I'LL GET BY
US, 1950, 83 minutes, Colour.
June Haver, William Lundigan, Gloria de Haven, Harry James, Thelma Ritter, Steve Allen.
Directed by Richard Sale.
One of the many routine musicals of the late forties and early fifties which took popular song titles for their own title and wove a pleasant conventional story around the writing of songs, publication, stage and film presentation. This is a very slight example of the genre but its main strength lies in the pleasing and ever popular songs chosen. June Haver was a popular singing actress at this time and she is supported by Gloria de Haven. She and William Lundigan appeared in such frothy comedies as Love Nest. The film is not particularly memorable but quite a pleasant example of its genre ? with a typical performance by Thelma Ritter and some surprise guest spots from Jeanne Craine, Victor Mature, Dan Dailey and Reginald Gardiner.
1. An entertaining and popular musical?
2. The conventions of the American musical? The songs and their composition, publication, radio and stage presentation, films? The staging of the songs, their style?
3. Colour photography, America during the forties? The background of World War II? New York clubs, radio stations, Hollywood?
4. The plausibility of such stories? The constant use in Hollywood films? Sufficient for the plot purposes? The personalities of the composers, the singers, the band and orchestra people? Hollywood? How real, fantasy, a contrived world?
5. The characters and their presentation ? credible heroes? Their work, double-dealing, promoting of their songs, floating the company, dating the girls? The clashes of personality? The breaks? The war, the happy ending?
6. The Martin sisters? Singing and dancing, popular songs, their work for success, breaks, friendship with the heroes? Liz and her romance, her disappointment? Terry and her real name, gold-digging, abrasiveness, love for Freddie? Conventional heroines?
7. Dooley and his work as pianist, composer? Harry James and his band? Reginald Gardiner and his helping of the stars in Hollywood? The guest spots from the real stars?
8. The presentation of the songs and the perennial enjoyment? The songs as representing American attitudes of the thirties and forties and fifties?
9. Romance, the dream of success, money? The humorous and satirical commentary by Murphy? The military and war background and its impact in 1950? Patriotism, the American spirit, the American dream, American sentiment?
