You Can't Have Everything

I guess this was to come in later movies, but I kept waiting for the musical pairing of Alice Faye and Don Ameche, which never came. Everything else happened, but this musical needed a stronger anchor. Those in charge should have realized the talent they had in Faye and Ameche and driven the plot from there.

I love Don Ameche and Alice Faye, and they were really good in this film. Oh yes, and Gypsy Rose Lee was really good. But the Ritz Brothers? Did people really think they were funny? Jeez, they make the Three Stooges look like George Carlin. Their musical tribute to underwear almost literally made me gag. Fast forward through those three pathetic excuses for entertainment and you probably have a decent movie.

I never understood the appeal of the Ritz Brothers when I saw them do an occasional specialty number in a movie. But in this movie, they don't have just a specialty number. They are on the screen for number after number, some of them fairly elaborate. And even after all those numbers, I have to say: What was the deal? Granted, the material is never very good. But the Marx Brothers could do great stuff with second-rate material. These guys don't do anything interesting with any of their material here. They just weren't very talented. As for the rest of the movie: Faye sings some forgettable numbers nicely. Amiche is hidden behind terrible eye makeup. You would never believe from what you see here that Gypsy Rose Lee was a star. It's pleasant, but forgettable.