Higher and Higher *** (1943, Michèle Morgan, Jack Haley, Frank Sinatra, Leon Errol) – Classic Movie Review 6587

Director Tim Whelan’s 1943 RKO movie is a pleasantly entertaining romantic musical comedy, based on the show by Gladys Hurlbut and Joshua Logan. Nominated for two Oscars, it showcases Frank Sinatra’s first major role, though of course his career soon went higher and higher after this one.

Leon Errol plays the poverty-stricken Cyrus Drake, who plots with his employees to bring in some much needed cash by letting his conniving valet Mike (Jack Haley) talk his French scullery maid servant Millie Pico (Michèle Morgan) into getting married by masquerading as Errol’s daughter. But all sorts of complications occur, and Frank Sinatra lives across the street!

Dorothy Malone has an uncredited walk-on as a bridesmaid in Higher and Higher (1943).

Though it could have been better, the songs and performers save it when the script goes all soppy and pear-shaped. Sinatra appears as himself, and it is fun to see him in his bobbysoxer salad days! Bing Crosby puts in an uncredited cameo. Young studio contract player Dorothy Malone has an uncredited walk-on as a bridesmaid.

The cute song ‘Disgustingly Rich’ is by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, but the rest of the songs are by Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson, including the all-time great ‘I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night’ and ‘A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening’. Martha Mears provides Morgan’s singing voice.

It was a hit. Costing $600,000, it made a profit of $780,000.

Also in the cast are Marcy McGuire, Victor Borge, Mary Wickes, Mel Tormé, Barbara Hale, Elisabeth Risdon, Paul Hartman, Grace Hartman, Dooley Smith, Ivy Scott, Ola Lorraine, Robert Anderson, Rex Evans, Edward Fielding, Anne Goldthwaite, Buddy Gorman, Rita Gould, Daun Kennedy, King Kennedy, Stanley Logan, Bert Moorhouse, Edmund Mortimer, Shirley O’Hara, Elaine Riley, Jeffrey Sayre and Drake Thornton.

It is written by Jay Dratler, Ralph Spence, William Bowers and Howard Harris, shot in black and white by Robert De Grasse, produced by Tim Whelan and George M Arthur, scored by Constantin Bakaleinikoff and designed by Albert S D’Agostino and Jack Okey.

Michèle Morgan died on 20 December 2016, aged 96.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6587

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