Starring: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Veronica Lake, Dorothy Lamour, Alan Ladd.Is it worth it to watch this somewhat lengthy spectacle just to glimpse Veronica for a few moments? Absolutely! Not only is this an entertaining film, but I liked it because it provides a view of Hollywood in it's golden age. Not only are there stars galore like Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, et cetera, et cetera, but there's also the skits, humor, and Paramount lot scenes throughout this film that make it one of a kind.
When I watched this movie I felt that I was viewing a bit of the history of those times as well as all the fabulous entertainers associated with it. However, we're Veronica Lake fans so let's get to her performance. In this film she does a skit with Paulette Goddard and Dorothy Lamour in which the three sing a song called "Sweater, Sarong and Peek-a-Boo Bang". In her book Veronica said that "It was dreadful, but fun." Later in the skit Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett and Sterling Holloway do a parody of the tune in which they impersonate the three beauties. It's hysterical.
Anyway, if you like legs and want to see Veronica in high heels and an absolutely gorgeous gown this film is for you. She also sings and struts around a little which is very nice to see and hear. She is so beautiful that she makes women like Goddard and Lamour, who were considered to be beauties in their own right, look like a pair of studio rejects when they are standing next to her. Another point of interest is Alan Ladd's spoof of his character Raven from "This Gun For Hire." Oh, I forgot to mention that we are also blessed with another view of Miss Lake in that sexy black cat suit and hat that she wore as Ellen Graham in that same film. Definitely check this movie out. It's a lot of fun.
Author: Randall Dumas (Hartford, Connecticut, US)A middling musical affair that takes about half it's runtime to get started.
I wouldn't even last 10 minutes if this wasn't a Lake movie and by that I mean she appears in one song for about 5 minutes but it is a damn decent song. Lake by her own admission couldn't sing and mimed just about all her singing roles (which seems to be a requirement for actresses in the 40's) and she was good at it, I wouldn't know it wasn't her voice.
The song "A Sweater, Sarong and a Peek-A-Boo Bang" is a parody of the three actresses gimmick:
* Paulette Goddard's sweater
* Dorothy Lamour's Sarong
* Veronica Lake's haircut
What I like is that the song is irreverent and even makes reference to those gimmicks not being their choice but that of the studio and their costumery departments.. Movies are usually about the magic and selling an image so they don't often point that stuff out.
Lake's hair looks virtually glued to her face with the kink in her bang super exaggerated over her eye that she lifts like a flap at the end of each verse so she can see the audience.
Otherwise the movie is dull series of skits with some dry Bob Hope quips and other nonsense. Once Lake was done so was I.
Author: Mark R Nash (South Wales, UK) 2024