Dreamboat *** (1952, Clifton Webb, Ginger Rogers, Anne Francis, Jeffrey Hunter, Elsa Lanchester, Fred Clark) – Classic Movie Review 12,254

Writer-director Claude Binyon’s 1952 20th Century Fox black and white comedy film Dreamboat stars Clifton Webb, Ginger Rogers, Anne Francis, Jeffrey Hunter, Elsa Lanchester, and Fred Clark.

Back in the early Fifties, the movies get television in their sights, and hit the target square on. Ginger Rogers is top fun as a forgotten silent star who takes advantage of the success of her old movies on TV, and Clifton Webb is Ginger’s match as her old movie partner who now just wants to be a revered crusty academic. They clash when he tries to stop further showings of the pictures.

Dreamboat is a wittily amusing comedy, affectionate about old movies and vicious about the young upstart – TV – when the cinema could still afford to sneer. A very, very good cast on near their best form complete a fine comedy package, with Rogers and Webb giving such vivacious, spirited performances.

Also in the cast are Paul Harvey, Ray Collins, Helen Stanley, Richard Garrick, Jay Adler, Marietta Canty, Harry Cheshire, Richard Karlan, Jack Mather, Matt Mattrox, Cliff Morgan, Emory Parnell, Mary Treen, Gwen Verdon, Barbara Woodell, and May Wynn in her debut.

Binyon’s screenplay is based on the story Love Man by John D Weaver, serialised in Collier’s magazine from May 26, 1950 to June 16, 1951.

Marilyn Monroe visited Ginger on the set and fell in love with the gold lamé dress she was wearing, so Marilyn wears it in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).

It is the second film to feature Webb and Francis playing father and daughter, following Elopement (1951).

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,254

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com