Anything Goes (1936)

To me, this movie is perfection.

The Worst Film Ever

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Fans waiting for the ultimate film version of Broadway's greatest 1930's musical comedy will have to pray for a miracle or recall the 1987 Lincoln Center Production (with Patti LuPone) or the 2010 revival with Sutton Foster. There has not yet been the definitive movie or TV production of that tap-happy show, this production truncating the score down to four songs, the classic title song (seen on the Tony Awards for both revivals) heard only over the credits, albeit briefly. Ethel Merman repeats her Broadway role of Reno Sweeney, and shines with the material she is given, somewhat overshadowed by Bing Crosby in screen time, but every inch the leading lady as she would only do one more time with her screen version of "Call Me Madam". Crosby, as Billy Crocker, is an above average choice for the role, and adds a lot more zest than he did with most of his laid-back acting during this time. Cast mostly in forgettable formula musicals, he shows off a skill as a comic that would have to wait until he started on the "Road" with Bob Hope.Crosby and Merman shine with the altered lyrics for "You're the Top", but it is Merman's repeat of "I Get a Kick Out of You" that is the musical highlight here, not the newly written "Shanghai De-Ho" production number finale. Of the non-Cole Porter songs written for the film, only "Sailor Beware" holds any interest. Cutting out the phenomenal "Blow Gabriel Blow!" was a drastic mistake, as was Billy's ballad, "All Through the Night", and a lively chorus number, "Buddy Beware!", although "Bon Voyage!" is heard briefly as an orchestral interlude as the ship Crosby is on sails.Broadway's lovable Victor Moore has been replaced here by the much different Charlie Ruggles as Moonface Martin, and as much as I would have liked to have seen the chubby Moore in the part, I truly adored Ruggles in it. Grace Bradley and Ida Lupino (much different than her 1940's drama queen) are the supporting females, the essence of loveliness, yet not standing out. An assorted group of familiar character actors play the passengers and crew, most recognizably Margaret Dumont as a wealthy philanthropist passenger whose Pomeranian aids Crosby in his search for a disguise, Jack Norton as (of course) a drunk, and Robert McWade as a Bishop who is mistaken for Moonface Martin after an amusing exchange with Ruggles that includes the gem of a gag about Indo-China.

... As opposed to a musical comedy. Once again, Hollywood has tried to wreck a very successful Broadway play by removing most of the songs, but they failed in this endeavor - goes to show you can't keep a good show down. Actually, it is understandable in the case of a Cole Porter musical, as the Hays Code was in force for barely a year when Paramount produced this picture. Apparently his double-entendres and, ah, imaginative lyrics scared them off.So, here is a comedy with some songs, and it still succeeds on both levels. The songs that were added by Richard Whiting/Leo Robin and Hoagy Carmichael are for the most part tuneful and worthy of inclusion, and probably not as lurid (although I didn't see the original I have heard the missing songs), if that's the correct word. The script was first-class and maintained a good level of humor throughout.This is a good look at Ethel Merman (who was shamefully neglected by Hollywood, along with Mary Martin), and she is in fine voice, singing "You're The Top" and "I Get A Kick Out Of You". She is ably supported by a chubby-looking Bing Crosby, the nominal star of the picture. But Bing was not Broadway material the way 'The Merm' was, and she leaves him in the dust in their duet of the aforementioned "You're The Top".Special mention should be made of Charlie Ruggles, who holds the flimsy plot together with an unexpected comic performance as a gangster-on-the-run. He is very funny, just as the music is very pleasing. Arthur Treacher is also on hand as a silly-ass Englishman, a role made popular in the 50's by Terry-Thomas. Ida Lupino, who always seemed somewhat horse-faced to me, has never - never, ever - looked lovelier as the runaway heiress.I think website contributors have underrated this film as I found it lacked nothing except what the Hays Office removed.

Even though only four or five (depending on how you count) of Cole Porter's great songs were retained ["I Get A Out of You," "There Will Always Be A Lady Fair" (the sailor's quartet with reprises ), "You're The Top" (with reprises and bizarrely done up as the chorus to a "Shanghai-De-Ho" finale number"), "Anything Goes" (all too briefly in the opening credits and background score) and the haunting "All Through the Night" (sadly, surviving only in the overture in the TV print seen!) several of them with altered lyrics and the song cues very much in place for "You Do Something To Me"] and a passel of not bad others for crooner Crosby ["Steer By The North Star/Sailor Beware," "I'll Get a Moonburn," "My Heart and I"] added in typical Hollywood know-it-all fashion (Cole Porter was a particular victim of this syndrome) this essentially plot faithful, and decidedly all-star preservation of one of Porter's greatest hits is required viewing for anyone interested in "golden age" musicals and jolly good fun for anyone else, even in its lamely TV retitled and apparently badly edited "Tops Is The Limit" version.Ethel Merman recreating her Broadway Reno Sweeney is at her best (possibly outshining even her later, smoother Broadway recreation in the film of CALL ME MADAM) and amply demonstrates why she (along with Mary Martin) was at the top of most lists of 20th Century musical theatre stars.More than ample support is provided by Bing Crosby in the William Gaxton role of Billy Crocker (who Reno is attracted to but who hankers after runaway socialite Hope), Charlie Ruggles in the Victor Moore role of "Public Enemy #13, 'Moonface' Martin - on the lamb from the FBI, Ida Lupino as Hope Harcourt, Arthur Treacher as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh who is trying to bring Hope home to England to marry her, Margaret Dumont briefly seen as Mrs. Wentworth the owner of a kidnapped Peikinese, Charlie Chan's "Number One Son" Keye Luke & Philip Ahn as a pair of gambling Chinese and Grace Bradley as Moonface's moll Bonnie.All are blissfully gathered (and some farcically hiding) on a ship crossing from New York to London. The original pre-Broadway rehearsal script had the cast shipwrecked, but the well publicized burning of the actual cruise ship Morro Castle off New Jersey while the show was in preparation made shipwrecks decidedly unPC for musical comedy so all the action was kept on board.Few shipboard films (certainly not the bland and UNfaithful 1956 remake with Crosby and Mitzi Gaynor) have as much fun capturing an Atlantic crossing OR a Broadway show.

Haven't actually seen this, but the actors a good, and I am in the process of doing this as a school musical, it's great! The story is a great love story between a love quadrilateral. Billy Crocker loves Hope Harcourt who is supposed to love Evelyn Oakleigh, who really loves the famous night club singer, Reno Sweeney. During all of this Moonface Martin (Public Enemy #13)and his girlfriend, Bonnie have snuck on the boat and disguised themselves as a minister, and a nightclub "angel" The whole play is great, the music can get a little annoying, but that's probably because I've heard them too often, but they too are timeless. Overall, this play has great characters, great storyline(s), great music, and (sometimes) great choreography, GREAT PLAY (movie)!