"This Is the Life" is one of Universal's early films in the studio's effort to get in on the popularity of musicals that MGM had cornered since early in the previous decade. Other studios also got on the band wagon, so to speak. This is a nice cross between the very early revue type of musicals that resembled vaudeville productions, and the rich musical plays that various studios would make.
The plot is a familiar one and good for the performances - a young girl falls for an older "hero" while she looks on the boy her age as immature. But her attraction and the stringing out of the older male's possible attachment gets a little tedious after awhile That stretches the credibility of the actors, when one wants to yell at Patrick Knowles (Major Hilary Jarret) to just tell Angela (Susanna Foster) that he isn't interested, "and stop bugging me." He's more than double her age (18) older. Of course, then there would have to be some other avenue for the various scenarios that follow. And, it's in those that this movie is very good.
With the mixed-up attractions - Jimmy Plum (Donald O'Connor), then Harriett West Jarret (Louise Allbritton) and Sally McGuire (Peggy Ryan), the best of the comedy takes place. The screenplay is not great, but the writers came up with some very funny stuff in the dialog. O'Connor especially has some lines that evoke hearty laughter. And that is then capped off with some very good songs and dance numbers - from lively jitterbug, to romantic pop tunes, to operatic numbers. The latter is provided by Foster who was noted for her ability to reach a B above the high C. Foster only had a dozen films to her credit when she left Hollywood after 1945.
O'Connor was just 19 when this movie was made. He had already been in several films, from childhood on, and he would go on to have a long film career. He would be in the smash hit musical of 1952, "Singin' in the Rain," and won the best actor Golden Globe for that film. But through the mid-20th century O'Connor was most known and recognized as Peter Stirling, the human friend and owner of Francis the talking mule. He made half a dozen movies with Francis from 1950-55.
This movie has some wonderful entertainment in the dancing talent and singing of Peggy Ryan - including a couple numbers with O'Connor. She made several films with O'Connor - always as an older teenager, but never the sweetheart of Donald. O'Connor said that Ryan was the best dancer he ever danced with. And that's saying something when Vera-Ellen was second best. Ray Eberle sings a popular song of the day with his band, and the Bobby Brooks Quartette sings
The movie is set in real time, during World War II. This was one of half a dozen films that Universal rushed O'Connor through before he was drafted and spent two years in the Army Air Corps overseas. Universal spread out the releases over this time. When this film came out in June 1944, O'Connor had already been in the Army four months.
In one very funny scene Angela is daydreaming that she's on the big stage concluding a great song and in the wings watching her is her hero, Maj. Hilary Jarret. Only his entire Army uniform is draped with medals from neck to waist. Angela's a terrible cook - her pancakes are rubbery and not all cooked through. The major and others know this but Jimmy scarfs them down, and later comments about giving her recipe to someone else.
The very good comedy writing and musical performances are the reasons for my eight stars for this film. Here are some favorite lines.
Jimmy Plum, "Are you gonna believe me, or are you gonna believe what you just saw?"
Sally McGuire, "Oh, Jimmy all my life I've wanted a man. A man who'd make my hair stand on end; who'd send chills up and down my spine; who'd bring tears to my eyes." Jimmy Plum, "You don't want a man. You want a shampoo, a massage and a bottle of horseradish."
Jimmy Plum, "Anyway, everybody in town's talking about you two." Angela Rutherford, "They are? What do they say?" Jimmy, "Well, there's two schools of thought. Either you're robbing the grave or he's robbing the cradle."
Angela Rutherford, "A boy at 18 is still a child. A girl at 18 is a mature woman."
Angela Rutherford, "And I won't even cook, if you don't want me too."
Aunt Betsy, "Yes, you can't control fate." Jimmy Plum, "No, but sometimes you can give it a little push in the right direction."
Angela Rutherford, "What a disagreeable woman." Jimmy Plum, "From a man's point of view, she's a very glamorous woman."
Angela Rutherford, "I don't blame you a bit for getting rid of her." Maj. Hilary Jarret, "I didn't. She got rid of me."
Jimmy Plum, "Her mind's an open book to me. Most of the pages are blank."
Sally McGuire, "Hello, glamour boy." Jimmy Plum, "Hello Sally." Sally, "What's dragging you down?" Jimmy, "Well, I was out with my girlfriend and her boyfriend and we bumped into his wife and she said..." Sally, "Wait a minute. Say that again and say it slower."
Jimmy Plum, "She certainly is sophisticated." Sally McGuire, "Who, Angela?" Jimmy, "No, the major's wife. I didn't even get to first base with her." Sally, "You mean the major's wife?" Jimmy, "No, Angela." Sally, "Oh, I see, heh. I was a little mixed up at first, but now I'm becoming confused."
Harriet West Jarrett, "When you've been burned once, you don't go out looking for fire to play with."
