DIAMOND HORSESHOE
US, 1945, 104 minutes, Colour.
Betty Grable, Dick Haymes, William Caxton, Phil Silvers, Beatrice Kay, Carmen Cavallero, Margaret Dumont.
Directed by George Seaton.
Diamond Horseshoe is a 20th Century Fox mid-40s musical about Billy Rose's theatre restaurant in New York, the Diamond Horseshoe. Billy Rose and his entertainments were the subject of the 1962 Billy Rose's Jumbo with Stephen Boyd and Doris Day as well as Rose himself being in the centre of the Fanny Brice story in Funny Lady with Barbra Streisand. The Diamond Horseshoe is something of a blend of the Ziegfeld Follies with a restaurant.
There are plenty of spectacular numbers in the 40s style. However, the ballad sung by Dick Haymes, 'The More I See You' has become a standard classic.
This is a Betty Grable film which she does in her usual style. Dick Haymes is a pleasant hero. Phil Silvers gives comic and wise advice support. The film was written and directed by George Seaton, a more serious director than the usual Fox directors like Walter Lang, Irving Cummings, H. Bruce Humberstone. He gives the screenplay a bit more depth - with a lot of psychological language and talk.
Undemanding entertainment, pleasant and a remembrance of the '40s style.
1. Pleasing musical? Comedy? Drama?
2. 20th Century Fox production, the re-creation of the Diamond Horseshoe, New York locations? The choreography and staging of the numbers? The musical score, old songs, new songs? 'The More I See You'?
3. The title, the theatre restaurant, Billy Rose as an entrepreneur?
4. The focus on Bonnie: as a performer at the Diamond Horseshoe, the clashes with Joe Davis, the encounter with Joey, her fainting and his attentions, her irritation with him, Clare's proposal to give her the mink if she could lead Joey away from his father? The meetings, falling in love, the picnic on the Hudson and her change of heart, the songs? Her dilemma, throwing away the mink? her remembering Joey's psychological explanation? Falling in love, getting married, from the Diamond Horseshoe to the nightclub, the return, forgiving Joe, the happy reunion?
5. Joey, his arrival, the years in medical school, wanting to be in show business, his father's putting him down? Working with Blinker on the stage? In love with Bonnie, the outings, the psychology, the showbiz plans? His treatment of the diabetic? Going back to medical school? The happy reunion?
6. Joe Davis as the star, his initial welcoming song and the Chevalier style? Attitude towards Bonnie, towards his son, wanting him to go back to medical school? The relationship with Clare? People concealing the truth from him because of his harsh attitudes? Finding Bonnie? Blinker being able to reunite everyone, tell the truth to Joe?
7. Phil Silvers and his style as Blinker, wisecracks, the question as to why the show must go on? Getting Joey the chance to sing at the nightclub? Explaining the truth to Joe?
8. Clare, in the songs, the relationship with Joe, persuading Bonnie to lure Joey away? The finale?
9. The world of show business, singers and dancers, the show must go on? Blended with the human drama? Comic touches?
