A Date with Judy | |
---|---|
Directed by | Richard Thorpe |
Screenplay by | |
Based on | A Date with Judy radio series by Aleen Leslie |
Produced by | Joe Pasternak |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Robert Surtees |
Edited by | Harold F. Kress |
Music by | Ernesto Lecuona |
Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
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Running time | 113 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $1.3 million [1] or $2 million [2] |
Box office | $4.6 million [1] |
A Date with Judy is a 1948 American Technicolor musical romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Wallace Beery, Jane Powell and Elizabeth Taylor. [3] [4] The film is based on the radio series of the same name.
The film features Powell's soprano singing voice and also features musical performances by Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda and Spanish bandleader Xavier Cugat. The songs "Judaline" and "It's a Most Unusual Day" also debuted in the film.
In Santa Barbara, California, snobbish teenager Carol Pringle tells her best friend Judy Foster that famous bandleader Xavier Cugat will be the guest of honor at their high school dance that night. Carol convinces her younger brother Ogden "Oogie" Pringle to cancel his dance date with Judy, claiming that women are more drawn to men who ignore them. When Judy learns that Oogie has decided not to take her to the dance, she becomes infuriated and vows to end their friendship. Dejected, Judy visits "Pop" Sam Scully's drugstore, where she meets Pop's handsome nephew Stephen Andrews. He agrees to escort her to the dance as a favor to Pop. At the dance, Oogie sees Judy with Stephen and becomes jealous. While Oogie tries to divert Judy's attention away from Stephen, Stephen meets Carol and they dance together.
Realizing how much Judy means to Oogie, Carol schemes to reunite them by telling Judy that she has convinced her wealthy father to give Judy and Oogie a program on his radio station. At a dinner arranged by Carol, Oogie tries to make amends with Judy, but when Judy accidentally falls, she wrongly accuses him of pushing her. Although Stephen assures Oogie that he would never take Judy from him, she tells her father that she is in love with Stephen and intends to marry him.
After a circumstantial misunderstanding, Judy believes that her father Melvin is having an affair with rumba instructor Rosita Conchellas. Judy runs home and gives her mother a beauty makeover to make her more appealing to her father.
Upon learning that Carol is in love with Stephen, her widowed father Lucien performs a background check on Stephen. Stephen confronts Lucien, declaring that he now understands why Carol is spoiled and egotistical. Lucien pledges to be more attentive to Oogie and Carol. Oogie visits Judy's house and tries to serenade her, but they argue when he says that he is taking a fishing trip with his father and might not return in time for their radio show.
The next day, Judy and Carol see Melvin escorting Rosita to his car. That night, at Judy's parents' anniversary celebration, Judy and Carol accuse Rosita of having an affair with a married man. Rosita misunderstands the accusation and believes that they are talking about Cugat, her fiancé. Rosita explains that she was teaching Judy's father the rumba as a surprise for his wife and children. Judy and Carol realize their mistake and apologize to Rosita. Judy reconciles with Oogie after she learns that Carol is in love with Stephen, and Stephen agrees to resume his romance with Carol in a few years when she is older.
A Date with Judy was produced by Joe Pasternak. The film was a great success, particularly highlighted by the musical number "Cuanto Le Gusta," performed by Carmen Miranda. [5]
Thomas E. Breen was initially cast to co-star in the film alongside Jane Powell, while Leslie Kardos was assigned as director. Actress Selena Royle replaced Mary Astor, who withdrew due to health issues. Vincente Minnelli's biography mentions that a musical number titled "Mulligatawny," created by Stanley Donen, was cut from the final version of the film.
