MY WILD IRISH ROSE

US, 1947, 101 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Morgan, Arlene Dahl, Andrea King, Alan Hale, George Tobias.
Directed by David Butler.

My Wild Irish Rose is one of those Warner Bros. musicals of the mid-'40s which was full of colour and song. It is the outline biography of composer Chauncey Olcott and his career. It also features Andrea King as Lillian Russell.

Dennis Morgan was a popular singer of the period, who was comfortable in musicals as well as dramas. He has ample opportunity for singing here. A young Arlene Dahl, in one of her earliest films, is the heroine. There is support from veterans of the musicals of the period, including Ben Blue with his comic turns. Alan Hale also appears as Arlene Dahl's father.

The film show s America at the turn of the century, the theatres, the growth of popular music. It is not particularly exciting - but it is tuneful and enjoyable. Directed by David Butler, a regular of Warner Bros. musicals and westerns (for instance, San Antonio).

1. Popular Warner Bros. musical of the '40s? Popular biography of a composer?

2. Colour photography, period, costumes and decor,~-,the turn of the century?

3. Popular Irish music, tenors, barbers groups, theatre, Lillian Russell? The use of the music throughout the film?

4. Dennis Morgan as Chauncey Olcott: his work, at home, the support of his mother, his singing, his pushiness with Lillian Russell, pretence of wealth, the restaurant and his having to work? His travelling, partnership in the hotel, rescuing Rose, the difficulties, the minstrels, Lillian Russell and the new encounter, his audition and success? The love for Rose, leaving her? Billy Scanlan and his taking over when Scanlan's voice failed? Rose's father, his friendship, her conversation about eloping - and his actually doing it to the father's rage? Popular American Irish type? His songs?

5. Rose as heroine, the rescue, attraction to Chauncey, her fiance, her father, her jealousy, the visit to Lillian Russell, the eloping?

6. Lillian Russell and her reputation, charm, performances, songs? Olcott as her leading man? The encounter with Rose?

7. Billy Scanlan, his reputation and performance, the Irish following, his failure of voice, handing over to Chauncey?

8. The hotel, Chauncey buying his way into it, the minstrel&, the various backers, the owner and the continued clashes throughout the career?

9. The theatrical mood, performances, Lillian Russell's songs, suitors, the barber groups, the minstrels, the Irish tradition?

10. Ben Blue and his elastic comedy style?

11. A re-creation of a period, piece of Americana?