"April in Paris" is one of several musical comedies and romance films Warner Brothers made for its budding new talent, Doris Day. But this is not among the best of those films. It fares just fair. That's due mostly to the screenplay, not the cast. Day and Ray Bolger are fine in the leads, but there are only a few numbers in the whole film in which Bolger shows his dancing talent, and Day and he sing. The screenplay is very weak, and this film is more silliness than comedy. It does have two very funny scenes that, along with the song and dance numbers earn it six stars.
This isn't anything along the lines of very good or great musical productions. The numbers are all single or duet performances. There are no dazzling choreographed dance numbers, and no memorable tunes beyond the title song that was somewhat popular for a time. The romance too is more silly than romance, or comedy.
This film would probably be enjoyed just by fans of the players, movies buffs who like musicals overall, and any newer aficionados who are interested in seeing Doris Day in her early film career.
Here are the best lines in the film.
Marcia Sherman, "There's going to be a vacancy on the Labor Relations Board." Assistant to the Undersecretary, Robert Sherman, "One of the labor members is going back to work."
Assistant to the Under Secretary, Robert Sherman, "Never doubt the power of a woman .. who wants to be first lady."
Marcia Sherman, "All right, father. You're a pretty shrewd operator." Assistant to the Undersecretary, Robert Sherman, "I take after my daughter."
Sam Winthrop Putnam, "Do you know what my title is?" Ethel Jackson, "No." Sam Putnam, "Assistant Secretary to the Assistant to the Under Secretary of State. It's taken me 10 years to get this far. If this falls through, I'll be right back where I started - Assistant Assistant Secretary to the Assistant to the Under Secretary of State."
Sam Winthrop Putnam, to Marcia Sherman, "You never loved me. You only wanted to marry me to try to get to the White House where you could remodel that too."
This isn't anything along the lines of very good or great musical productions. The numbers are all single or duet performances. There are no dazzling choreographed dance numbers, and no memorable tunes beyond the title song that was somewhat popular for a time. The romance too is more silly than romance, or comedy.
This film would probably be enjoyed just by fans of the players, movies buffs who like musicals overall, and any newer aficionados who are interested in seeing Doris Day in her early film career.
Here are the best lines in the film.
Marcia Sherman, "There's going to be a vacancy on the Labor Relations Board." Assistant to the Undersecretary, Robert Sherman, "One of the labor members is going back to work."
Assistant to the Under Secretary, Robert Sherman, "Never doubt the power of a woman .. who wants to be first lady."
Marcia Sherman, "All right, father. You're a pretty shrewd operator." Assistant to the Undersecretary, Robert Sherman, "I take after my daughter."
Sam Winthrop Putnam, "Do you know what my title is?" Ethel Jackson, "No." Sam Putnam, "Assistant Secretary to the Assistant to the Under Secretary of State. It's taken me 10 years to get this far. If this falls through, I'll be right back where I started - Assistant Assistant Secretary to the Assistant to the Under Secretary of State."
Sam Winthrop Putnam, to Marcia Sherman, "You never loved me. You only wanted to marry me to try to get to the White House where you could remodel that too."