The screenplay is based on a radio program that aired from 1941 to 1949 on NBC, and then from 1949 to 1950 on ABC. The character "Judy Foster" was portrayed on the radio by Dellie Ellis, Louise Erickson, and Ann Gillis. Later, actress Patricia Crowley played "Judy Foster" in the eponymous television series, which aired on ABC from 1951 to 1953. [6]
The film spent four weeks at the top of the U.S. box office, [7] earning theatrical rentals of $3,431,000 in the United States and Canada and $1,155,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $1,495,000. [1] [8]
Craig Butler's review of A Date with Judy describes the film as a light and charming musical, typical of 1940s and 1950s Hollywood. He highlights the cheerful tone and simple structure of the plot, which is exaggerated and improbable, yet still manages to maintain a steady pace. Director Richard Thorpe ensures a light-hearted approach, while Stanley Donen's choreography is fast-paced and creative. Jane Powell is mentioned for her exaggerated energy, though her performance of "It's a Most Unusual Day" is praised. Elizabeth Taylor, while stunning, brings more depth to her role than is required, and Wallace Beery is described as captivating. Carmen Miranda is also noted for her energy, especially in her performance of "Cuanto Le Gusta." Despite being dated and superficial in its views on women, the film is still considered moderately enjoyable. [9]
Variety's review highlights the youthful enthusiasm and light entertainment of A Date with Judy, based on the characters created by Aleen Leslie. Jane Powell is praised for her attractive presence, with emphasis on her vocal performances in five numbers and her comedic antics that drive the plot forward. The song "It's a Most Unusual Day" by Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson is described as the highlight, being repeated at the end. Carmen Miranda is also mentioned for her usual energy in "Cooking with Glass" and "Cuanto Le Gusta," leaving a strong impression. [10]
Tony Sloman of Radio Times gives A Date with Judy a rating of 3 out of 5 stars, considering it a charming musical from MGM's golden age, though a bit long and corny by modern standards. He highlights sweet Jane Powell in the lead role and praises the opportunity for Elizabeth Taylor to shine. Wallace Beery, though at the end of his career, still stands out, despite Technicolor not being flattering to his appearance. Sloman also mentions that Beery manages to perform alongside Carmen Miranda, and emphasizes the success of the song "It's a Most Unusual Day". [11]
In his review for The New York Times , Thomas F. Brady notes that the film follows Hollywood's established conventions for teen comedies but remains pleasantly entertaining within that familiar format. He acknowledges that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's formula for such comedies is effective, even though it has been worn out by years of repetition. Brady concludes that the film provides acceptable summer entertainment for those not overly tired of typical teen plots and their predictable attitudes. [12]
Andrea Passafiume of Turner Classic Movies discusses Elizabeth Taylor's transformation from a youthful actress to a sex symbol, portraying a "bad girl" in contrast to Jane Powell’s "good girl." She highlights the friendship between the two actresses and how Taylor seized the opportunity to change her on-screen image, a shift crucial to her career. The review also praises the film's musical numbers, such as "It's a Most Unusual Day" and "Judaline," with Carmen Miranda standing out as the rumba teacher Rosita, particularly in her performance of "Cuanto Le Gusta." Xavier Cugat is also mentioned for bringing his Latin energy to the film. Wallace Beery, as Judy's father, receives mixed reviews from Powell, who describes him as difficult to work with, though she respected him as an actor. [13]
Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, known professionally as Carmen Miranda, was a Portuguese-born Brazilian singer, dancer, and actress. Nicknamed "The Brazilian Bombshell", she was known for her signature fruit hat outfit that she wore in her American films.
Wallace Fitzgerald Beery was an American film and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in Min and Bill (1930) opposite Marie Dressler, as General Director Preysing in Grand Hotel (1932), as the pirate Long John Silver in Treasure Island (1934), as Pancho Villa in Viva Villa! (1934), and his title role in The Champ (1931), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Beery appeared in some 250 films during a 36-year career. His contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer stipulated in 1932 that he would be paid $1 more than any other contract player at the studio. This made Beery the highest-paid film actor in the world during the early 1930s. He was the brother of actor Noah Beery and uncle of actor Noah Beery Jr.
Jane Powell was an American actress, singer, and dancer who appeared in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musicals in the 1940s and 50s. With her soprano voice and girl-next-door image, Powell appeared in films, television and on the stage, performing in the musicals A Date with Judy (1948), Royal Wedding (1951), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), and Hit the Deck (1955).
Xavier Cugat was a Spanish musician and bandleader who spent his formative years in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he was a leading figure in the spread of Latin music. In New York City, he was the leader of the resident orchestra at the Waldorf–Astoria before and after World War II. He was also a cartoonist and a restaurateur. The personal papers of Xavier Cugat are preserved in the Biblioteca de Catalunya.
