Themes: Foibles of Marriage, Ship Cruises, Private Eyes
Main Cast: Doris Day, Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don DeFore, Oscar Levant
Release Year: 1948
Country: US
Run Time: 99 minutes
Plot
This cute film is Doris Day's film debut and in it she plays Georgia Garrett, a substitute traveller on an ocean cruise. Her friend Elvira Kent (Janis Paige) had scheduled the cruise but at the last minute cancels when she suspects that her husband is cheating on her and she decides to stay at home to check up on him. So she gets her friend Georgia to go on the cruise in her stead. Meanwhile the husband hires a detective to watch Elvira while on the cruise, because, he too, suspects cheating. Of course, the detective falls for the substitute Elvira (Doris Day), making a somewhat complicated scenario with many possibilities. This is a fun-filled spoof with lots of good tunes by Doris Day. ~ All Movie Guide
Review
Romance on the High Seas is notable primarily for the screen debut of future superstar Doris Day in a role originally offered to Judy Garland and Betty Hutton. Day's performance is assured and effortless, belying her lack of camera experience, and it's what holds the film together. The trademark Day sparkle and effervescence is there in full force, and she already displays a seasoned professional's way with comedy. Some of her timing is slightly off in one or to places, but not so much that it really matters; much more important is her total belief in the material, despite the fact that the story is the kind of artificial nonsense that Hollywood churned out at the drop of a hat. Day gets more support from the lovely Jule Styne score (even if the Sammy Cahn lyrics are not always as well crafted as Styne's music). She is in fabulous vocal form, delivering one of her signature songs ("It's Magic") with a voice that has been dipped in honey and making a great deal of "It's You or No One" and "Put 'Em in a Box" into the bargain. The rest of the cast is also solid, with old dependables like Oscar Levant and Eric Blore doing what they do best. Jack Carson is always something of a strange choice for a romantic lead -- especially when paired with someone with Day's sweetness and innocence -- but aside from an unfortunate bout with a Calypso turn, he comes off well here. Michael Curtiz's direction is unexceptional but it gets the job done, and Busby Berkeley gets to bring out a few of his special tricks for the finale. Romance is definitely a lesser musical, but as a showcase for Day, it's quite effective. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Anton Grot - Art Director, Busby Berkeley - Choreography, Milo Anderson - Costume Designer, Michael Curtiz - Director, Rudi Fehr - Editor, Ray Heindorf - Composer (Music Score), Jule Styne - Composer (Music Score), Leo F. Forbstein - Musical Direction/Supervision, Perc Westmore - Makeup, Elwood Bredell - Cinematographer, Michael Curtiz - Producer, Alex Gottlieb - Producer, Howard Winterbottom - Set Designer, Robert Burks - Special Effects, Wilfrid M. Cline - Special Effects, David Curitz - Special Effects, Everett A. Brown - Sound/Sound Designer, David Forrest - Sound/Sound Designer, I.A.L. Diamond - Screenwriter, Julius J. Epstein - Screenwriter, Philip G. Epstein - Screenwriter, Carlos Olivari - Short Story Author, Sixto Pondal Rios - Short Story Author
Elvira Kent (Janis Paige) and her husband Michael (Don DeFore) 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 (Doris Day), a woman she had 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 (Jack Carson) to check up on her.
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 (Oscar Levant), is also aboard. When Peter spots them together, he thinks he has discovered the identity of Elvira's lover.
Forty Little Mothers (dir,1940) ·Strike Up The Band (dir,1940) ·Blonde Inspiration (dir,1941) ·Lady Be Good (dir mus nmbrs,1941) ·Ziegfeld Girl (dir mus nmbrs,1941) ·Babes on Broadway (dir,1941) ·For Me and My Gal (dir,1942) ·Calling All Girls (chor & dir mus nmbrs,1942) ·Born to Sing (dir finale,1942) ·Cabin in the Sky (dir "Shine" seq,1943) ·The Gang's All Here (dir & chor,1943) ·Three Cheers for the Girls (chor,1943) ·Girl Crazy (dir."I Got Rhythm",1943) ·All Star Musical Revue (dir mus nmbrs,1945) ·Cinderella Jones (dir,1946) ·Romance on the High Seas (chor,1948) ·Take Me Out to the Ball Game (dir,1949)
