I recently began subscribing to the blog “Forgotten Films.”
(Thank you, Sis!) This inspired me to write on one of my favorite “forgotten
films.” I don’t know of anyone who does
not find Danny Kaye one of America’s favorite legendary performers. I have shared his talent (via the gift of
technology in the classroom) with my students, some of whom had never even
heard of Danny Kaye; some recognized him as the ‘funny, old dentist that Rudy
Huxtable visits on “The Cosby Show,”** but other than this, they were fully unaware of
the talent unleashed by this world-renown comic icon, and were of course, at this point introduced to a new 'funny man'!
Now, “White Christmas” is in my top 50 films of all time and
is #2 on my Christmas movie list. “Hans Christian Andersen,” and “The Court
Jester” are both wonderful Kaye films, as well. I also enjoy “The Secret Life
of Walter Mitty” (“ta-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa.”) and “The Kid
From Brooklyn. ” They, too, rate high on my Danny Kaye list, but one film for
me trumps all of these – “Up in Arms” (1944, Samuel L. Goldwyn Productions). Kaye portrays ‘Danny Weems,’ an elevator
operator in a busy high-rise commercial building. He happens to be in love with
Mary Morgan (the lovely Constance Dowling), but she is in love with Danny’s
best friend, Joe (played by dashing Dana Andrews), and adorable Virginia (Dinah
Shore) is in love with Danny. As a
hypochondriac, Danny is drafted (of course), becomes a military hero in his own
crazy (and politically incorrect) way (“Oide nasai!”), and each man gets the girl
they realized is truly their own. The
film co-stars some of the loveliest Goldwyn girls to grace the screen – talk
about ‘ravishing beauties’; they’re here!
This movie is not yet available on DVD - a sad commentary on
what sells. We can find movies and
television programming that were aired ‘yesterday’ and have no standards of
morality, but the entertaining, cross-the-board, multi-generational appeal of
the likes of Danny Kaye are hard to find on the shelves or internet
warehouse. Even his film, “The Inspector
General” is available, but of the poorest captured quality. But that ‘soapbox’ is for another time. Today, I will leave you with nothing but
nonsensical happiness and undeniable laughter.
"Melody in 4-F" ***
"Tess's Torch Song"
And, perhaps on of my favorite scenes on film (and it's about the movies)...
"Manic Pictures Presents..."
* - the Selective Service ranking of 'available for unrestricted military service.'
** - “The Cosby Show”; Episode #2.16; ‘The Dentist’ (1986)
*** - the Selective Service ranking of 'registrant not acceptable for military service.'
*** - the Selective Service ranking of 'registrant not acceptable for military service.'
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