mark.waltz I really doubt that outside a concert staging that the 1933 Jerome Kern musical "Roberta" will ever be revived. There have been two film versions and a TV special that is more a chance for Bob Hope to do his routine than to re-create the show. The only interest in that is the fact that he was in the original cast (some 36 years before) and that co-stars Michelle Lee, John Davidson and Janis Paige are all excellent. The middle of the Keel/Grayson pairing features a reunion for them with Marge and Gower Champion and the wonderful Ann Miller who would later practically steal their third and last pairing, "Kiss Me Kate", out from the rest of the cast. They are joined by Red Skelton (a reunion with Annie from "Watch the Birdie!" and "Texas Carnival") and Kurt Kasznar, with a young Zsa Zsa Gabor playing, what else, an effervescent flirt named Zsa Zsa.Gone is the character of Roberta, Grayson's employer and Keel's aunt, who dies, leaving an unsigned will when it was her wish for Grayson to receive the business. Romantic complications between the two arise as issues over who will take control complicate matters, but together, they hope that their joint interest in making the fashion business a continued success will be resolved for their lavish fashion show finale. Grayson sings the gorgeous "Yesterdays", which was the late Roberta's favorite song (the impact is lessened by her absence, but Grayson's gorgeous singing makes it well worth hearing), duets with Keel on "You're Devastating" and sings a very poignant "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" while looking ravishing in color as the camera focuses only on her. Later, Marge and Gower dance to it with layers of fog swirling around them. The scene is set up perfectly, and it's a shame that other than being given clips in "That's Entertainment II" that this film is not as well known as it should be.After basically stealing "Easter Parade" with "Shakin' the Blues Away", Ann Miller takes over with "I'll Be Hard to Handle" with chorus boys decked out in animal masks. It's a great modern staging of a number performed by Ginger Rogers with a French accent in the 1935 version and with a disco beat by Janis Paige in the 1969 TV version. Ironically, all three of these ladies were Broadway "Mame's", and when Paige performed "Stereophonic Sound" with Fred Astaire in "Silk Stockings", the similarities between her vivacity and Ms. Miller's became more than a little obvious. "I Won't Dance", another duet for Marge and Gower, is also wonderfully staged, a great follow-up from "Show Boat's" "Life Upon the Wicked Stage", and certainly standing out on its own. The fashion show finale, directed with the usual Vincent Minnelli pizazz and elegance, isn't as campy as the fashion show from "The Women", and perfectly represents what Paris fashion seems to be all about.

eddieboom Other than the Gower's occasional dances in this film, this movie just falls flat. True, there are some great songs, but Red Skelton is purely annoying, Zsa Zsa Gabor is wasted in a thankless role, and Ann Miller has all the personality of a sponge. I just watched it for the first time today. Now I understand why so many younger people think the old movie musicals are hokey. Occasionally they work - but not in this case...steer clear...the plot and acting are generally sub-par! Compared to the films of Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell, and even Judy Garland, this film seems amateurish. Watch "In The Good Old Summertime" or "Carmen Jones" instead.

movibuf1962 This was a remake of the RKO Astaire-Rogers pastiche ROBERTA (1935), but it had its own merits. MGM used its 'Jack Cummings' unit of talent- most of the alumnae from SHOW BOAT and KISS ME KATE- to perform here. Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson represent the singing couple (Irene Dunne essayed the role originally in ROBERTA, but her mate was the non-singing Randolph Scott), and do very nice renditions of the songs 'The Touch of Your Hand' and their witty first duet, 'You're Devastating.' The dancing couple was none other than Marge & Gower Champion, married in real life and presenting the dances with a bit more romance. They first dance to the call-and-response ditty 'I Won't Dance' in a fitting room with mannequins on wheels. Later, in an after-hours café, they discover they are falling in love and dance to an instrumental version of 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes-' particularly breathtaking because it is staged as a love scene instead of a performance, and it makes the most of a dreamy, starry-night set piece, of which the dance floor is put to a great deal of use in its climax when the Champions swing each other around in romantic pirouettes. Finally, there is Red Skelton assuming the role of the actual salon heir, cutting up on a piano rag and narrating the gargantuan fashion show finale. The remake includes a sexier version of 'I'll Be Hard to Handle' tapped out by Ann Miller, and 'new' songs 'Tomorrow Night' and 'Lafayette.'

Chazzzzz This could have been much better. Terrific cast, however Red Skelton (one of my favorites, usually) isn't in good form (but Ann Miller's form is terrific), Howard Keel is lackluster, and Zsa-Zsa is YOUNG! However blah the plot and acting are, I can highly recommend this picture on the basis of 3 dance routines by Marge & Gower Champion, two of which are unique. The first takes place among clothes racks, utilizing a wheeled dress-sizer. Take a long look at the dance... there are no cuts! IT IS ALL ONE TAKE! The last dance is near the end of the film, where jewel-thief Gower tries to take a diamond bracelet from mannekin Marge. Superb choreography in both routines! I gave it an 8 out of 10.