ANYTHING GOES was barely a few minutes in progress before I knew it was going to be a lemon. For starters, there's Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor meeting for the first time and throwing together an intricate but unfunny skit that it would have taken weeks to rehearse, full of props and bits of business that only full rehearsals could accomplish. We're supposed to believe it's a spontaneous spur of the moment romp. So much for the artificial nature of the tale.
Then some familiar Cole Porter songs get a very limp treatment as the wisp of a plot progresses, a tiresome thing about two actresses inadvertently signed up for the same show by an inept Crosby and O'Connor looking for a single actress to play the lead in their show.
The sad thing is that the film looks great as far as the VistaVision Technicolor photography, sets and costumes go, but the script by Sidney Sheldon offers one flat line after another in an attempt to be light and breezy and there's nothing the actors can do to liven the proceedings. Only Mitzi Gaynor and Donald O'Connor have enough professional presence to sparkle occasionally, but the end result is that none of the dance routines are especially impressive. Jeanmaire is no help, a gamin with a French accent who is supposed to fall madly in love with Crosby despite their age difference.
With uninspired choreography and a trite script, there's no doubt I won't be revisiting this bland musical anytime soon. The only Cole Porter song that gets at least half-decent treatment is "It's Delightful, It's DeLovely." And the new songs (three of them) do nothing to add any luster, even one designed as a specialty number for Donald O'Connor.
To add insult to injury, poor Phil Harris has a thankless role as Gaynor's father in trouble with the IRS, a situation handled without a shred of wit.
Then some familiar Cole Porter songs get a very limp treatment as the wisp of a plot progresses, a tiresome thing about two actresses inadvertently signed up for the same show by an inept Crosby and O'Connor looking for a single actress to play the lead in their show.
The sad thing is that the film looks great as far as the VistaVision Technicolor photography, sets and costumes go, but the script by Sidney Sheldon offers one flat line after another in an attempt to be light and breezy and there's nothing the actors can do to liven the proceedings. Only Mitzi Gaynor and Donald O'Connor have enough professional presence to sparkle occasionally, but the end result is that none of the dance routines are especially impressive. Jeanmaire is no help, a gamin with a French accent who is supposed to fall madly in love with Crosby despite their age difference.
With uninspired choreography and a trite script, there's no doubt I won't be revisiting this bland musical anytime soon. The only Cole Porter song that gets at least half-decent treatment is "It's Delightful, It's DeLovely." And the new songs (three of them) do nothing to add any luster, even one designed as a specialty number for Donald O'Connor.
To add insult to injury, poor Phil Harris has a thankless role as Gaynor's father in trouble with the IRS, a situation handled without a shred of wit.