashion show sequence, showcasing designs by the great Adrian, was by Vincente Minnelli. (Look for the future Rosemarie Stack as one of the models; she married Robert Stack in 1956. She's second from left in a still here.)

The supporting cast includes Kurt Kasznar and Zsa Zsa Gabor, who would also appear together in the follow year's MGM musical LILI (1953).  Familiar faces such as Marcel Dalio, Thomas Browne Henry, and John Maxwell are also in the cast.

The Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray offers a typically superb print with outstanding sound. The print is from a 4K scan of the original Technicolor negatives.

Disc extras consist of the Tom and Jerry cartoon DOG TROUBLE (1952); a Pete Smith Specialty short, HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED (1947); the trailer; and the previously mentioned song selection menu.

Recommended.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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