If I'm Lucky

The music and cast make this movie. "If I'm Lucky," is one of the lighter musicals of the 1940s with thin or silly plots. It's in the field of musical review, with a plot just to tie together the songs, music and dance numbers. And this film has some very enjoyable entertainment.

Harry James and his orchestra make it a collector's film for those who like the big bands of the swing era. Perry Como has a minor speaking role that provides his stage for some good songs. And, Vivian Blaine is good with her numbers. Some of the best stuff comes from Carmen Miranda with the entertaining choreographed dance numbers built around her songs.

Phil Silvers provides some light comedy as Wally Jones. The best lines are spoken by Michelle O'Toole (Miranda) and Wally. O'Toole, "Baby, don't forget my harp, Wally." Wally, "Oh, yes. Why didn't you play a piccolo?"

'If I'm Lucky' is the name of a mediocre song as well as the 1946 picture it appears in. 'IIL' is one of Fox's lesser musicals saved by the talents of Carmen Miranda and the song and dance pros, Phil Silvers. Vivian Blaine, Harry James and a very young Perry Como. Collectively, they help right this almost sinking ship. 'IIL' is a love story with a political campaign backdrop. The musicians are hired for $1,000 ($17,500 in today's market) to travel with the campaign for the express purpose of wooing voters. Romance of course blossoms as the political candidate, played by the irreplaceable Edgar Buchanan, has to be bailed out of problem after problem. Will the musical group succeed in its mission despite issues with that keep erupting? You'll have to find out for yourself. It will only cost you 80 minutes which go quickly.

This is a lightweight but enjoyable remake of "Thanks a Million" (1935). While it's far from a must-see, it has modest aspirations and makes for a decent time-passer. The star of this one is Perry Como--and his singing is typically smooth and enjoyable even though none of the songs are particularly memorable. He is supported by Vivian Blaine, Harry James, Phil Silvers and Carmen Miranda. As far as Silvers and Miranda go, they are pretty low-key in this film and lack the loud and brash qualities that made "Something for the Boys" a rather poor musical. In fact, this prior film ALSO starred Vivian Blaine and Perry Como--making "If I'm Lucky" sort of a reunion picture. Of the two films, "If I'm Lucky" is the vastly superior film.

The five stars all are out of work and need a musical gig. By luck, they are discovered by a political machine--who puts the band to work during their gubernatorial campaign providing a warm-up act before their candidate gives a speech. However, during one of their stops, the candidate (Edgar Buchanan) gets stinking drunk and Como instead entertains the audience and makes a small speech. It ends up going over so well that the political machine offers to run Como for governor instead of Buchanan! Como knows he cannot win but realizes it would be great publicity for him and his friends and their band. The problem is that he DOES have a chance and his squeaky clean political machine is not so squeaky clean after all! And, these new 'friends' threaten to ruin his friends' careers if he doesn't play along. What is this honest guy going to do?

Overall, this is a very pleasant little film. I already commented about the music by Como, but this film features a few insane musical numbers (such as Miranda's "Botocudo") as well. While these folks are SUPPOSED to be performing a few songs during an election run or in night clubs, the production numbers become ridiculously big as the film progresses. This isn't a complaint--just an observation about the sort of song and dance numbers that were popular during this era. Not a must-see but a decent little time-passer.

If a film was described as "made by 20th Century Fox, featuring Vivian Blaine, Carmen Miranda, Phil Silvers, Harry James, and Perry Como," you might reasonably expect the sort of bright, brash, and breezy Technicolor musical of which TCF were the masters during the 1940s.

If a film was described as "a black and white political satire about an upright young man duped into standing for office only to find that he was intended to front for a gang of corrupt politicos," you might reasonably expect the sort of film of which Frank Capra was master, perhaps starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur.

It is unlikely that you would envisage one film to fit both descriptions, but "If I'm Lucky" does just that. Perhaps we shall never know what prompted TCF to produce this unlikely hybrid, but surprisingly it works quite well. The musical numbers are neatly integrated into the plot, Phil Silvers' usual over-exuberance is kept in check, one misses Technicolor only during Carmen Miranda's numbers, and the political shenanigans are carried mainly by Edgar Buchanan, Reed Hadley, and other supporting players, thankfully making little demand on Perry Como's acting abilities.

This is not a particularly good movie, but nor is it a bad one, and it is sufficiently unusual to warrant attention.

Vivian Blaine, looking lovely at age 25, has the lead role in this musical, which also stars Perry Como, and both of them perform their musical numbers pleasantly and competently.

Phil Silvers is, of course, Phil Silvers, playing exactly the same character he played in many other films.

It should have been a crime not to film Carmen Miranda in Technicolor. Her production number cries out for color.

Harry James has a speaking part, portraying the band leader (what a stretch). He also performs vocally in some of the songs.

Edgar Buchanan (better known to us as Uncle Joe in the TV series "Petticoat Junction") is the quintessential politician blowhard.

The musical score is done by veteran songsmiths Josef Myrow (You Make Me Feel So Young) and Edgar "Eddie" De Lange (Darn That Dream, Moon Glow). While none of the tunes seems to have survived to present day, nor made the status of "standard", the songs are pleasant and typical fare for that time.

Forget that this film is a remake of another. So what else wasn't new in Hollywood. It's a bit of fluff in the same vein as all of the other 20th Century Fox musicals of the 1940s. So if you like those musicals, you'll enjoy this one too. The only big flaw is lack of Technicolor.