Bring on the Girls

Eddie Bracken plays J. Newport Bates, one of the richest men in the world. The problem is that women adore him...because he's rich. And, after catching his fiancé in the arms of another man, he's determined to do something radical. No...not give away his money. Instead, he's planning on entering the Navy under an assumed name and blend in with all the 'normal' folks. Then, if a woman falls for him, she loves him for who he is...not what he's worth. Well, his lawyers hate the idea but cannot dissuade him. So instead they get him to accept a new friend...who will enlist with him and look out for him. However, Phil (Sonny Tufts) turns out to be only so-so at the job and cannot stop him from meeting and falling in love with Teddy (Veronica Lake)...a money-grubber is there ever was one! She has found out that Bates is the man who loves her and looks forward to a life of luxury. What's to come of all this?

The film has energy. While it's entertaining, it seems very high speed at times AND tosses in a bunch of musical numbers as well! This means that although one or two things might fall a bit flat, it doesn't matter because the film doesn't give you much chance to notice the lulls! Not brilliant in any way but worth seeing.

By the way, in the night club look carefully, as tiny parts are played by Yvonne De Carlo (a hatcheck girl) and Noel Neill (from the "Adventures of Superman" and she plays a new cigarette girl).

Gold diggers had been a concept that had fascinated the movie makers and story writers from time immemorial, probably staring from Cinderella (or rather her step sisters) till date. Of course in the end Cinderella who wasn't a gold digger got her poor boy, who turns out to be Prince Charming.

In the movies, probably the first pure gold-digging, i.e. without the step-angle I have seen is the "Greeks have a Word for it" of early thirties, and then onward there had been many, the better one might be the Bacall's How To marry A Millionaire.

Naturally some were good, some not so good, and some horrible. The quality isn't always due to the actors, in fact most of the blame could be on the makers of the movie. At least it is certainly, in this case.

A Millionaire, sick of the gold diggers, goes incognito, where he is dug by a girl, who recognises him (may be with some help). Whether she achieves her purpose or not isn't important, incidentally, she is the heroine, Ms Lake. Nothing wrong in all this, except the huge slips, or should I say Avalanches ?

It starts from the very beginning, where his gold-digging fiancee is openly courting the millionaires dependent cousin. ALright, she has perfect right to do that, but at his home? Just because he is busy running his factory and isn't there? There are butlers, servants (they were there), and won't they speak out or just give a hint? Their loyalty must be with the boy (Bracken), not the cousin, or his Uncle/ Aunt (I assume not this cousin's parents, didn't seem so, by behavior either). I saw an exact similar situation in So Ein Millionar Hat's Schwer of Peter Alexander, but that was far well managed.

Disillusioned by the gender's approach on holy matrimony - even before, so probably and rightly he had suspicions of after, he decides to go incognito and joins - navy, as a cadet, his lawyers of course plants a guardian - body guard along with him, with his knowledge. Second wave of Avalanche - the Chief Executive of the empire decides to leave the empire under the guard of others ! Can it be afforded ? Could have been, had it been shown that he was just an apprentice in the business, newly trying to get the ropes, but nothing of the sort.

Then going to Navy itself was just meaningless, unless it involves a bit of site-seeing. Al right I will grant it. But he lands up in a place, where the heroine is a cigarette girl. Possible, but she is also an ex-flame of his body-guard, who decides not to accompany his 'Body' into a night-club ! Complete dereliction of duty. This poor young millionaire -incognito chooses the club, where he is recognised, being a regular visitor, while he wasn't incognito. First, the clubs millionaires visit, regularly, can be afforded by poor sailors, even if marines, in their training period stipend ? Second, why would he decide to visit a club, where he would be recognised, by some one or other ? And of course the way the girl fawned over him, should naturally have rang air-raid sirens in his head.

The whole thing is a mix of mess, like this. Tried to watch it, at least for Veronica, but couldn't sit through. In my library, it is filed under Poison Ivy Group.

The rather silly premise behind Bring On The Girls keeps this one from being a top drawer comedy. Still the quartet of leads, Veronica Lake, Sonny Tufts, Marjorie Reynolds, and Eddie Bracken keep it amusing.

Eddie Bracken plays the heir to a vast fortune and that fortune gives him a great popularity with the opposite sex. But the kind he dates only are interested in his fortune. That can disillusion anyone so he decides to join the navy and avoid the gold diggers.

The family however insists that Bracken have someone be with him and former swing band piano player Sonny Tufts is hired for such a purpose. But who do you think they run into at one of the nightclubs Bracken likes to frequent. Cigarette girl Veronica Lake who broke it off with Tufts on the mistaken belief he was cheating on a wife. Lake has larceny in her heart and she plots a campaign to attain her meal ticket.

Not that there aren't any nice girls interested in Bracken, one such is heiress Marjorie Reynolds who has enough of her own money. But Bracken has this yen for women like Lake.

I don't think I need draw you a map to say how this one comes out. It's for people like Bracken that eventually pre-nuptial agreements were invented.

It's also fascinating that the family was wealthy enough to pull strings to make sure Tufts is with Bracken in perpetuity himself.

Paramount splurged for color for this film which seemed strange to me. They did not do this for their money in the bank stars like Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. They did however get Spike Jones and his City Slickers to do a very funny version of one of their novelty numbers Chloe.

The whole idea behind this film is dumb, but the stars keep it interesting and every redblooded American straight male wanted Veronica Lake to be interested in him.

Beautiful story, great songs,marvelous opening with title card spelled out in glass. Magnificent movie and great entertainment!!

This will never be considered the greatest of Hollywood entertainments, but if you can get through the first half, the second half is vastly better and worth the wait. It's during the second half that Eddie Bracken hatches his humorous trick and Sonny Tufts entertains at the piano. Even Veronica Lake perks up and shows some enthusiasm. Lake fans will want to see her regardless, as this is her only Hollywood movie in color. The very best thing in the movie appears toward its end with a rare musical performance by Spike Jones and his City Slickers. One might even say that Jones steals the picture.