The storyline follows 20's singer Ruth Etting's climb from obscurity to show-biz heights, thanks in part to gangster Moe Snyder's leverage and scheming. At the same time, Etting has to straighten out her love life without alienating the temperamental Snyder.
As I recall, the movie had a lot of hoopla in '55. No doubt, it was a change of pace for the fast rising Day and a revival for tough guy Cagney. Plus, there's the lavish staging in candybox Cinemascope and MGM's promise of big production numbers. Unsurprisingly, it was a big box office success.
After sixty years, I finally caught up with the production the other night, but was somewhat disappointed. Of course, Day's tuneful warbling can do no wrong and is the two-hours' best part. Still, it's not really a musical since the dramatic side overshadows Day's numbers. But then the scenario was supposed to feature a dramatic Day, apparently a chance to show her chops in a dramatic change of pace. Trouble is her Ruth Etting is in an almost uniformly bad mood, which may be a real change in Day's usual sunny roles, but is out of sync with singer Etting's (Day) ascendant career. You would think success would bring about a few smiles, but no such luck for either us or the movie.
Then there's Cagney who's swallowed an even bigger lemon than Day, snarling the whole way through. How Etting could stand Snyder's (Cagney) company in any capacity seems inexplicable. No doubt the actor made an unforgettable gangster, in Public Enemy (1931). But here, the constant snarling seems more caricature than expressive of his role.
I suspect the movie appealed to 50's audiences for its novel pairing of two popular stars from opposite ends of the spectrum. That particular appeal, however, has worn off with the years. To me, the movie appears regrettably flawed despite the entertaining musical moments. But, at least, the charming Day was able to show she had a dramatic side even if unfortunately overdone.
