SimonJack This is an all-new rendition of the 1934 play and 1936 Cole Porter musical play attributed to P.G. Wodehouse. It is a substantial rewrite of that product, which itself completely revamped the Wodehouse script. But the best of Cole Porter's songs from the play are intact. This isn't a matter of comparing versions of "Anything Goes," since each one must stand on its own for the musical performers and the specific scripts. The screenplay for this one is just so-so. By the 1950s, the formula for musicals was changing into plays with music written into them. This is in the order of the old form - mostly musical revues pieced together with a thin plot. And, on the basis of the performances and numbers, this is an excellent package of entertainment. Bing Crosby leads with the singing, and the two female leads and Donald O'Connor give out with the moves in dance numbers. This film has some terrific choreography for all three dancers. It's a good look at Zizi Jeanmaire, a great French ballet star and dancer. She really puts zing into a couple of her routines with ballet and jazz. Her husband of many years, and famous dancer and choreographer, Roland Petit, designed the dance numbers. Petit and Jeanmaire founded Les Ballet Champs Elysees in Paris. Mitzi Gaynor and Donald O'Connor are superb in their dances. Bing Crosby and O'Connor have some nice song and dance numbers. The better-known songs of the film include "Anything Goes," "I Get a Kick Out of You," "You're the Top," and "It's De-Lovely." Crosby is Bill Benson, O'Connor is Ted Adams, Gaynor is Patsy Blair and Jeanmaire is Gaby Duval. Phil Harris plays Patsy's father, Steve Blair. The comedy romance developments are hardly worth noting - not very well scripted or developed. The best of the comedy is in a scene with dialog between Steve Blair and a U.S. Treasury agent. Alex Todd, "I've handled a lot of income tax cases in my time, but yours is driving me crazy."Alex Todd, "We know you're a gambler." Steve Blair, "Ah, mathematical consultant." Alex Todd, "Yeah." Alex Todd, "We've followed your career as a mathematical consultant all the way from Saratoga to Santa Anita." Steve Blair, "Ah, Santa Anita."Alex Todd, "You had five straight bad years." Steve Blair, "Well, that's not my fault. Arrest the horses."Alex Todd, "On the sixth year you reported no income." Steve Blair, "That's right." Alex Todd, "The government can prove that you won over $100,000 that year." Steve Blair, "Sure, but that wasn't mine. I had to take care of the guys that took care of me during the five bad years." Alex Todd, "You had the money, why didn't you pay your taxes?" Steve Blair, "What do you think I am, a crook?" Alex Todd, "Now, look..." Steve Blair, "What have we got, a government full of welchers? It's not ethical to let your friends down. They lent me their money, so I paid them back. And I would've paid you too, but I had nothing left. So, I figured, why declare it and... and... and put you to a lot of trouble?" Alex Todd, "What do you suppose would happen if everybody felt the way you do?" Steve Blair, "The country'd be loaded with racetracks."

