April in Paris ** (1952, Doris Day, Ray Bolger, Claude Dauphin) – Classic Movie Review 7682

The 1952 film April in Paris is a cheery musical comedy romance vehicle for Doris Day and Ray Bolger. Doris saves the day with her singing and acting, and Bolger’s dancing is a treat.

Director David Butler’s 1952 April in Paris is a cheery but below-par musical comedy romance vehicle for Doris Day and Ray Bolger.

Song ‘n’ dance chorus girl Miss Ethel ‘Dynamite’ Jackson (Day) and diplomat Sam Winthrop Putnam (Bolger, The Wizard of Oz’s Scarecrow) are all at sea aboard the ship to Paris, after Day’s character is wrongly sent an invitation to an arts festival there.

As the duo fall for each other – of course – Doris saves the day with her singing and acting, and Bolger’s dancing is a treat.

Of the songs, only the title number by Sammy Cahn, Vernon Duke and E Y Harburg is top drawer, though Day makes the ‘Rock the Boat’ song rock, and there is just a single show-stopping production number in the ship’s galley song, ‘I’m Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight’.

At least Wilfrid M Cline’s Technicolor cinematography makes it look as cute and as bright as a button. And it is well choreographed by LeRoy Prinz, even though Day wanted someone else.

There was tension on set. Day claimed that Bolger and Butler clashed early on, after the director accused the co-star of trying to upstage Day. She recalled that, being a relative newcomer to movies, she was unaware of Bolger’s tricks and stayed out of the line of fire. Maybe this is why, when Day supposedly stamps on Bolger’s foot, she does not come near it. She said she had trouble on only two of her Warner Bros movies – this one and Young at Heart (1954).

Also in the cast are Claude Dauphin, Eve Miller, George Givot, Paul Harvey, Herbert Farjeon, Wilson Millar, Raymond Largay, John Alvin and Jack Lomas.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7682

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