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The background of a timeless plot made into smash musical comedies
This video short has commentary by three film historians on the interesting history of this story - a person who appears as an exact double of another, being called on to impersonate that other person. The best known story of this kind is Mark Twain's 1881 novel, "The Prince and the Pauper." It has been made into stage plays, movies, and even comics. The concept has been used in various other stories on film.
This version is a comedy musical based on a 1934 Broadway stage play, "The Red Cat." The play went nowhere and folded after just 13 performances. It was plagued by casting problems. But, that was of little concern to the chief backer, Daryl Zanuck of 20th Century Pictures. He saw it as a ripe plot for movies. This and more background is given by Larry Billman, Scott McIsaac and Miles Kreuger. All three have backgrounds in film and stage work, writing, producing, and some performing. But, much of their work - principal in Kreuger's case, became commentary, critique and history of film.
Billman here is a Dance on Film historian; McIsaac is a Film Historian; and Kreuger is President of The Institute of the American Musical, Inc. Billman says, "Fox used this story over and over. When they had a good property, they knew it." McIsaac says, "This story is timeless. In The Odyssey, we have Odysseus impersonating another man to test his love, Penelope." He notes that "On the Riviera" was the third film of this comedy musical plot. An entertainer is hired to take the place of a prominent character in the other's absence.
The first such film was "Folies Bergere de Paris" of 1935, with Maurice Chevalier, Merle Oberon and Ann Sothern." The second was "That Night in Rio" of 1941 with Don Ameche, Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda. "On the Riviera" was made in 1951 with Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney and Corine Calvet. Giving background on the property from the beginning, Kreuger asks rhetorically: "It was the Depression - where do you get money to do a Broadway comedy?" Then he gives a complex history of how a stage play that never amounted to anything became a hot property for many successful films - including several variations.
This is a very good short background piece that film buffs especially should enjoy. It may be too much or not of much interest to everyday movie-goers who just like to watch films. Incidentally, this is one story plot that turned out a better film in each succeeding one. The first two had good music, casts and entertainment. But there wasn't another actor alive who could do what Danny Kaye could as a performer. Besides singing, dancing, acting, impersonating accents, and masterful tongue twisters, he was acrobatic and could do a myriad of physical feats for comedy.
This version is a comedy musical based on a 1934 Broadway stage play, "The Red Cat." The play went nowhere and folded after just 13 performances. It was plagued by casting problems. But, that was of little concern to the chief backer, Daryl Zanuck of 20th Century Pictures. He saw it as a ripe plot for movies. This and more background is given by Larry Billman, Scott McIsaac and Miles Kreuger. All three have backgrounds in film and stage work, writing, producing, and some performing. But, much of their work - principal in Kreuger's case, became commentary, critique and history of film.
Billman here is a Dance on Film historian; McIsaac is a Film Historian; and Kreuger is President of The Institute of the American Musical, Inc. Billman says, "Fox used this story over and over. When they had a good property, they knew it." McIsaac says, "This story is timeless. In The Odyssey, we have Odysseus impersonating another man to test his love, Penelope." He notes that "On the Riviera" was the third film of this comedy musical plot. An entertainer is hired to take the place of a prominent character in the other's absence.
The first such film was "Folies Bergere de Paris" of 1935, with Maurice Chevalier, Merle Oberon and Ann Sothern." The second was "That Night in Rio" of 1941 with Don Ameche, Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda. "On the Riviera" was made in 1951 with Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney and Corine Calvet. Giving background on the property from the beginning, Kreuger asks rhetorically: "It was the Depression - where do you get money to do a Broadway comedy?" Then he gives a complex history of how a stage play that never amounted to anything became a hot property for many successful films - including several variations.
This is a very good short background piece that film buffs especially should enjoy. It may be too much or not of much interest to everyday movie-goers who just like to watch films. Incidentally, this is one story plot that turned out a better film in each succeeding one. The first two had good music, casts and entertainment. But there wasn't another actor alive who could do what Danny Kaye could as a performer. Besides singing, dancing, acting, impersonating accents, and masterful tongue twisters, he was acrobatic and could do a myriad of physical feats for comedy.
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- SimonJack
- Sep 15, 2023
Details
- Runtime11 minutes
- Color
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