Step Lively

Step Lively

1944 "It's Fun!"
Step Lively
Step Lively

Step Lively

6 | 1h28m | NR | en | Drama

Fly-by-night producers dodge bill collectors while trying for one big hit.

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6 | 1h28m | NR | en | Drama , Music | More Info
Released: July. 26,1944 | Released Producted By: RKO Radio Pictures , Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:
Synopsis

Fly-by-night producers dodge bill collectors while trying for one big hit.

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Cast

Frank Sinatra , George Murphy , Adolphe Menjou

Director

Robert De Grasse

Producted By

RKO Radio Pictures ,

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Reviews

rdbqpaul Yes, it's a flimsy but very funny, fast-paced script. George Murphy's brief dancing and comic delivery is excellent. Sinatra is terrific in his young, vibrant, handsome and romantic best. His ever move from his first entrance shows natural skill and timing. The songs are vastly better than most 1940s musicals. Cone Out Wherever You Are sticks with me for days whenever I hear it. DeHaven is gorgeous as us AnnJeffries. Whenever I watch a film like this I lament that there is no well known talent alive today that could duplicate this film with 1/2 the charm.
mark.waltz While at first though, a musical version of "Room Service" seems unnecessary, once the songs are added, it all comes together. Not all the songs are good, and a few of the production numbers (particularly one with an Arabian setting) have a sense of awkwardness even with special effects impossible on a Broadway stage. What is surprising here is the pacing of the film, a bit faster moving than its original 1938 film version with the Marx Brothers and more appropriately cast.George Murphy is a broke Broadway producer who has been keeping his cast of 22 and production team in his brother-in-law Walter Slezak's hotel, that is until the hotel's auditor (Adolph Menjou) arrives to examine the books. A potential investor send his representative (Eugene Palette) and gal-pal (Anne Jeffreys) to check out the potential success, and a playwright (Frank Sinatra) also shows up, believing that Murphy is producing his play. To keep these squatters from being evicted, Murphy gets Sinatra plastered, since hotels apparently are not allowed to throw out a sick guest whether they've paid their bill or not. But hangovers don't last forever, investors can change their mind, and playwrights, no matter how good they sing, don't always want to perform in a show that they know they didn't write.There's a lot to admire in this lavishly filmed musical, but their best songs are actually the ballads, not the big numbers. "As Long as There's Music" and "Some Other Time" will stick in your ear more than "Ask the Madame", "Why Must There Be an Opening Song?" and the annoying Arab production number which leads into a reprise of "Where Does Love Begin?". Grant Mitchell is very funny in a cameo as the hotel doctor whom Murphy locks out on a balcony in order to prevent him from reporting that Sinatra isn't sick. The lovely Gloria De Haven's beautiful soprano and Sinatra's smooth big band trained voice mix well together, but sadly Anne Jeffreys isn't given much good material and her character seems unnecessary other than to give the two leads a love interest for the finale fade-out.
edwagreen An obvious remake of the Marx Brothers with Lucille Ball in 1937's "Room Service."Song and dance man George Murphy is adequate here in the role made famous of Groucho Marx. The part required to be zany and Murphy tries to even play it straight.Sinatra is good as the crooner involved in all the mayhem, but Walter Slezak and A. Menjou as hotel honchos really steal the show.The zany tale involving play investments, a hotel being used to stage a show, a wily Murphy concocting Sinatra to be ill at the hotel to avoid conviction,they all over-shadow the nice singing and dancing.
Alex da Silva George Murphy (Gordon) has taken over a floor of a hotel managed by Walter Slezak (Joe). The entire cast of his show eats and sleeps there for free to the horror of Slezak's boss Adolphe Menjou (Wagner). The film follows Menjou's attempts to throw everyone out of the hotel and Murphy's attempts to get some backing for his show.The film is easy to watch with pleasant songs and some funny moments. Gloria DeHaven (Chris) and Frank Sinatra (Glenn) are good but Murphy and Menjou are guilty of shouting too much, The story is complete nonsense and overall it's too shouty.Sinatra can obviously sing but it is the female backing singers that leave a lasting impression. They sing in that Wonderful World of Disney style that leaves a magical note in the air.