5th avenue girl

the year: 1939

the genre: comedy

the cast: Ginger Rogers (Mary Grey); Walter Connelly (Mr. Borden); Verree Teasdale (Mrs. Borden); James Ellison (Mike); Tim Holt (Tim Borden); Kathryn Adams (Katherine Borden)

the plot: Troubled with union problems in his business and lonely on his birthday because his wife, Martha, is out with a playboy, millionaire Timothy Borden meets unemployed and hungry Mary Grey in a park and convinces her to help him celebrate at a nightclub. Much to his surprise the following morning, Mary has slept in the guest room for the night. Not unmindful that Martha's interest in Timothy seems renewed, he hires Mary to stay at the house as an employee and they go out on the town virtually every night. Mary meanwhile has a positive effect on other members of the household: daughter Katherine (in love with Michael, the communism-spouting chauffeur) who seeks her advice; and son Tim(who is forced to take over the neglected business to keep it from running downhill), which his father had been trying unsuccessfully to get him to do. Complications (of course) arise when Tim falls in love with Mary..

listen for: "Might as well be civil!"  "Only when civl liberties are in danger."

don't miss: the park bench scene - and Jack Carson as the ardent sailor.

also listen for: "I guess rich people are just poor people with money."

watch scenes from the movie here.

romance on the high seas

the year: 1948

the genre: musical



the cast: Doris Day (Georgia Garrett); Jack Carson (Peter Virgil); Janis Page (Mrs. Elvira Kent); Don DeFore (Mr. Michael Kent); S.Z. Sakall (Uncle Lazlo Lazlo)



the plot: Elvira Kent and her husband Michael suspect each other of cheating. For a wedding anniversary, Elvira books an ocean cruise to Rio de Janeiro. When her husband claims that unexpected business will prevent him from going, Elvira pretends to take the trip alone, sending in her place singer Georgia Garrett, a woman she met at the travel agency. This will give her the opportunity to find out if Michael is indeed sneaking around behind her back. Meanwhile, Michael hires private detective Peter Virgil to check up on her.





the plot continued: As part of his job, Peter becomes acquainted with Georgia (believing her to be Elvira). They gradually fall in love, which makes reporting to Michael very uncomfortable for Peter. By chance, Georgia's boyfriend, Oscar Farrar, is also aboard. When Peter spots them together, he thinks he has discovered the identity of Elvira's lover.



listen for: "I'm no blabbermouth! My goodness! It's getting so a man isn't safe around here at Carnival time!"



don't miss: the drunk at the bar.






check out: the neat-o travel agency patronized by Georgia and Mrs. Kent.



listen for: "What if there IS blood shed in 314? We're going to do the whole third floor over anyhow."



also listen for: "Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon (and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea)" with the Page Cavanaugh Trio




extra bonus points: if you can name 2 other movies starring S. Z. Sakall.



did you know: This was Doris Day's first ever acting role. She wrote in her autobiography that the first scenes to be filmed were aboard the ship. When she arrived the first day, she walked into the soundstage and asked when they would be leaving for the boat. The crew broke up laughing.




the trailer: here




listen for: "Incidentally, I picked up your last two paychecks. It was barely enough to pay for my plane ticket down here. Didn't even leave me enough to buy you a present! I feel like a cad. "