weezeralfalfa Yes, this was Bing's last film for Paramount, after nearly 25 years. It was also Don's last Hollywood musical, after about 15 years of musicals for several studios. Mitzi would have only 2 more Hollywood musicals: the much inferior Cole Porter effort in "Les Girls", and her most famous role, in "South Pacific". I prefer her 2 roles with Don O'Connor as her main male costar: this one and the prior "There's No Business Like Show Business". Their film relationship differed in the two: lovers in this one, and brother and sister in the other. In any case, they got to do a number or so together, as well as their own number(s). Although Don spent most of his Hollywood years signed with Universal, not exactly known for its high profile musicals, he was included in a Crosby film back in '38, when he was only 13. He was slated to be reunited with Bing in the '54 "White Christmas", but had to bow out due to a last minute illness, being replaced by Danny Kaye. Thus, his inclusion as Bing's male costar in the present production might be seen as a consolation prize for missing out on "White Christmas". Released on the 20th anniversary of the first "Anything Goes" film, starring Bing and Ethel Merman.The film does start out slow, with backstage talk. But, pretty soon, Bing and Don are on stage to do a vaudeville-like song and dance routine to the vaudevillian-styled "Ya Gotta Give the People Hoke(m)". The last part of this routine involves Bing and Don alternatively appearing on stage in a variety of bizarre get ups, for just a few seconds each. Again, this is a vaudeville-like act. It probably was meant mainly for the short attention spans of most children. For adults, it would have been much better if the possibilities of each costume had been exploited more and if they had a partner to interact with. I had the same criticism for a rather similar performance by Don in the previous "I Love Melvin".After this performance, Bing and Don talk about the need to find a leading lady for their next big stage production. They go to Paris(why?), go their own ways, and each prematurely signs a candidate they are sure is the right one: an American, Mitzi, and a French dancer, Zizi Jeanmaire. Bing was impressed by Mitzi's performance as a singer and dancer in the elaborate production "Anything Goes". Don and Bing then watch Zizi in another long production to "I Get a Kick Out of You". Bing questions whether Zizi's English is good enough for the NYC stage. He tells Don he has to get rid of Zizi before they sail to NYC. But Don can't face Zizi, thus smuggles her aboard, to be discovered later. In their respective state rooms, Bing and Mitzi sing and dance to "You're the Top", while Don and Zizi do the same in their state room, as we go back and forth between the two. Clever. Inevitably, Bing finds out about Zizi. It turns out that Zizi is attracted to Bing, while Don and Mitzi discover that they have a liking for each other. This is further developed when they are alone on the ship deck at night, and do their 'mating dance' to "It's Delovely": one of the highlights of the film. Meanwhile, Bing tries to tell Zizi that they can't use her in the show, but she keeps interrupting, and they wander onto the deck at night. She kisses him. Bing sings "All Through the Night", first in English, then in French. Next, Zigi stars in a series of dances, termed "The Dream Ballet", presumably a daydream. She does a ballet alone, then an entwining dance with 2 sailors, then with a variety of dancers, a jive-like dance. Not bad.. Back to Bing and Zizi on the deck, briefly.In the morning, a crisis phase begins, as Don talks to Zizi, assuming that Bing told her she has no place in their show. She is mad and says she won't let them out of her contract. Meanwhile, Mizi finds out that her father's(Phil Harris) big IRS problem has reemerged, as a trailing agent is on board.. She tells Don she can't appear in a show in NYC because of her father's problem(not clear why this is so!)To provide a break from this crisis, Don slips on a ball while walking on deck and traces the ball to a children's playroom. After making friends with the kids, he starts his "You Can Bounce Right Back" dance performance, which I rate as one of the best in his career, with the message that if you fall down, get up and try again. Especially, a great performance for the kids in the audience.Back to reality, Bing tells Don he is afraid they may lose both their leading ladies. He has an idea how they can both be leading ladies, but first they have to make up to both. With the captain's permission, he arranges for Mitzi and Zizi to be at adjoining dinning tables, alone. Then, he and Don do their "The Second Hand Turban and Crystal Ball" act between the two women. Bing then tells the two women that they have scraped their play idea and will do a new show, based on the foursome's history. Mitzi's father tells the IRS agent about this and he backs off(I don't understand why?) Next, the finale show to "Blow, Gabriel, Blow".Now, does that sound all that bad? The last part, after Don's solo performance, is admittedly weak. But, most of the rest I think is quite good. Catch it on You Tube.

edwagreen I guess I expected Ethel Merman to come out on the screen belting the title song away. That wasn't the case and the film shows it.As always, the tunes by Cole Porter had their usual greatness. The dance sequences of Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor certainly had their moments. As for Bing Crosby, he looked old here.The thin plot is what did this picture in. Two personalities (O'Connor and Crosby) team up to stage a Broadway show and inadvertently, each hires a leading lady for the part. Naturally, romance blossoms along the way with the other lady they had hired.Phil Harris is essentially wasted here. He plays Gaynor's father, who as a compulsive gambler has a date with the IRS that he has been avoiding by staying abroad.The solution to the two gal problem is obvious and of course is used in the end.This film re-teamed Gaynor and O'Connor who appeared as brother and sister in the memorable **** production of "There's No Business Like Show Business," a far superior film.

bkoganbing In 1956 Bing Crosby wound up his 25 year old contract with Paramount pictures. It remains the second longest contract for any star with any studio, only exceeded by Robert Taylor with MGM. This second version of Anything Goes was his farewell film for the studio.Bing should have quit with White Christmas.Again, Hollywood under the Code was to squeamish about filming any of Cole Porter's musicals. As they did in 1936 with that version of Anything Goes, it was censored heavily. Cole Porter's original score did not make it intact to the screen again. Other Porter songs were used and a few numbers written by James Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn.As for the plot the only similarity is that it takes place on an ocean liner. In this one we have recent partners Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor each signing a leading lady for their new Broadway show. Both of their finds, Zizi Jeanmaire and Mitzi Gaynor are on the ocean liner with them. Mix the inevitable romantic complications and if you're any kind of a movie fan you'll figure what the result will be.Phil Harris is also on hand as Mitzi Gaynor's father. One of the little known facts of Hollywood was that Harris was one of Bing Crosby's best friends in the motion picture capital. Harris had appeared with Bing previously in Here Comes the Groom, but that was only in one musical number. He has a nice turn here as a professional gambler that the IRS is looking to nail.Usually Bing Crosby movies are just that, Bing is normally partnered with non-musical talent. Here he has three talented performers to share the spotlight with. All have some good numbers. I particularly liked Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor singing and dancing to It's DeLovely. This was a reunion film for Crosby and O'Connor. Donald O'Connor got his first big break as a child actor in Bing's Sing You Sinners back in 1938. But that one was a far superior film.If you like the talented performers involved, this is a good film. But Paramount should have done better by Bing in his farewell film for them.