ARE YOU WITH IT?

Donald O/Connor

ARE YOU WITH IT? (1948). Director: Jack Hively.

Milton Haskins (Donald O'Connor of Something in the Wind) is an actuary with an insurance firm who puts a decimal point in the wrong place and gets in hot water. Contemplating his future in the park, he encounters carny worker "Goldie" McGoldrick (Lew Parker), who thinks he can use his obvious smarts working for the carnival. His fiancee, Vivian (Olga San Juan of One Touch of Venus) isn't as enamoured of the idea, especially when there are dancing girls in his act. There's not much more to the film's plot, aside from some business about Milton exposing a woman who is trying to buy the carnival from Pop (Walter Catlett of Fired Wife).

Olga San Juan 

Are You With It? is an amiable if distinctly minor musical that has a fine lead performance and some engaging enough supporting players, but is not distinguished by any great songs (Miller and James). The production numbers go from mediocre ("Baba's Alley") to terrible ("Prince of a Fella"). There is, however, a lively dance competition between Milton, Goldie and a bartender in a tavern, and "What Do I Have to Do?" cleverly features O'Connor in advertisements that come to life. Lew Parker seems like a cross between Milton Berle and Phil Silvers but isn't as interesting as either. This was his only big role in a theatrical film as most of his work was on the stage or television.

Verdict: Some fun but fairly forgettable. **1/4. 

ONE TOUCH OF VENUS

Sleeping Beauty: Ava Gardner

ONE TOUCH OF VENUS (1948). Director: William A. Seiter.

"Debussy. Debussy does something to women." -- Mr. Savory.

"Personally, I go for Buzzy Balou and his Musical Crew." -- Molly.

Eddie Hatch (Robert Walker of My Son John) is a window dresser for Savory's department store. Mr. Savory (Tom Conway) has just acquired a $200,000 statue of Venus which he wishes to unveil and he instructs Eddie to make sure the curtain rises perfectly at the right moment. Eddie impulsively kisses the statue, and the next thing he knows it has come to life. Venus (Ava Gardner), Goddess of Love visiting from Olympus, is charmed by Eddie, and he is smitten with her, although he already has a girlfriend in clerk Gloria (Olga San Juan). Eddie's buddy, Joe (Dick Haymes of St. Benny the Dip) has a secret crush on Gloria, as secretary Molly (Eve Arden) does on her boss, Mr. Savory. Spotting her asleep in a model home on the first floor of the store, Savory determines to drape this goddess in gowns and make her his own. Will all of these lovers get together with the right person, and will Eddie have to go to jail for stealing a very expensive statue? One Touch of Venus, adapted from the Broadway show that starred Mary Martin, takes a while to get its footing (a third of the movie has gone by before anyone sings a song, for one thing), but it develops into a charming and well-performed musical comedy. Gardner [The Night of the Iguana] makes a luscious Venus, and is good in the role, although her singing is dubbed. The other performers are all on the money -- Sara Allgood has a nice turn as an anxious landlady --  and Eve Arden adds just that extra special sparkle that the proceedings require. The movie drops about half of the songs (Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash) -- some are heard in the background -- but retains "Speak Low;" "That's Him;" and "My Foolish Heart." Olga San Juan was in the original Broadway cast of Lerner and Loewe's Paint Your Wagon.

Verdict: Romantic tomfoolery perhaps, but it certainly has its delights. ***.