One day this story will make a great musical. But this isn't it. In fact, it's hardly a real musical at all. Which is strange, considering its female cast seem to be chosen according to their singing talents - and then don't use them! When Ann Miller appears on the train, surely that ought to have been the cue for a witty quintet along the lines of 'He got it coming'. But no. Nothing. When Charlotte Greenwood meets them at the hotel, that ought to have been the cue for a witty greeting song that commented on the set-up. But no. Nothing. Apart from June Allyson, all the songs (which are just 'background' stuff, not character-driven) are sung, ironically, by the MEN. And surely there were better composers around in the Fifties. Unfortunately, Jerome Kern had died a few years before. His music would have been the ideal choice with the witty words of Dorothy Fields. Even if it had produced no hits (like Centennial Summer) it might at least have been interesting. Wasn't Frank Loesser available? Even the choreography is limp. Couldn't they have got Jack Cole to at least enliven that interminable 'Bananas' number? As I said, this story has the makings of a great musical, but this is a sadly missed opportunity. Having said all that, it's still an enjoyable film. Worth watching if only to be reminded of the days when women wore FROCKS. Ah, the Fifties. Take me back to 58!
Review of The Opposite Sex
