Dan Dailey with his frequent partner Betty Grable (above), in some 20th Century Fox musicals.
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Having come across a couple of Dan Dailey's musical and non-musical films of late, I find myself wondering if others find him hard to assess--he had that loose-limbed dancing style, (somewhat similar to that of Ray Bolger), a smooth way with a song, and an engaging, if sometimes oddly off-putting manner. Shouldn't he have had a more lasting fame as a song and dance man? While a nice enough looking guy, perhaps it was his slightly wolfish appearance that relegated him to a slot just below musical greatness--but simply being "un-handsome" in a conventional way never stopped Fred Astaire, did it? (I find that there's almost a Tex Avery exaggeration to Dailey's appearance at times, especially when he's trying hard to be an ingratiating performer).
To be honest, I actually really prefer his non-musical roles in such diverse films as The Pride of St. Louis, Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man, The Mortal Storm, and The Wings of Eagles. I'm not sure what it is about him that makes me question his likability, though perhaps others can tell me what to appreciate about him. Perhaps his ability and willingness to play negative figures with some relish makes me question his presence in lighthearted musical films, of which I've seen most of his best known, such as It's Always Fair Weather, There's No Business Like Show Business, Mother Wore Tights and Call Me Mister. Of all the musicals that I've seen him in, I guess my favorite would be the Douglas Sirk movie about medicine shows and the darker aspects of backstage life in Meet Me at the Fair. Perhaps one of you musically astute individuals can offer some insight into Mr. Dailey's work.
What am I missing?