dougdoepke
Plot-- A neighborhood boy (Donaldson) discovers a caterpillar that dances to a harmonica tune. Meanwhile, show-biz impresario Flynn (Grant) is going bust, and sees the novelty of a dancing insect as his ticket back up the ladder. But how will the businessman get along with the critter's young owner who's got a more personal interest than making a fortune.Despite the talent involved, the movie overall fails to gel. Unfortunately, director Hall directs at a flaccid pace that drains too many of the comedic aspects. Admittedly, the material is difficult to get a handle on, which I think is the reason for the rather odd prologue. In addition, we never see the dancing caterpillar around which the plot evolves. Instead the fuss appears to amount to no more than a shoebox with an eyehole in it. Couldn't special effects have done at least a dancing silhouette? That would have given viewers something definite to root for, instead of a cheap piece of cardboard.Cast-wise, little Donaldson is quite persuasive as the willful boy, looking nothing like the usual Hollywood moppet, while movie vet Gleason does his usual cranky old man bit. Seems the well-upholstered Blair is mainly along for the ride and a fashion parade. However, Grant has a few Grant moments, but is largely wasted. Too bad that on the whole a number of lesser actors could have sufficed. All in all, I can see why the movie's not included in Grant's lengthy canon. As a result, it has drifted into understandable movie obscurity.
nalabitsy-1
Growing up I always remembered the dancing caterpillar named Curly who danced to "Yes, Sir,Thats my baby" I don't remember how old I was when I first saw it or how many times, but I never forgot Curly! I did forget the title and even that it starred Cary Grant. A few years ago I rediscovered Curly in the video store. I rented it and shared it with my daughter. It brought back such memories and now of course I was old enough to enjoy the entire movie! I think I loved it as much as an adult as I had as a child. And so did my daughter. I still sing "Yes, Sir, That's my Baby and always think of Curly dancing. I also think of Curly every time I see a butterfly!
robb_772
The silly story of a down on his luck Broadway producer and his obsession for a dancing caterpillar is greatly enhanced by the approach of director Alexander Hall and screenwriter Irving Fineman. Hall and Fineman helm the fantasy in a surprisingly straightforward, realistic manner that manages to avoid camp with just the right touch of fantastical whimsy. Further credibility is given by the strong performances of Cary Grant and James Gleason, although Janet Blair and William Demarest are forgettable in one-dimensional roles. Best of all is 11 year old child actor Ted Donaldson, who easily transcends the film's far-fetched premise and almost single-handedly makes one believe a caterpillar can dance!
moonspinner55
'Dancing Bug Cuts a Rug'...or rather, 'How Did Cary Grant Get Roped Into This?' Theatrical producer, a "part-time genius" with three flops behind him, needs $100,000 to save his theater; he befriends an orphaned tyke with a bottle-cap hat, the boy's stone-cold chorine sister (who is roughly two times older than the kid), and the boy's caterpillar...who "dances" to "Yes Sir, That's My Baby". Elongated Aesop, although even Aesop provided a thoughtful moral. This one is just piffle, with the contrivance that the whole world would be chatting about such a miraculous event as a bug with an ear for music. This is the movie that launched a thousand worm jokes, and it's meant to be ironic that Grant (as the showman-turned-huckster) is the biggest worm of all. A box-office disaster in 1944, the film has not improved with age. Ted Donaldson is cute as the youngster, and Ann Loos has a funny scene playing Grant's put-upon secretary, but the insipid rest can easily be forgotten. * from ****
AD