Richard Thorpe was an American film director best known for his long career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
That's Entertainment! is a 1974 American compilation film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to celebrate the studio's 50th anniversary. The success of the retrospective prompted a 1976 sequel, the related 1985 film That's Dancing!, and a third installment in 1994.
Scott Hastings Beckett was an American actor. He began his career as a child actor in the Our Gang shorts and later costarred on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.
A Date with Judy is a comedy radio series aimed at a teenage audience which ran from 1941 to 1950.
Springtime in the Rockies is an American Technicolor musical comedy film released by Twentieth Century Fox in 1942. It stars Betty Grable, with support from John Payne, Carmen Miranda, Cesar Romero, Charlotte Greenwood, and Edward Everett Horton. Also appearing were Grable's future husband Harry James and his band. The director was Irving Cummings. The screenplay was based on the short story "Second Honeymoon" by Philip Wylie.
Nancy Goes to Rio is a 1950 American Technicolor musical-comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and produced by Joe Pasternak from a screenplay by Sidney Sheldon, based on a story by Jane Hall, Frederick Kohner, and Ralph Block. The music was directed and supervised by George Stoll and includes compositions by George and Ira Gershwin, Giacomo Puccini, Jack Norworth, and Stoll.
Neptune's Daughter is a 1949 American Technicolor musical romantic comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Esther Williams, Red Skelton, Ricardo Montalbán, Betty Garrett, Keenan Wynn, Xavier Cugat and Mel Blanc. It was directed by Edward Buzzell, and features the debut of the Academy Award–winning song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Frank Loesser.
Week-End in Havana is a 1941 American Technicolor musical film directed by Walter Lang and starring Alice Faye, John Payne and Carmen Miranda. The film was produced and distributed by Hollywood studio 20th Century Fox. It was the second of three pictures the two stars made together and the second Faye film to have a Latin American theme, typical of Fox musicals of the early 1940s. Faye was pregnant during filming. It is also known by the alternative titles A Week-End in Havana and That Week-End in Havana.
Selena Royle was an American actress of stage, radio, television and film and later, an author.
The Chez Paree was a Chicago nightclub known for its glamorous atmosphere, elaborate dance numbers, and top entertainers. It operated from 1932 until 1960 in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago at 610 N. Fairbanks Court. The club was the epitome of the golden age of entertainment, and it hosted a wide variety of performers, from singers to comedians to vaudeville acts. A "new" Chez Paree opened briefly in the mid-1960s on 400 N. Wabash Avenue and was seen in the film Mickey One with Warren Beatty.
Hit the Deck is a 1955 American musical film directed by Roy Rowland and starring Jane Powell, Tony Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Walter Pidgeon, Vic Damone, Gene Raymond, Ann Miller, and Russ Tamblyn. It is based on the 1927 stage musical of the same name – which was itself based on the hit 1922 play Shore Leave by Hubert Osborne – and was shot in CinemaScope. Although the film featured some songs from the stage musical, the plot was different. Standards featured in the film include "Sometimes I'm Happy", "I Know that You Know", and "Hallelujah".
"I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi " is a 1941 song. It was written for the 1941 film That Night in Rio, and was popularized by Carmen Miranda. The lyrics were written by Mack Gordon and the music by Harry Warren.
Honeymoon is a 1959 film by the British director-writer Michael Powell based in part on the ballet El Amor Brujo by Manuel de Falla. The film stars Anthony Steel, Ludmilla Tchérina and Spanish ballet dancer Antonio, and features Léonide Massine.
Holiday in Mexico is a 1946 America Technicolor musical comedy film directed by George Sidney and starring Walter Pidgeon, Jane Powell, and Ilona Massey. It was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and marked Powell's first film for the Hollywood studio who had placed her under contract.
The Wedding Samba is a samba written by Abraham Ellstein, Allan Small and Joseph Liebowitz and recorded by Carmen Miranda with participation of Andrews Sisters for Decca Records on December 12, 1949.
A Date with Judy is an American television sitcom, two versions of which were broadcast on ABC between 1951 and 1953. A daytime version ran on weekly on Saturdays from June 2, 1951, to February 23, 1952. A primetime version with a different cast ran from July 10, 1952, to September 30, 1953.