SO THIS IS PARIS

US, 1955, 96 minutes, Colour.
Tony Curtis, Gloria de Haven, Gene Nelson, Corinne Calvet, Paul Gilbert, Mara Corday, Allison Hayes. Directed by Richard Quine.

So This is Paris is a pleasant minor musical. It was one of the short feature, small-budget vehicles for Tony Curtis in the early '50s at Universal. He acquits himself of singing and dancing quite well - though not spectacularly. The dancing is left to Gene Nelson, the singing to Gloria de Haven, the comedy to Paul Gilbert. There is glamour with Corinne Calvet.

However, the film visually resembles the M.G.M. musicals of the '40s and '50s -especially with the presence of Gloria de Haven. The staging of the dances, the songs are very reminiscent of M.G.M's style. This may be due in large part to the direction by Richard Quine. He had appeared in several M.G.M. musicals in the '40s: Babes on Broadway, For Me and My Gal, etc. In the early '50s he became a director of Frankie Laine musicals. He was to make a number of musicals, thrillers and comedies in the '50s and '60s.

The basic plot of three sailors on leave in France, painting Paris red, singing and dancing, meeting three girls with misunderstandings, helping orphans to raise money are all very reminiscent of On the Town. A pleasant example of Universal doing a 1950s style musical comedy.