Danny Kaye Movies

1. The Kid From Brooklyn (1946) McLeod Remake of the 1936 Harold Lloyd movie "The Milky Way" starring Virginia Mayo and Danny Kaye. Superb technicolor and supporting cast with Kaye as a timid milkman who becomes a champion boxer. Mayo and Vera Ellen do most of the singing and dancing (thankfully). Kaye concentrates on Lloyd like slap-stick and one comic song. Summary Amazing, the first Danny Kaye movie I've liked. A silly story but enjoyable. I can understand why postwar audiences would lap this up. Rating **1/2

7. On the Riviera (1951) - Lang. A vehicle for Danny Kaye. Kaye plays a nightclub singer who impersonates a famous French aviator and ladies man. Gene Tierney and Corrine Calvert lend support. The story is rather slight, a remake of "That Night in Rio (1940)" Kaye dominates this film from start to finish, playing both male leads, singing all five songs, and making almost al the jokes. Sadly, the songs (written by Fine) are forgettable, as is the comedy.Danny Kaye as performer: Kaye was versatile - but a mediocre dancer, singer, romantic lead and comedian. His forte was tongue-twisting patter songs. I like hm better in support or as part of an ensemble cast.Pluses:Tierney and Calvert don't do much but are charming and beautiful. The technicolor and art production look fantastic. Summary For Kaye fans only - its all Danny Kaye all the time. Only 90 minutes - the five Kaye production numbers are long on perspiration - short on inspiration. Rating **

120. Court Jester (1955). In 12th Century England, Danny Kaye plays a court jester who becomes involved with a plot to kill the King. Co-stars Rathbone and Lansbury. I didn't realize how much I'm NOT a Danny Kaye fan until I saw this movie. Other than the famous "Vessel with the Pastel" bit I didn't laugh once. Further, Kaye really isn't much of a singer/ dancer and I found him bland when he wasn't mugging or over-acting. Looking at his filmography his success seems in large part due to Goldwyn putting him in high-budget technicolor pictures with attractive co-stars As for the other actors, Rathbone and all the others turn in good performances but the film's main focus is Kaye Rating **

252. Five Pennies (1959) - Kaye. Danny Kaye stars in this Biopic of Jazz Great Red Nichols. The lovely Barbara Bel Geddes co-stars along with Louis Armstrong.Not your usual Kaye movie, he plays it relatively straight and the story is downbeat at times. Kaye's not much of a dramatic actor - even Astaire is better - but he's adequate. "Five Pennies" has a lot of pluses, great technicolor photography, good songs, the Kaye-Armstrong duet, and a story that didn't bore me. A nice, enjoyable little movie. Rating **1/2