April in Paris (1952)

April in Paris (1952) starring Doris Day, Ray Bolger

In April in Paris, a chorus girl (Doris Day) is wrongly sent to Paris on a cultural junket. it’s due to the mistake of stuffy diplomat(Ray Bolger) and then …

Review

Lowlights

• Ray Bolger’s imaginary state of the Union address, followed by dancing with Washington and Lincoln. It’s cute, but it doesn’t advance the story. And, it goes on too long.
• The musical number at the Paris night club. It does advance the story — it pushes Sam to realize that he’s in love with Ethel, not Marcia. And, tells Marcia off! But, the number itself goes on too long.

Highlights

• Dancing with the French chefs in the kitchen aboard ship
• Sam becoming more likable once he’s “lubricated”.
• Drunken “good night” on board ship, as Sam and Dynamite keep going into each others’ cabins.
• Sam and Dynamite getting married aboard ship.
• Finding out that the “captain” who married them was an imposter!
• The drunken Phillippe cleverly throwing the “newlywed’s” mattress overboard, so they can’t consummate their marriage. Since they’re not actually married.
• The chaos in the cabin after as Secretary Sherman arrives to read Sam the riot act.
• Sam, seated between his wife (Dynamite) and fiancee (Marcia)

Cast of characters

• Doris Day (Billy Rose’s Jumbo, Julie) … Ethel S. ‘Dynamite’ Jackson. The spunky, take no nonsense showgirl.
• Ray Bolger (The Wizard of Oz, The Daydreamer) … S. ‘Sam’ Winthrop Putnam. The stuffy diplomat, who’s mistake turns into a golden opportunity. But on the boat ride to France, he falls in love with Dynamite.
• Claude Dauphin … Philippe Fouquet. Frenchman, “working” his way back to France aboard ship. Making sure to flirt with every pretty woman along the way!
• Eve Miller (There’s No Business Like Show Business) … Marcia Sherman. Sam’s original fiancee, daughter of the Secretary. She plans to push him into the White House. With her as First Lady, of course. Pulling the strings.
• George Givot (Road to Morocco) … François
• Paul Harvey (Blondie’s Reward) … Secretary Robert Sherman. Sam’s boss, who thinks that Putnam’s “plan” to send an unknown person to represent the country is brilliant! Marcia’s father.
• Herbert Farjeon … Joshua Stevens
• Wilson Millar … Sinclair Wilson
• Raymond Largay … Joseph Welmar
• John Alvin … Tracy
• Jack Lomas (The Beast with Five Fingers) … Cab Driver

Songs

• April in Paris (1932). Music by Vernon Duke, Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. Sung by Doris Day. Reprised by Claude Dauphin
• It Must Be Good. Music by Vernon Duke, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn.Sung by Doris Day
• Life Is Such A Pleasure. Music by Vernon Duke, Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. Sung and Danced by Ray Bolger
• Give Me Your Lips. Music by Vernon Duke, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Sung by Claude Dauphin
• Auprès de Ma Blonde. Traditional French song. Sung by kitchen staff, danced by Doris Day
• I’m Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight. Music by Vernon Duke, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Sung and danced by Doris Day and Ray Bolger
• I Know a Place. Music by Vernon Duke, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Sung by Doris Day
• That’s What Makes Paris Paree. Music by Vernon Duke, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Sung by Doris Day and Claude Dauphin
• I Ask You. Music by Vernon Duke, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Sung by Doris Day and Ray Bolger

Product Description 

The State Department wants Ethel Barrymore to represent the American theater at an arts exposition in Paris. But Miss Ethel Barrymore’s invitation goes instead to Miss Ethel “Dynamite” Jackson, a very blonde, very brassy chorus girl. And she’s going to give Paris an Eiffel! Doris Day and Ray Bolger star in this musical bonbon highlighted by the Vernon Duke/E.Y. Harburg title tune and a high-kicking, bell-ringing rendition of the Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn “I’m Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight.” Day is pure TNT as Dynamite, and Bolger’s rubbery comic artistry ideally complements her. He’s the stuffy bureaucrat who mismailed the Barrymore missive – and now has a stateroom full of Dynamite on his hands for a Paris-bound ocean voyage.