MERRY ANDREW
US, 1958, 103 minutes, Colour.
Danny Kaye, Pier Angeli, Salvatore Baccaloni, Noel Purcell, Robert Coote, Patricia Cutts, Tommy Rall.
Directed by Michael Kidd.
Merry Andrew is light Danny Kaye comedy – rather unlike his many amusing patter films. It is the story of a schoolteacher who has an archaeological quest to find a statue of Pan. At the dig he discovers a family of acrobats including Pier Angeli with whom he falls in love. This provides complications for the circus family as well as for his headmaster and his fiancée of five years. The film is comic, has some pleasant songs, and a rather lower-key Danny Kaye performance. He had made Knock on Wood, White Christmas and The Court Jester and had made a transition to some more serious roles with Me and the Colonel and The Five Pennies. Pier Angeli had appeared as an acrobat with Kirk Douglas in The Story of Three Loves.
The film is based on a story by Paul Gallico who wrote such stories as Lili, The Snow Geese, The Poseidon Adventure. The film was directed by choreographer Michael Kidd (who appeared in It’s Always Fair Weather with Gene Kelly).
1. Did you enjoy this film? Why? How attractive was its comedy, music songs and dance, Danny Kaye's personality and style, the circus background, and the satirical overtones of Italian and English families? Was the film a success in what it set out to do?
2. Could audiences easily identify with Andrew? Did they like him? In comparison with his father and brothers? His seeming failures at teaching? His relationship to the boys? The behaviour of his fiancee, Letitia? The demands made by his father? How nice was Andrew? How did his songs illustrate his pleasant character? The optimism in the presentation of such a hero?
3. How important was the archaeological enterprise for Andrew? For achievement and self-respect? The humour of his organising the circus? His relationship to the circus people? The importance of his stepping in and his immediate success as the clown? The attractiveness of Selina and his relationship to her? How did this all change him for the better! His falling foul of Italian customs and being forced to marry? Selina's allowing him to go? Was this the right choice to make?
4. How enjoyable were the circus sequences? Why are circus sequences always fairly enjoyable? The satire on the Italian family and their emotional responses? The excitement and intensity of their customs, especially the marriage?
5. How did this contrast with the satire on the English schools? The snob value of the schools and the father and his running of it?
6. How satisfactory was the resolution of the whole film? The happiness of the marriage to Selina? The chimpanzee finding the statue? Leticia able to marry Andrew's brother? Was this ending all too cute or was it just right for this film?
7. What did the songs and dances contribute to the film and its atmosphere? The happiness of tone of the film? The patter of Tickity Boo and the square of the hypotenuse? The style of the dance routine in this latter number? Would the film have been different without them?
8, Why do audiences like such blends of humour, romance, song and dance, gentle enough satire? Is this what entertainment is?
