Well, overall it was pretty dull, although the Irving Berlin songs were great, of course...but some of the arrangements/numbers were really strange. The Alexander's Ragtime Band number was one of those interminable things that would have had Mike and the 'bots yelling "PADDING!" at the screen...but most of the cast was fine, Dan Dailey and Ethel Merman doing their usual decent jobs, and Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor each as cute as a button in their own ways. (Is Donald O'Connor a honey? Jury's still out on that one.)

And then there were Marilyn Monroe and Johnnie Ray...now, I do agree that Monroe was a looker and had a certain charm...but an actress she ain't, folks, and she's pretty weak as a singer...and putting her in a sultry Caribbean number, that was just pathetic! sigh. And with all the GOOD people in this, it's now being sold in the Marilyn Monroe collection...double sigh.

But she was a goddess of talent compared to the truly painful performance of Mr. Ray, who (thanks be to whatever deity was responsible) only made one other movie after this. There are no words to describe the absolute AWFULNESS of this man; his singing was terrible, overacted and forced, he did wierd stuff with his hands and face, it was just appalling. He was so bad that every time he came on screen Mr. Otter and I would scream, "No! Not again!" at the tv set and try to hide behind the cats...

Only watch this one if you are so heavily sedated that you can't really pay any attention...otherwise, you will try to rip your eyes and ears out of your head to escape JOHNNIE RAY.