Step Lively *** (1944, Frank Sinatra, George Murphy, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria DeHaven, Anne Jeffreys. Walter Slezak, Eugene Pallette) – Classic Movie Review 6588

Director Tim Whelan’s 1944 RKO movie showcase for Frank Sinatra is a pleasingly enjoyable follow-up to Higher and Higher (1943), reuniting star and director.

It an engaging musical remake of the Marx Brothers’ 1938 film Room Service (and based on its source play by John Murray and Allen Boretz), with a lively performance by Sinatra, appealing in his breakthrough star role as a young playwright called Glenn Russell, who is trying to get money back from fast-talking producer Gordon Miller (George Murphy).

Step Lively is lively, bright and brisk, and there are good moments from Adolphe Menjou as the hotel manager Wagner, Anne Jeffreys as Miss Abbott, Walter Slezak as Joe Gribble and Eugene Pallette as Simon Jenkins. Sinatra gets his first screen kiss – from Gloria DeHaven, who plays Christine Marlowe.

Frank Sinatra sings four Jule Styne-Sammy Cahn songs in Step Lively.

Magically, Sinatra sings four Jule Styne-Sammy Cahn songs: ‘Some Other Time’, ‘As Long As There’s Music’, ‘Where Does Love Begin?’ and ‘Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are’.

It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White.

Also in the cast are Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Grant Mitchell, Frances King, Harry Noble, George Chandler, Frank Mayo and Dorothy Malone, who appeared in Higher and Higher (1943).

Dorothy Malone (1925–2018).

RIP Dorothy Malone (1925–2018).

Gloria DeHaven (1925–2016).

Gloria DeHaven, star of golden age movie musicals, died at 91 on 30 July 2016.

Anne Jeffreys (1923–2017).

The vivacious blonde Anne Jeffreys died at 91 on 27 September 2017, aged 94.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6588

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