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| Connie Francis sings and swings! |
Libby Caruso (Connie Francis) isn't making it as a singer, so she decides she'll become a housewife instead -- all she needs is the right man. She sets her cap for a standoffish fellow named Paul (Jim Hutton), but he's more interested in her invention, a "lady valet." This somehow gets Libby on the Tonight show where she wows everyone with her singing and winds up with a spectacular career. On the verge of going off on a grand tour, Libby has one last chance to get Paul to marry her ... Looking for Love is utterly ridiculous but quite entertaining, bolstered by a fine lead performance by the highly charismatic Francis. Francis proves to be an outstanding singer as well, doing jazz numbers, ballads, and even "Be My Love" with equal aplomb. In spite of this, Francis only did four real movies. Joby Baker plays a friend who is carrying a torch for Libby, and Susan Oliver really scores as her roommate, Jan. The most intriguing cameo is by Joan Marshall (Jean Arliss of Homicidal) who looks gorgeous and is a lot of fun as one of the women interviewed for a spokeswoman job for the Lady Valet. Jay C. Flippen [Carnival Story] is fine as the manufacturer of Libby's invention -- Flippen's wife wrote the screenplay for this -- and there are guest appearances by Danny Thomas and Johnny Carson. Barbara Nichols [The George Raft Story] has a nice bit as another potential spokesperson until she learns that Libby is taking over her spot on the Thomas show. The snappy songs help a lot and Francis is delightful.
Verdict: Amiable nonsense with some great singing. **1/2.
Hi Bill - Connie and Jim Hutton, together again! Loved them in Where the Boys Are (filmed at a hotel not far from where I live in Lauderdale...back in the 1980s it was a gay hotel called the Marlin Beach...).
ReplyDeleteHave never seen this one; need to check it out. Gotta love Connie Francis!
-Chris
Yeah, who doesn't love Connie? Actually I never thought that much about her until I saw this flick and was favorably impressed with her acting and singing.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to ask some friends about the Marlin Beach hotel. I have a friend who goes to Lauderdale regularly and if he went there in the 80's he probably remembers it.