Main Cast: Michèle Morgan, Jack Haley, Frank Sinatra, Leon Errol, Victor Borge
Release Year: 1944
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
Plot
Higher and Higher was advertised by RKO Radio as "The Sinatra Show", and small wonder: In his first major film role, Frank Sinatra was easily the film's biggest box-office draw. Actually, Frankie was a last minute addition to the film, which began as a traditional adaptation of a popular Broadway musical. Repeating his original stage role, Jack Haley plays Mike, the head servant in the household of millionaire Mr. Drake (Leon Errol). When Drake faces bankruptcy, Mike rallies the servants together and cooks up a moneymaking scheme: they'll pass off pretty scullery maid Millie (Michele Morgan) as Drake's daughter, and marry her off to a wealthy bachelor. Complicating matters is Sir Bictor Fitzroy Victor (Victor Borge), an impoverished nobleman who is himself looking for a rich wife. Mike saves the day with a last-minute discovery in the wine cellar, but not before a series of hilarious and tuneful plot twists involving Millie, heiress Katherine (Barbara Hale), and hired help Mickey (Marcy McGuire) and Marty (Mel Torme). Hastily written into the proceedings as Drake's next door neighbor, Sinatra croons several standards-to-be, including "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night" and "This is a Lovely Way to Spend an Evening"; he also is arbitrarily permitted the film's closing shot, emerging from heavenly clouds like the Second Coming of Music. Thanks to the film's enormous box-office take, everybody was happy with Higher and Higher--except Jack Haley, understandably miffed that his onetime starring role was whittled down to a supporting part to allow more screen time for the estimable Mr. Sinatra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Higher and Higher is far from a classic movie musical, and it would justifiably be forgotten as just a minor effort were it not that it represented the first time that Frank Sinatra appeared onscreen in what could be called a substantial role. Cast as himself, Sinatra still has what amounts to a supporting role, and his relationship to the actual plot is minor; essentially, he comes on to sing 5 songs and is given some lightweight dramatic chores to handle. Sinatra eventually became a huge screen star, but he's very much in a nascent stage here. He's not entirely comfortable on camera, and the legendary ease he would later develop is missing here. Even so, he makes a definite impression, especially when given the chance to let out with a song. Then the film suddenly takes on a little bit of magic. When Sinatra's not around, Higher concerns itself with a trifling, ridiculous plot that stretches credulity and is far too contrived. The score is pleasant-to-good, but not in the same league as the score the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart created for the original stage production -- of which only one of the lesser songs was kept for the film. Jack Haley does well with one of his few leading man roles, and Michele Morgan is a welcome presence, but it's the supporting players -- Victor Borge, Mel Torme, Mary Wickes, Barbara Hale -- that give Higher its zing. The supporting players and Sinatra, of course. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
