SAY ONE FOR ME

US, 1959, 117 minutes, Colour.
Bing Crosby, Robert Wagner, Debbie Reynolds, Ray Walston, Les Tremayne, Connie Gilchrist, Frank McHugh?, Joe Besser, Sebastian Cabot.
Directed by Frank Tashlin.

Say One For Me is a colourful corny religious musical. It gives Bing Crosby an opportunity to reprise his priest character, Oscar-winning in Going my Way and popular in The Bells of St Mary's. He is a pastor in a show business parish in New York. Debbie Reynolds is a pert heroine. Robert Wagner has an opportunity to sing and dance as the show business conman. There is a sympathetic performance by Ray Walston as an alcoholic song composer and accompanist. Frank McHugh?, veteran of many old films including Going My Way, is a Damon Runyon type gambler. There are also some glimpses of Stella Stevens.

The film is usually listed in the films for the Turkey Awards - it is sentimental and corny. The songs are bright but not particularly memorable. Direction is by Frank Tashlin, director of a number of Martin and Lewis and Jerry Lewis vehicles.

The film was released in 1959 and shows the Catholic church of the 50s, the place of the priest, the parish, devotions, the Mass. There are touches of change and updating -which was to happen in the ensuing years. An interesting, look at how Hollywood saw the Catholic church in those days.

1. The film as musical, comedy? Human drama?

2. Wide screen photography, colour, New York, the musical numbers, the church? The focus on television specials? The songs, music and lyrics?

3. The title, the title song, the focus on religion?

4. Bing Crosby as a priest, credible? His past roles? His parish, Masses, sermons? Helping people in need? The concerts and benefits? His friends? His fussy housekeeper? Relationship with Holly and helping her, going to the nightclub? Her father and his illness? The clashes with Tony, taking his joke, giving him jokes back? The friendship with Phil and trying to help him with his alcoholism? Sandy and the baptism of the baby? His advice, friendship, singing? A credible priest?

5. Debbie Reynolds as Holly, song and dance, studies, love for her father, his illness, her audition with Tony, warding him off, his visits to the apartment, her dancing in the nightclub, Father Conroy's visit (and her changing her name), her pleading Tony's cause, the clashes between the two, Sandy and the baptism of the baby, the build-tip to the benefit, the singing with Tony and Father Conroy?

6. Robert Wagner - and his song and dance routines, in the nightclub, tough image, sexy, pursuit of Holly, using Phil? Moods? Visit to the apartment? The performance with Holly and Father Conroy's visit? The clashes? His visit when the Monsignor was present? The argument about the jokes? His need of money, big jobs, lack of self-confidence, being godfather? Going on the benefit, giving the credit to Phil, singing With Father Conroy?

7. Phil and his skill with songs, sardonic, hiding the drink, accompanying Tony, friendship with Holly, the friendship with Father Conroy, giving up the drink, the final credit?

3. Sandy as the unmarried mother, the baby, in show business, frightened, the baptism, Tony as godfather?

9. The world of show business, New York, the nightclubs, the patrons? Gamblers and gangsters? Television shows and promotion?

10. The popular kind of musical of the '50s?