A Song Is Born

One of the most frustrating, unnecessary, unoriginal use of a gangster's girlfriend subplot.

Nerdy musical professors caught in a gangster's web, and all the wonderful characters and musical superstars has to jam their way out of the trouble. Typical Danny Kaye clowning around, and I'm more than okay with that! Also doesn't hurt that I have memories of this one from when I was a kid. Nice to relive those images again.

Hawks is right when he says that "I never thought anything in that picture was funny". But despite this lack of laughs, I still had a good time with this film (I've yet to see 'Ball of Fire' so cannot compare the two). Kaye is somewhat underwhelming - apparently he was distraught due to his break up with Fine - but Mayo is undoubtedly alluring; a real siren. And then there's the 'who's who' of jazz smashing out fabulous tunes. I also really like the six professors (superb casting).

Live action Snow White remake. Mayo is attractive but restrained here. It's charming to see all the men fall in love with her. I was ultimately disappointed given my expectations of the cast, Howard Hawks, and Billy Wilder. Apparently it was a troubled production with a bored Hawks and a divorced Kaye who left his wife/composer.

73.000

A watchable, inferior musical remake of Ball of Fire.