Anything Goes (1956 film)
| Anything Goes | |
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 DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Robert Lewis |
| Produced by | Robert Emmett Dolan |
| Screenplay by | Sidney Sheldon Howard Lindsay |
| Based on | Anything Goes by Guy Bolton P.G. Wodehouse |
| Starring | Bing Crosby Donald O'Connor Mitzi Gaynor Jeanmaire |
| Music by | Joseph J. Lilley Nick Castle Van Cleave |
| Cinematography | John F. Warren |
| Editing by | Frank Bracht |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 13, 1956 |
| Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Anything Goes is a 1956 musical film adapted from the Cole Porter, Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse stage production of the same title. The book was drastically rewritten for this second film version, also by Paramount, released in 1956. Though this film again starred Bing Crosby (whose character was once more renamed), Donald O'Connor, and comedian Phil Harris in a cameo, the new film almost completely excised the rest of the characters in favor of a totally new plot. The film features almost no similarities to the play or 1936 film, apart from some songs and the title.
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[edit] Plot
Showbiz partners Bill Benson and Ted Adams each travel to Paris to sign a dancer to star in their new show. The problem? There is only one role, and the men have unknowingly cast two dancers, Patsy Blair and Gaby Duval. It is up to the men to sort out their mess on the cruise back to America.
[edit] Cast
- Bing Crosby — Bill Benson
- Donald O'Connor — Ted Adams
- Mitzi Gaynor — Patsy Blair
- Jeanmaire — Gaby Duval
- Phil Harris — Steve Blair
- Kurt Kasznar — Victor Lawrence
- Richard Erdman — Ed Brent
- Walter Sande — Alex Todd
- Archer MacDonald — Otto
- Argentina Brunetti — Suzanne
[edit] Production
The primary musical numbers ("Anything Goes", "You're the Top", "I Get a Kick Out of You", "It's De-Lovely" and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow") with updated arrangements appear in the film, while the lesser-known Porter songs were cut completely, and new songs, written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, were substituted. These substitutions ranged from the lively tap number by Donald O'Connor with bouncy children and as many bouncy balls ("You Can Bounce Right Back") to the crazy kitsch ("Second-hand Turban"). Musical numbers were staged by Nick Castle, with the "Anything Goes" number staged by Ernie Flatt, and Roland Petit staging the Jeanmaire ballet and "I Get a Kick of You".
[edit] Soundtrack
Decca Records released an album[1] of the score, which includes a mix of soundtrack performances and studio re-creations.
- "Ya Gotta Give the People Hoke" (Crosby & O'Connor) - taken from film soundtrack
- "Anything Goes" (Gaynor) - the orchestra track is from the film but Gaynor overdubs a new and different vocal
- "I Get a Kick Out of You" (Jeanmaire) - From the film soundtrack although the sound quality fluctuates wildly between the vocals and the dance music.
- "You're the Top" (Crosby & Gaynor) - This is a studio recording with an arrangement totally different from that presented in the film. On screen the number is done as a double duet with Crosby and Gaynor rehearsing in one room while O'Connor and Jeanmaire rehearse in an adjoining room. The recorded version is less complete and has some different lyrics.
- "It's Delovely" (O'Connor & Gaynor) - Taken from the film soundtrack with dialogue removed.
- "All Through the Night (Crosby) - Studio re-recording with Crosby singing at a slightly faster tempo.
- "Dream Ballet" (Orchestra) - Taken from the soundtrack with the addition "Let's Do It" at the very beginning, which was edited out of the final print of the film.
- "You Can Bounce Right Back" (O'Connor) - From the film soundtrack.
- "A Second Hand Turban and a Crystal Ball" (Crosby & O'Connor) - Full routine (with a few slight dialogue abridgments) taken from the film soundtrack.
- "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" (Full cast) - More or less taken from the soundtrack but remixed to remove the chorus and adding some verses not heard in the finished film.
The album stayed in Decca's catalog until 1969 when it was discontinued.[2] In 2004, Decca Broadway re-released the recording on CD.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "Anything Goes > Film Soundtrack". CastAlbums.org. http://castalbums.org/recordings/Anything-Goes-1956-Film-Soundtrack/1603. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
- ^ Last available listed in Schwann catalogue, June 1969, page 211
- ^ "Anything Goes (1956 Film Soundtrack): Cole Porter, Bing Crosby, Donald O'Connor: Music". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00018U9WK. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
