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| Ann Sothern |
PANAMA HATTIE (1942). Director: Norman Z. McLeod.
Down in Panama a singing dancer named Hattie (Ann Sothern of
Fast and Furious) has fallen for a wealthy Army man named Dick (Dan Dailey of
It's Always Fair Weather), This is bad news for three sailors -- Red (Red Skelton), Rags (Rags Ragland) and Rowdy (Ben Blue) -- who are smitten with the gal and whom she relies on for emotional support. Hattie has some problems with her man when she meets his eight-year-old daughter and a woman named Leila Tree (Marsha Hunt of
Smash Up), who is convinced she is more suitable for Dick. Reluctantly, Hattie agrees, at least for awhile ...
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| Virginia O'Brien with Skelton, Ragland and Blue |
Based on an old Broadway show,
Panama Hattie is as insubstantial as lint. The only real thing is has going for it, aside from some spirited performers, is the music, which consists of such Cole Porter tunes as "Just One of Those Things: (sung by Lena Horne) and other songs by Edens and Harburg ("Let's Be Buddies"). Sothern at least appears to be dubbed (although she could sing), but we hear the real voice of snappy Virginia O'Brien, who employs her deadpan style in some numbers ("Boy, Did I Get Stinkin' at the Club Savoy") and actually smiles during others ("I'm in Love"). Another highlight is a great dance number by a trio of talented black guys
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| Virginia O'Brien and Alan Mowbray |
In the "slob vs snob" sub-plot, Leila is made as affected and unpleasant as possible, but Hattie really doesn't have much class. When Dick's little girl laughs, not unkindly, at Hattie's over- elaborate outfit, the adult practically calls the child a bitch! More fun is provided by O'Brien, whose character unaccountably develops a hankering for Dick's disdainful butler, amusingly played by Alan Mowbray. There is some tiresome, mildly comical business at the end when the three sailors make like lesser case Stooges, go into a haunted house, and uncover a nest of dangerous spies. Skelton delivers a tasteless gag about having his legs shot off. Ragland was in the Broadway show, wherein Ethel Merman played Hattie. Ben Blue was a comic who started in silent pictures.
Verdict: Easy to forget but with likable players and some good numbers. **1/2.
I will tune in for the musical numbers. Yes, Hollywood was (and is) funny about dubbing--in one picture they'll let the actor sing, in another the performer will be dubbed...all that instead of hiring an Ethel Merman in the first place!
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Good point! In one movie -- I think it was the musical remake of "The Women" called "The Opposite Sex" -- June Allyson had most of her numbers dubbed but sang in her real voice for another song. I have to assume the actor feels comfortable with the range of one number but not another ...?
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