Doll Face (1945)

So much average

Awesome Movie

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

"Doll Face" is a minor musical which would undoubtedly have enjoyed greater appeal if it had not been saddled with a repertoire of pleasant but totally unmemorable songs. Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson can certainly do much better than this.The script, alas, is also no more than routine - and even that is probably an exaggeration of its merits. Louise Hovick's stage play is that old chestnut about the guy who hires a male teacher for his fiancé and suspects the two are two-timing him!However, I must admit that if you're not expecting anything special and your mood is indulgent rather than critical, you will probably enjoy the movie to some extent. It is certainly enthusiastically played by a surprisingly good cast headed by Dennis O'Keefe, Vivian Blaine, Perry Como and Carmen Miranda.All in all, "Doll Face" certainly passes an agreeable - if unmemorable - 80 minutes.

This is a very B picture. Nothing spectacular about it, although the story is fairly decent, and is based on the life of Gypsy Rose Lee (played here as "Doll Face" Carroll by Vivian Blaine). Of course, it's highly fictionalized...and I do mean HIGHLY fictionalized! Top billing goes to Blaine, which was a pretty decent actress and singer. No, not "A" line, but darned pleasing. Dennis O'Keefe is Blaine's love interest...another B actor, not as impressive as Blaine. Carmen Miranda is along for some fun, though I never understood the attraction. As mentioned, Joe E. Lewis's wife -- Martha Stewart -- plays Como love interest; also she does "okay", it's clear she was not destined to have a very extensive movie career.But as I mentioned, for nearly 2 years Perry Como had been a rapidly rising singing star with multiple million sellers. This was his first film, and his role was only third billing. Como was a natural on television, and television shows starring male vocalists were all patterned after his success. But, he was far from being a "natural" on the big screen, and while he does okay, his acting leaves a bit to be desired. But his voice here is a strong baritone, and he does nicely soloing or dueting on several numbers -- Perry Como and Martha Stewart on "Somebody's Walking in My Dream", Perry Como solo on "Red Hot and Beautiful", Perry soloing on "Here Comes Heaven Again", Perry and Vivian Blaine on "Here Comes Heaven Again", and Perry Como and Martha Stewart on "Dig You Later (A-Hubba Hubba Hubba)" (which became a Como solo and million seller on RCA Victor records).So, sit back and enjoy a rising Como, a halfway decent story, and a nice performance by Vivian Blaine.

"Women are like rugs---you gotta take 'em out and beat 'em every once in a while"--Dennis O'Keefe from DOLL FACE.In many ways, this film reminded me of BORN YESTERDAY--though this film came out a year before Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon's hit play debuted on Broadway--and five years before the movie version of BORN YESTERDAY debuted. Both feature an uncouth couple with an abusive and indifferent boyfriend and both feature a cultured writer who educates and enlightens the tacky leading lady. However, BORN YESTERDAY was a comedy and DOLL FACE was an unconvincing musical...and I can see why it has sunk into the public domain--it just isn't that good a film. Part of this is the poor script, part of it is too much dull musical numbers and part of it is because the male love interest, Dennis O'Keefe, is a rather abusive and neglectful man--and seeing him getting the girl (Vivian Blaine) in the end was a bit disturbing. After all, this is the same character who uttered the charming quote above!! Perhaps my feelings are colored by a more modern sensibility that does NOT condone jerk boyfriends, but I am pretty sure audiences of the day also might have felt unsatisfied with this as well. Regardless, it's a very forgettable film that started off well enough but really bogged down as the film progressed.If you care, Perry Como and Carmen Miranda also starred in the film but their talents (particularly Como's) were rather wasted. Como just sang a lot but had the personality of saw dust.

Veteran song and dance beauty Vivian Blaine plays Mary Elizabeth Carroll, better known as burlesque star 'Doll Face', has her sights set high for the legitimate stage. Her boyfriend manager Mike Hannegan(Dennis O'Keefe)is her number one booster; and convinces her to hire a ghost writer, Fredrick Manly Gerard(Michael Dunne), to help with an auto-biography to prove she has attained 'class'. Of course, the writer comes between the songstress and her guy.Blaine sings "Somebody's Walking in My Dream" and reprises a couple of nice tunes, "Here Come's Heaven Again" and "Red, Hot and Beautiful" with crooner Perry Como, who sings one of his break-through songs "Dig You Late(A-Hubba Hubba Hubba)". And the one and only Carmen Miranda as Chita Chula sings "Chico Chico". This fun over-looked musical is based on a play by Gypsy Rose Lee.