There's no Business Like Show Business (1954)

Plot:  We follow a Show-biz Family “The Five Donahue’s:” from 1919 to 1941.
Stars: Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, Donald O’Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, Marilyn Monroe, Johnnie Ray
Best Songs:  “There’s no Business like Show Business.”, “Heat Wave”,  A Man Chases a Girl

Do you like Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, and upbeat Irving Berlin songs like Alexander’s Ragtime Band ?  If so, this is your kind of musical - because despite what your lying DVD Cover may say - this is NOT a Marilyn Monroe movie. She plays a supporting role and doesn’t appear till the 30 minute mark and is AWOL the last 30 minutes.   Meanwhile, Dailey and Merman (seemingly joined at the hip) appear in one half the production numbers and two-thirds (at least) of the “straight” scenes.  The first 17 minutes consist solely of Merman and Dailey singing, dancing, and engaging in some mild comedy.

The Book
There’s not much to it - Show Business is a 2 hour “family picture” with 55 minutes of musical numbers. However, the dialogue is sometimes witty, and it turns surprisingly serious in the last 30 minutes. Ray becomes a Priest, “boozer Son” O’Connor runs off, and Merman frets over everything.  But, the O’Connor and Monroe romance is a bust.  The same age in real life, Monroe complained that Donald made her “look like a Teacher dating her pupil.” An exaggeration - but not by much.  The two just don’t belong together.

The Songs
Mostly old Irving Berlin songs, out of 14 songs, we get two new, forgettable, ones.  Alexander’s Rag time Band is played six times (ten minutes total), twice with the entire cast, and four times with Scottish, German, French, Concerto variations.  Even worse, When the midnight choo-choo is played twice (oy vey). On the upside,  O’Connor has a nice 6 minute dance solo, Monroe sings Heat Wave,  and Merman belts out No Business like Show Business.  Gaynor and Ray get the short end of the stick.  Ray caterwauls “We believe” and then heads off to be a priest.  Mitzi is very good, but has to share the spotlight with Merman, O’Connor, and Monroe.

Direction
Considered an “Old fashioned” Musical even in 1955, Director Walter Lang exhibits little inventiveness or originality.  Almost every production number is set on a vaudeville stage or nightclub.  The Camera never moves, it just points  to the stage, and the actors perform. The songs are rarely integrated with the plot or exhibit a character’s thoughts or attitudes.  The only exception?  O’Connor’s dance number where the statues come alive and Donald dances in the hotel’s fountains.   Seeing this movie, made me appreciate the MGM Freed unit.

Reception and Back Story
Produced by 20th Century Fox, Show Business was the 2nd of what was to be three Merman-Berlin Films  (the 1st was Call me Madam).  Despite sneers from sophisticates, it did good business,  earning $5 million (almost twice that of Brigadoon).  But its production costs were also high and it was considered a “Box office disappointment”.  Accordingly, the 3rd Merman-Berlin movie was cancelled.

There were tensions on the set.  The screen-writers were pressured  into doing the film (Phoebe Ephron stated “I don’t want to write a script, for a film I don’t want to see”) while Monroe thought the movie was “boring” and her part “just another dumb blond”.  She only did it when promised the lead in The Seven Year Itch.

Adding to the backstage drama, Director Lang didn’t want Johnny Ray, and uber-professional Merman was livid over Monroe’s lateness and aloof attitude.  On the plus side,  Donald O’Connor considers this his favorite performance and he, Gaynor, and Merman became fast friends.

My Thoughts 
Kael called it “Garish and Square” and that’s about right.  Its amazing I’ve written so much about a movie I really didn’t like that much.  Yes, Berlin was an amazing songwriter, but I don’t need 10 minutes of Alexander’s Rag time Band!  And while no can belt out a song better than Merman, a little of her goes a long ways – and you can say the same of Dan Daily and Johnnie Ray.  But Gaynor, Monroe, and O’Connor are pretty good, and “Heat Wave” and O’Connor’s fountain dance aren’t to be missed.