During the '50s music scene, Pat Boone had much success early in his career covering many songs originally written and recorded by black artists-in fact, many of them he recorded were at the time more successful than the originals but nowadays, his versions are considered more inferior. His ballads are more tolerable to listen to since many of those were written for him. He was a contrast to Elvis Presley which made both men very successful singers and movie stars during this period. While Presley at the time played variations of the Rebel, Boone played Clean-Cut, Goody-Two-Shoes like here as a military school cadet. Both had their own appeal and Boone's in full supply in this, only his third movie. He's not the only singer here, though, as Bing Crosby's son Gary is also in this as well as Tommy Sands. They go to New Orleans to meet a movie star of French roots, here played by Christine Carere. Other lovely ladies in this one are dancer Barrie Chase-who also was performing with Fred Astaire on TV during this period, and Sheree North, initially a possible replacement for Marilyn Monroe before 20th Century-Fox dropped her after the studio put her in this. It's interesting that Sands both filmed this movie in a state he partially grew up in-he was raised as a child in Shreveport-and also sang of the glory of Texas-since he grew up as a teen in Houston. He also had a brief reunion with Fred Clark-who had previously played his agent in the TV play "The Singin' Idol"-during a scene at the hotel. Clark here plays the publicity man for Carere. This was quite an enjoyable musical comedy-romance. It was the last time for director Edmond Goulding before his death. It was also the last time for Charles Gemora dressing like a gorilla on film as he does here in the actual Mardi Gras parade filmed at New Orleans which is only a couple of hours drive from my current hometown of Baton Rouge. In summary, Mardi Gras is worth a look. Oh, and this was Richard (Dick) Sargent's second appearance in a Pat Boone movie, having previously teamed with him in Boone's debut, Bernardine.
Review of Mardi Gras
