HELLO FRISCO, HELLO

US, 1943, 99 minutes, Colour.
Alice Faye, John Payne, Lynn Bari, Jack Oakie, Laird Cregar, June Havoc, Ward Bond.
Described by H. Bruce Humberstone.

Hello Frisco, Hello is one of the Alice Faye- John Payne musicals from Twentieth Century Fox in the early forties. Alice Faye was very popular in musicals in the thirties and forties. She teams well with John Payne. Jack Oakie is there to provide comedy. The film is colourful, shows the background of San Francisco in the nineteenth century from the Barbary Coast atmosphere of the saloons to the wealth and arrogance of Nob Hill. The song 'You'll Never Know’ won the Oscar for the Best Song of 1943. Routine material but very attractively presented.

1. The quality of this film as a musical of the 40s? The popularity and status of the stars at that time, use of locations and colour? Enjoyment qualities?

2. The impact of the songs for exemple, ‘You'll never know’ as an Oscar winner? The dance hall routines, the comedy? Romantic musical?

3. The film’s focus on San Francisco at the turn of the century? The long introduction to Pacific Street and the various hotels and dance halls? The type of people? The atmosphere of the Barbary coast and its reputation? life at Sharky's Dance Hall, skating rinks? The Salvation Army and the playing in the streets? The Irish police?

4. Johnny as the hero of the film? Within the Barbary Coast setting? Trudy and her success in this setting as well? At home in this setting, ambitions to achieve here, the way of making money and success, the people’s support of Johnny and Trudy within this context?

5. How attractive a heroine was Trudy? Alice Faye’s style? Her devotion to Johnny and following him? not being used by Johnny, disappointed by him, still helping him?

6. The comic supports and the humour they added to the film ad well ad the human interest and contributions to the plot?

7. The contrast of Nob Mill on the Barbary Coast? The type of people from San Francisco wealth and high society, their attitudes to the people of the coast? Visualized at parties and receptions, the auction?

8. How credbile a character was Bernice Crott? Her push, cautions, infatuation with Johnny, loss of money and the auction? Giving the manuscripts to Johnny, pursuing him to marry him, the European honeymoon, the money for the Opera House? How did Bernice ruin herself and Johnny?

9. Was Johnny an attractive hero of the film? His ambitions, and success, use of his friends, his selfishness, using Bernice and his being reduced to poverty? His beginning again? Did he learn his lessons for the future?

10. The film’s coontrasting Trudi’s success with Johnny’s failure?

11. The humor of Sam and the discovery of gold and the helping Johnny in reopening hie hotels and dance halls?

12. How satisfying was the rsoolution, especially the use of a songs such as You'll never know, Hello, Frisco, Hello?

13. The impact of this kind of film? Does it date? The styles and values of the forties and their impact now?