bkoganbing In between her contracts with Universal and MGM Jane Powell starred in this independent musical picture Delightfully Dangerous. Jane is about as dangerous as my cat, but the film is an easy to take musical with Powell doing her best to be a junior Deanna Durbin.In fact she and Gloria Jean were both signed as backup sopranos for Durbin, but the folks at Universal decided they had one soprano too many and with the studio now carried by Abbott&Costello they let Powell go which was one lucky break for her because MGM signed her right up. Louis B. Mayer never met a soprano he didn't like.Jane's got a Durbin like part in this United Artists release, she's the younger sister of Constance Moore who has told her she's in a musical show. What Moore didn't say was that she was in burlesque as the famous 'Bubbles Barton' and has left Jane to imagine that she's a bit more than a burlesque queen.It's quite a shock when Jane and friend Ruth Tobey run away from school to New York and meet up with Moore baring the legal limit. Of course with the help of Broadway producer Ralph Bellamy everything gets worked out in the end as both Moore and Powell appear in a Strauss operetta that gets revived with a bit of swing. Arthur Treacher plays Bellamy's butler (what else) and Louise Beavers is Moore's maid. When the households blend those two should make it interesting.Hunt Stromberg who produced several films at MGM including MacDonald/Eddy musicals produced this film and he sure must have missed those lavish MGM budgets. Still those that Jane Powell certainly had a bright future awaiting her at Leo the Lion's den.

mark.waltz The still lovely Jane Powell stars as a musical student whose older sister (Constance Moore) is a burlesque star unbeknownst to Ms. Powell. After discovering the truth, Jane decides to help make her sister legit with the help of Broadway producer (Ralph Bellamy). The rest is predictable, yet entertaining, and features a top-notch cast of supporting players including Arthur Treacher and Louise Beavers, plus the usual group of rowdy, boy-crazy teenage girls. (Has nothing changed?) The musical numbers are rather second rate, but there are a lot of amusing bits of comedy. After this, Ms. Powell went over to MGM, and the rest, as they say, is history.

dorbel Poor plot, dire music, amateurish dancing, but surprisingly likable overall! The screenplay is quite witty and the acting in the minor parts is excellent. Better directed and photographed than most musicals of this type the time passes quite nicely. Watch for amusing cameos by stalwarts Arthur Treacher and Louise Beavers. There are a number of glaring inconsistencies and holes in the plot. Morton Gould, surely the least charismatic band leader ever to star in and write the music for a musical, plays just the sort of dull symphonic schmaltz that is apparently holding back the prospects of Arthur Hale's new production, while Josephine's shocking burlesque act shows a great deal less leg than her interminable number in a legitimate play at the end of the film.

Snow Leopard This light musical is solid if nothing special, with a story, characters, and production that are all about average overall. The cast is probably the strongest part if it, with a young Jane Powell in the lead role.The story concerns two sisters and their dreams of a career in show business. As the younger of the two, Powell's character wants to be a singer, and Powell is given several opportunities to perform. As her sister, Constance Moore has a simpler role, but she fulfills it adequately. Ralph Bellamy probably gives the best performance, and he is well-cast as a well-meaning, slightly befuddled Broadway producer. Arthur Treacher also pitches in playing Bellamy's butler.Most of the rest of it is rather plain, although there are no real flaws. The story is purely lightweight, but it has enough to keep you watching, and the characters are just believable enough to make you care about them.