happy go lovely

the year: 1951

the genre: musical


the cast: Vera-Ellen (Janet Jones); David Niven (B. G. Bruno); Cesar Romero (John Frost); Diane Hart (Mae)


the plot: In Edinburgh, Scotland, beleaguered American theatrical producer Jack “Frosty” Frost convinces his creditors to give him two more days in which to come up with some money to pay for his latest show. Running late, chorus girl Janet Jones hitchhikes to the theater and is picked up by a friendly chauffeur driving the limousine owned by Scottish millionaire and greeting card giant, B.G. Bruno. When the chauffeur returns to the theater with Janet’s forgotten purse, rumors begin to circulate that she is Bruno's fiancée. Seeing an opportunity, Frosty give Janet the starring role and Madame Amanda, a French dressmaker presents Janet with some expensive clothes. The next day, Bruno, a unadventurous bachelor, receives Madame Amanda's bill and determines to investigate the matter himself. At the theater, Janet mistakes Bruno for Paul Tracy, a reporter who is scheduled to interview her but has not yet arrived, and bemused by the charming American, Bruno does not correct her. And so the fun begins.


count: how many backstage collisions occur between the chorus girl and Frosty.


don’t miss: what the B.G. stands for.


check out: how Mr. Bruno reprimands Dodds for giving Janet a ride.


listen for: “Well, that's where we met. On the pyramids. I mean... near the pyramids, just a little to the left.”


you can watch the movie in parts starting here. And I give you full authority to skip all of the songs - it's one of my new favorite movies WITHOUT the musical numbers. Besides, it's kind of fun to watch Vera-Ellen dance in "fast forward".