Filhos Esquecidos

Jordan Blake (Widow) is a successful Broadway producer who has always been too busy with his children, Barbara and Jerry. Carolina, his girlfriend, the star of the musical comedy, Jordan asks her to take her children on vacation and get to know them all before they meet. Is Jordan already too late?

At the risk of being stoned I must admit to not being much of a Bing Crosby fan. But I still enjoyed this minor musical. It is filmed in gorgeous color and has some good routines - especially that one with the airplane - wow! - but it's hard to forgive that nauseating number featuring singing and dancing snobbish school-girls on the beach.

There are some terrific performances here. Robert Arthur is given one of his best roles as Bing's confused son, and he is both believable and touching as he falls in love with the much older Wyman. And Jane's a big surprise here too, singing well and looking stunning. And who could resist Natalie Wood in her early teens? But Ethel Barrymore was the highlight for me, although she seemed a little frail. The warmth and humanity she brought to all her roles is utilised beautifully here.

The costumes are magnificent, especially the multi-colored sequin gowns in the last scenes, and, although the ending is a little saccharine, this film is great entertainment.

This is the second of two films Bing Crosby partnered with Jane Wyman after their stunning success in Here Comes The Groom. This time Paramount gave them color and Ethel Barrymore and the results are a treat.

Bing's a successful stage actor who's about to marry his leading lady, Jane Wyman, when he discovers he's got a communication problem with his two kids. Daughter Natalie Wood wants to get into an exclusive girl's school and son Robert Arthur misreads some signals and starts crushing big time on Wyman.

Ethel Barrymore is headmistress of the school and she helps Crosby solve his daughter's problems. His son, after writing a love ballad for Wyman, is rebuffed and joins the Air Force. All is righted in the end and in the usual Crosby charming way.

Paramount gave Bing some good production numbers out of the Harry Warren-Leo Robin score. Bing sings I'll Si Si You In Bahia as a number from the show he's rehearsing and later sings The Live Oak Tree with the girls from the St. Hilary's School at their picnic. He also does a nice vaudeville patter number with character actor Ben Lessy called On the 10-10 from Ten-Ten-Tennessee.

The big hit is a duet with Crosby and Wyman called Zing a Little Zong which is a complete ripoff of the number he and Wyman did for Frank Capra in Here Comes The Groom. Well if they can't ripoff from themselves who can Bing and Jane ripoff from? The song was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to Do Not Forsake Me from High Noon.

Just For You is the title song and it's the one that Arthur writes for Wyman. A couple of numbers that Crosby recorded failed to make the cut, Spring Fever and A Flight of Fancy. The latter is heard as an instrumental background. It's one of my favorite Crosby songs and I wish it had been done in the film.

The story is sappy, but one doesn't expect War and Peace in a Bing Crosby musical. The color photography is excellent, Crosby and Jane Wyman are attractive and credible, and Robert Arthur and Natalie Wood play Crosby's problem kids competently. The real star for me, though, was composer Harry Warren. The old pro delivered 11 songs, most of high quality, including the catchy "Zing a Little Zong" and the title song, a beautiful ballad now forgotten. Ethel Barrymore is an added treat, giving the film a touch of class. All in all, this is better than dozens of better- known musicals and not a bad way to spend an hour and a half.

We all knew Jane Wyman was wonderful with her melodramatic box of kleenex roles she did so well but what a flair for comedy... And her singing voice; what a surprise! As in many actors lives, art imitated life in this movie; Bing Crosby's wife Dixie Lee, was suffering from terminal cancer in 1952 and died before the end of the year. Bing shows a rare vulnerability we didn't see in his other films. And his talk to the soldiers in Alaska towards the film's end about being too late with his son; sounds like he was speaking to the 4 sons he and Dixie had. He wasn't a perfect father but he tried and did the best he could. Crosby seems preoccupied in this film; probably his wife's terminal illness and death had much to do with it. Crosby's widower character is in keeping with the angst he must have been feeling at this time. Natalie Wood and the actor who portrayed his son are wonderful; Ethel Barrymore-- what can I say about this great icon of stage and screen. Jane Wyman's character Carolina knows just how to keep Bing's character in line with love, adoration and resolve. Wyman fans will love this movie. 50 years later, the costumes, sets and glorious color seem very current; it's timeless!