This Way Please

One of the few Betty Grable's movies of the Thirties in which she's featured prominently, "This Way Please" offers one song and one tap dance number from the great Betty Grable. Both are very good, especially the dance sequence done with energy and precision. Her famous legs were not just shapely but extremely dynamic too and efficient at dancing, dancing anything. And, contrary to what many people, Betty Grable herself, often said, that woman can act! She proves it in that movie. Of course, the plot is lightweight, but Betty Grable sparkles so, that, combined with some efficient acting, she makes her performance in the film very enjoyable.

All the rest of the cast is great too beginning with Ned Sparks. That man is funny all the way just with the sound of his voice and his non verbal actions. He really steals the show. Mary Livingston proves that she's not just Mrs Jack Benny in a very sympathetic and a kind of unusual realistic role for a musical. Fibber McGee is good but cannot stand besides his wife, Molly, both radio personalities of the time. SHE is so at ease on-screen and so funny while doing all those voices in one sequence that poor Fibber has not a ghost of a chance to stand out. Charles "Buddy" Rogers is effective in his role, good-looking enough to be a leading-man, light enough to play in a musical, good enough to act when it is required in that lightweight film. Very believable in a matinée-idol and he does a really nice-looking couple with Betty Grable! As for Lee Bowman, he has the handsome good looks and talent to be more featured than he is here but, in that film in particular, somehow, his part shifts from austere to the complete opposite during the film! That's weird. Even his infatuation for the Betty Grable character cannot explain such a change in his part's personality! The musical numbers are all well executed and the acting from everybody is very good. As for the script, it's not original (think of any other backstage musical of that era...) but, with such a talented cast and without being too fussy on that department, we forget easily that fact.

See it, it's a surprisingly good and entertaining film.