The Dolly Sisters *** (1945, Betty Grable, John Payne, June Haver, S Z Sakall) – Classic Movie Review 11,045

‘They’re Beautiful…They’re Glamorous…They’re Scandalous…’

Director Irving Cummings’s 1945 American Technicolor biographical film The Dolly Sisters stars Betty Grable (as Jenny) who teams up with June Haver (as Rosie) in the fictionalised real-life story of the 1900s famed vaudeville act called The Dolly Sisters, who came from Hungary (when they were and Jansci and Roszika Deutsch) and became the toast of Broadway. It also stars John Payne as singer Harry Fox and S Z Sakall as Uncle Latsie Dolly.

The Dolly Sisters is an excellent, always entertaining, old-fashioned escapist musical, with great ladies, lovely legs, a seemingly endless catalogue of smashing old tunes (‘I’m Always Chasing Rainbows’, ‘Give Me the Moonlight’, ‘Carolina in the Morning’, ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’) and an Oscar-nominated new hit (‘I Can’t Begin to Tell You’) by James V Monaco (music) and Mack Gordon (lyrics).

Plus super character-actor turns, beautiful Technicolor and a superb 20th Century Fox production all combine to make this one of Fox’s highest-grossing films that year, released about half a year after Gable’s previous hit Diamond Horseshoe (1945). It was another costly musical, at $2,510,000, but took a very successful $4 million (US/ Canada rentals) at the box office.

It premiered on 5 October 1945 and was released on 14 November 1945.

Also in the cast are Reginald Gardiner as Tony the Duke of Breck, Frank Latimore as Irving Netcher, Gene Sheldon as seal trainer Professor Winnup, Sig Ruman as Ignatz Tsimmis, Trudy Marshall as Lenora Baldwin, Lester Allen as Morrie Keno, Evan Thomas, Donna Jo Gribble, Brooks Benedict as Party Guest, Trude Berliner as German Actress, Eddie Borden as Man on Bus, Eugene Borden as Polaire’s Chauffeur, Virginia Brissac as Nun, André Charlot as Monsieur Philippe, Gino Corrado as French Trainman, George Davis as French Juggler, Cathy Downs as Ms Mascara, Charles Evans as Man, Betty Farrington as Mrs Smith, Frank Ferguson as Reporter at Boat Docking, Theresa Harris as Ellabelle, Paul Hurst as Tim Dowling, Eddie Kane as Sam Harris, Colin Kenny as Speakeasy table member, Crauford Kent as Man, Mildred Kornman as Lady in Booking Office, Collette Lyons as Flo Daly, J Farrell MacDonald as Opera Stage Doorman, Mae Marsh as Annie, Vivian Mason as Gay 90s Glamour Girl, Robert Middlemass as Oscar Hammerstein, William Newell as Bartender, G. Raymond Nye as Tom, George O’Hara as Frank Tinny, Frank Orth as Stage Manager at the Bijou, Julius Tannen as Man, Phil Tead as Speakeasy Patron, and Ricki Van Dusen as Mlle Polaire.

The original screenplay is by John Francis Larkin and Marian Spitzer.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,045

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