I'm not a big fan of musicals in general, so I tend to like only the really good ones (Guys and Dolls, Anchors Aweigh, Singing in the Rain, American in Paris, etc.). I thought I'd give this a try because I usually love Janet Leigh movies. However, I found this film to be rather mediocre.
First what Iiked. Janet Leigh and the supporting cast did well with their roles. Some of the songs were kinda catchy and I enjoyed several of the performances. Tony Martin really sings well, and Eddie Bracken is his usual dopey self.
Now what I didn't like. Tony Martin can't act. Or at least he couldn't in this movie. Plus I didn't like his character at all. He seemed way too old for this role. He looked old enough to be Janet Leigh's father - and he acted like it too. It was very creepy and I didn't care for it at all.
I didn't like the deli owners, either. I found them to be annoying and I was tempted to fast-forward all of their scenes. The movie plot was rather weak, as is usual in musicals. But this one especially seemed like a disjointed collection of song and dance routines. For me, a good musical is one that can weave songs and dances into the narrative more organically. This didn't do it for me.
I thought Bob Crosby's number making fun of his more famous brother Bing was amusing, but honestly I thought it detracted from the flimsy storyline in the first place. I probably would have left it out of the movie entirely.
And near the end of the film, there's a rather insensitive (if not offensive) routine when the main characters dress up like Native Americans and portray them in a stereotypical manner. I didn't care for this at all, and I'm sure there will be many people who would find it to be offensive. True, this was made in 1951 when such portrayals were not seen negatively, but I still didn't like it. If you are offended by such content, you shouldn't see this movie - or you should at least fast-forward the film through this part.
Overall, I give this a 5/10, though I think it's probably closer to a 4.
