Double Dynamite ** (1951, Jane Russell, Groucho Marx, Frank Sinatra) – Classic Movie Review 7480

Director Irving Cummings Jr’s 1951 RKO Radio Pictures black and white musical comedy stars the formidable trio of Jane Russell, Groucho Marx and Frank Sinatra, and is based on a story by Leo Rosten, with a screenplay by by Leo Rosten, Mel Shavelson, Mannie Manheim, and Harry Crane.

Sinatra plays bank counter clerk Johnny Dalton, who saves the life of crooked bookie ‘Hot Horse’ Harris (Nestor Paiva), who buys him a ticket that scoops the jackpot on the horses. Then Sinatra can’t convince his fiancée and co-worker Mildred ‘Mibs’ Goodhue (Russell) or café waiter Emil J Keck (Marx) that he didn’t pinch it from his bank, which has just lost $75,000.

Good material ends up being rather dreary despite the fine performers’ eager turns, because the needed Damon Runyon-style wit is missing. Only Marx’s delicious one-liners give it real class, though character cameos like Lou Nova’s help out, too, and of course Russell and Sinatra are always welcome presences, even here cast against type as a shy couple.

Unfortunately two Sammy Cahn (lyrics) and Jule Styne (music) songs are far below their best. Marx and Sinatra sing a duet ‘It’s Only Money’ – reprised by Sinatra, Marx and Russell – and Russell and Sinatra sing the romantic duet ‘Kisses and Tears’.

It was made in 1948 and during the three years till release, RKO owner and producer Howard Hughes changed the title from It’s Only Money to Double Dynamite as a tribute to the star’s twin talents of her famous cleavage and demoted top-billed Sinatra to third place because he didn’t like him, even though he has by far the most screen time, though fortunately Groucho gets plenty to do too.

Also in the cast are Don McGuire, Howard Freeman, Harry Hayden, Ida Moore, Harold Goodwin, George Chandler, Joe Devlin, Frank Orth, William Edmunds and Russell Thorson.

It was advertised as ‘double delicious, double delightful, double delirious’. But, despite the double everything and the top cast, it was another nail in RKO’s coffin, neither a financial nor a critical success.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7480

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