JohnHowardReid A considerably reworked remake of "Twenty Million Sweethearts" (1934), this one features Doris Day in the Dick Powell part. Most contemporary critics found it disappointing after Romance on the High Seas, but there are plenty of songs (even if there are no musical production numbers at all – let alone Busby Berkeley set- pieces). Most contemporary critics also complained that the script lacked wit and originality. Frankly, the lack of production numbers didn't worry me. The songs themselves are put over with a great deal of verve and bounce – with the exception of the Lee Bowman numbers which are delivered at a slower pace but sung quite pleasantly by Hal Derwin. Doris Day handles herself with the same pep and confident charm she displayed in "Romance on the High Seas". As for the script, I found it very amusing. True, the plot is old-hat, but it makes a good vehicle for witty lines. Furthermore, there are so many inside jokes, that it's a real fun picture for those of us who know our Hollywood. For instance, the guy who pesters Carson for money is his real-life brother, Robert. In real life, of course, it was the other way around. And I love the bit when Doris Day's "Martha Gibson" is so anxious to meet a radio talent scout at her uncle's bar that she brushes aside one of Hollywood's greatest directors, William Wyler! And how about when Doris is gonged by Ray Heindorf (here playing a night club owner) and Carson advices Doris to take no notice: "That guy is tone deaf!" In another sequence, Curtiz himself can actually be glimpsed – smiling yet! – behind Carson's right shoulder at a radio rehearsal. Unfortunately, the film comes to a good climax when our heroine finally breaks into the big radio time – but, alas, it doesn't end there but continues for a sluggish twenty minutes or so in order to tie up all the romantic loose ends. This last portion of the film deserved to be considerably trimmed. Also rather uninspired, in my opinion, is the very well thought-of cartoon sequence in which Carson and Day cavort in juvenile Easter Bunny outfits with a technically mediocre and harmlessly unfunny Bugs Bunny. The song for this sequence, "Freddie, Get Ready", was easily the least tuneful in the whole movie. I really enjoyed all the others and – as I said above – Doris Day both sings and acts with presence and charm. She gets great support from Jack Carson and the rest of the cast, particularly Eve Arden, S.Z. Sakall, Lee Bowman, Edgar Kennedy, Sheldon Leonard and Franklin Pangborn. Menjou is only moderately effective (and despite his high billing, his role is relatively small). Curtiz's direction is certainly admirably polished. But, aside from a long take in Menjou's office, it is technically uninventive – but that's the way most fans like it!

jjnxn-1 Charming, breezy musical, Doris' second film, in some ways a retelling of her rise. She's sassy and relaxed with the full glamour treatment. Unlike a great many musicals from the golden era this does show that there is some struggle involved to make it to the top even though Doris never looks less than immaculate and because of her enormous talent her fate is never really in question. Eve Arden is priceless as always as the faithful, elegant sidekick. Look quick for Sandra Gould, the future Gladys Kravitz in Bewitched. Full of wonderful songs, the number Doris, Jack Carson and Bugs Bunny perform together is like a fever dream, and the very cool Ada Leonard orchestra, an all woman outfit. This is purportedly the basis for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.

robtday I caught this little number the other night and, well, because I like Jack Carson, I'll give it a passing grade. Besides that, however, it really doesn't have that much to offer. For starters, I wasn't convinced at all by the male lead who plays a radio singer -- I'd never seen him before -- who is he? Secondly, Doris Day's personality is always sparkly when she plays this kind of role but I for one have never really understood her appeal as a singer although it was interesting seeing her attempt bouncy jive songs more suited to Betty Hutton. And like I said, Jack Carson, like George Brent, seemed to be in every Warner movie but never got the respect they deserved. I've seen Carter in many and he's a great singer/showman as well. As for SZ "cuddles" Sakall, a little of him goes a long way with me. Finally, maybe I dozed off but somewhere the movie lost me; just when did Doris fall in love with Gary? And then she conveniently ends up with Carter. Too pat. She should have liked Carter all along. All in all, not a total turkey, but not that great either. And poor Eve Arden - she could phone these parts in.

John Primavera I've forgotten how vibrant and appealing the young Doris was.She benefits here from a class director like Michael Curtiz.I only wished he could have done the same for Rosie Clooney in "White Christmas" or with Peggy Lee in "The Jazz Singer" as they had this potential beyond being blonde canary birds, but never hit their stride in films the way Doris did. Here she visits such Hollywood landmarks as the Brown Derby and Schwab's drug store. Eve Arden scores again as the unlucky-with-men, wise-cracking best friend, a part Thelma Ritter played to perfection in "Pilow Talk," later with Doris. After the first hour, the ghost of "A Star is Born" begins to take form as Lee Bowman drinks himself out of a career and then the unknown Doris rises to become a bigger star than he. Also, the presence of both Jack Carson and Adolphe Menjou from both versions of " Star is Born" triggered my memory. But Bowman is no James Mason who evoked sympathy from the audience and, in fact, he's mainly a conceited jerk who deserves to fail.But this is Doris's film and in it she showed the promise of what was to come in films like "Young Man with a Horn" (Curtiz again) and "Love Me or Leave Me." It's only when musicals dropped out of fashion and she was forced into doing mediocre comedies that made us forget her truly wide-ranging talents. Had she been given better co-stars than Jack Carson and the insipid Gordon MacRae, she might have risen to the heights of a Judy Garland!