Blue Skies [Blu-ray]

Director: Stuart Heisler Stuart Heisler

Overview

Jed Potter (Fred Astaire) is a popular radio personality who was once a famous dancer. He also used to be friends with Johnny Adams (Bing Crosby) until they became rivals for the affections of Mary O'Hara (Joan Caulfield). Jed lost out when Johnny and Mary got married, but life hasn't been too rosy for the couple since; Johnny's career in business was a washout, and not long after the birth of their daughter, the couple decided to divorce. Mary gave Jed another chance with her, but in time she chose to patch things up with Johnny, leading Jed to a close partnership with alcohol that ended with an accident, preventing him from ever dancing again. However, the aftermath of this tragedy helps bring the three former friends back together. Blue Skies was not much more than a framework for a bunch of musical numbers featuring great tunes from the Irving Berlin catalog, but when you've got Bing singing and Fred dancing to songs like "Puttin' on the Ritz," "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song," "A Couple of Song and Dance Men," and "White Christmas," why carp? Noted stage actor and tap dancer Paul Draper was originally cast as Jed, but he was fired after several days of filming and replaced by Astaire; Draper would make only one more movie before his film career came to an end after he was branded a Communist sympathizer.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/22/2022
UPC:	0738329258207
Original Release:	1946
Rating:	NR
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Language:	English
Time:	1:44:00
Sales rank:	14,718

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Bing Crosby	Johnny Adams
Fred Astaire	Jed Potter
Joan Caulfield	Mary O'Hara
Billy De Wolfe	Tony
Olga San Juan	Nita Nova
Mikhail Rasumny	Francois
Frank Faylen	Mack
Victoria Horne	Martha Nurse
Karolyn Grimes	Mary Elizabeth
Carol Andrews	Dolly
Robert Benchley	Businessman
Jimmy Conlin	Jeffrey
Harry Davenport	Actor
Neal Dodd	Minister
Joel Friend	Specialty dancer
John Gallaudet	Stage manager
Roy Gordon	Charles Dillingham
Major Harris	Guest
Len Hendry	Electrician
Roberta Jonay	Hat check girl
John Kelly	Tough Guy
Charles La Torre	Mr. Rakopolis
Peggy McIntyre	Mary Elizabeth
John Miller	Ed
Frances Morris	Nurse
Cliff Nazarro	Cliff
Jack Norton	Drunk
Paula Ray	Guest
Albert Ruiz	Specialty dancer
Barbara Slater	Myrtle
Larry Steers	Guest
Joan Woodbury	Flo
Will Wright	Dan
John Sullivan	Junior
Irving Berlin	Composer
Robert Dolan	Composer

Technical Credits

Irving Berlin

Allan Scott

Arthur Sheekman

Stuart Heisler	Director
Irving Berlin	Screenwriter
Allan Scott	Screenwriter
Arthur Sheekman	Screenwriter
Sol C. Siegel	Producer
Farciot Edouart	Special Effects
Paul K. Lerpae	Special Effects
Gordon Jennings	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

A screenplay was written and shot for Blue Skies, but they really needn't have bothered; this is a film that can only be enjoyed in spite of its script, a situation that is unfortunately true of many other musicals. However, unlike many other musicals, Blue Skies has a score of Irving Berlin oldies (and one or two originals) and the likes of Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire to deliver them. If you can forget (or just skip over entirely) the dialogue, you're apt to be mighty entertained, for both men are in fine musical form. Crosby delivers a persuasive "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song," a melancholy "All by Myself," and, with a peppery Olga San Juan, a lively "I'll See You in C-U-B-A." Astaire, whose swan song this was supposed to be, joins San Juan for a torrid "Heat Wave" and escorts a number of beauties in a lavish "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody." But it's Astaire alone -- except for ten miniature copies of himself -- who provides the film's highlight with a dynamite "Puttin' on the Ritz" that is deservedly acknowledged as one of the classic musical film moments. (Astaire and Crosby also team up for "A Couple of Song-and-Dance Men," a number that is quite good without quite being exceptional.) As indicated, in between numbers, Blue Skies becomes a bit of a bore -- especially when Joan Caulfield is onscreen or when Billy De Wolfe is encouraged to hang around for more than a minute or two. Still, it's worth catching for the two stars and the songs.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler