Starlift (1951)

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moira finnie
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Starlift (1951)

Post by moira finnie »

Starlift (1951), a forgotten musical of the type that were put together to shine a spotlight on celebrities' efforts to entertain servicemen in wartime (the Korean War, this time) was shown on TCM last night and is now available as part of a new Doris Day Boxed Set. While I do like some of Doris' musical efforts, especially On Moonlight Bay and Calamity Jane, this one seemed anemic and seemed somehow cheesier than other films of the same ilk. It has a few segments featuring Ruth Roman, Day and Gordon MacRae as themselves, with a very young Janice Rule as a fictional movie star, an annoying Dick Wesson as an allegedly comic Airman, with cameos from Gary Cooper, James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Gene Nelson, Frank Lovejoy and Phil Harris.
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This seems to be pretty much a retread of WWII's Hollywood Canteen to me, without the candlepower or curiosity factor offered by that older film, which featured real legends in the cast, as did Stage Door Canteen. Maybe I'm missing something, but the only entertaining sequence for me was when Gene Nelson sang and danced "It's Magic", (and boy, did Warners ever get their money's worth out of that song over the years! Just ask Bugs Bunny). One other weird highlight: Louella Parsons, who was live and on camera as herself, appearing to be a sympathetic matchmaker for some young lovers. Someone must have told Louella to use her hands alot when acting. She chops the air while mouthing her lines almost as much as Zatôichi, the Blind Samurai.

Maybe I'm being too harsh. What did you think of this movie? What am I missing?
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melwalton
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Re: Starlift (1951)

Post by melwalton »

Hi, MOIRA
Your post about Doris Day put me in mind of a previous Hollywood policy. When an actor made a big splash, He / she was put in a series of less artistic parts wsith hackneyed stories. to cash in. ( don't make it good, make it Tuesday ) Off hand Grace Moore ( ONE NIGHT OF LOVE ) and John Garfield ( FOUR DAUGHTERS ) come to mind.
Doris fared better but her first, ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS, was light years better than anything she'd done afterward.
Personal opinion: "It's Magic" really was. .... mel
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