Step Lively (1944)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Tim Whelan

Writers:

Allen Boretz (play)
Warren Duff (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

22 January 1945 (Sweden)

Genre:

Musical

Tagline:

It's Fun!

Plot:

Gordon Miller is rehearsing a musical comedy in the penthouse suite of Gribble's hotel...on credit. The mounting bill is driving Gribble frantic...

Plot Keywords:

Broadway New York City | Based On Play

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Glenn Russell
George Murphy	...	Gordon Miller
Adolphe Menjou	...	Wagner
Gloria DeHaven	...	Christine Marlowe
Walter Slezak	...	Joe Gribble
Eugene Pallette	...	Simon Jenkins
Wally Brown	...	Binion
Alan Carney	...	Harry
Grant Mitchell	...	Dr. Gibbs
Anne Jeffreys	...	Miss Abbott
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elaine Anderson	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Robert Anderson	...	Band Leader (uncredited)
Sam Ash	...	Western Union Clerk (uncredited)
Joan Barclay	...	Western Union Clerk (uncredited)
James Bell	...	Undetermined Minor Role (uncredited)
Hubert Bland	...	Everett (uncredited)
Sammy Blum	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Iris Bocignon	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
Patti Brill	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Buster Brodie	...	Bald Headed Man (uncredited)
Tom Burton	...	Robert (uncredited)
Wheaton Chambers	...	First Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
George Chandler	...	Country Yokel in Night Club (uncredited)
Harry Clay	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Richard Davies	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Carol Deere	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
Chris Drake	...	Delivery Boy (uncredited)
Eloise Farmer	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
Jack Gargan	...	Bar Man (uncredited)
Nancy Hale	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Bank Messenger (uncredited)
Mary Halsey	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Coulter Irwin	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Jimmy Jordan	...	Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Carl Kent	...	Baggage Clerk (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Howard (uncredited)
Frances King	...	'Mother' in Rehearsal (uncredited)
Sonny Lamont	...	Fat Man (uncredited)
Warren Lane	...	Chet (uncredited)
Rosemary La Planche	...	Louella, 'Daughter' in Rehearsal (uncredited)
Barbara Lynn	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Dorothy Malone	...	Telephone operator (uncredited)
Ronn Marvin	...	Phil (uncredited)
Bob Mascagno	...	Paul (uncredited)
Frank Mayo	...	Second Doorman (uncredited)
Freddie Mercer	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Second Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Lee Murray	...	Shorty, a Bellboy (uncredited)
Nickolai	...	Sid (uncredited)
Harry Noble	...	'Father' in Rehearsal (uncredited)
William J. O'Brien	...	Ringsider (uncredited)
Shirley O'Hara	...	Louise, 'Daughter' in Rehearsal (uncredited)
Fred Rapport	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Elaine Riley	...	Lois, 'Daughter' in Rehearsal (uncredited)
Linda Scott	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
John Shaw	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Margie Stewart	...	Florist (uncredited)
Lee Trent	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Glen Vernon	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Alan Ward	...	Bell Captain (uncredited)
Larry Wheat	...	Head Bellboy (uncredited)
Steve Winston	...	Minor Role (uncredited)

Directed by
Tim Whelan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Allen Boretz		play "Room Service"
Warren Duff		writer
Peter Milne		writer
John Murray		play "Room Service"

Produced by
Robert Fellows	....	producer

Original Music by
Ernst Matray
Gene Rose

Cinematography by
Robert De Grasse		(as Robert de Grasse)

Film Editing by
Gene Milford

Art Direction by
Carroll Clark
Albert S. D'Agostino

Set Decoration by
Claude E. Carpenter		(as Claude Carpenter)
Darrell Silvera

Costume Design by
Edward Stevenson

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Clem Beauchamp	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jean L. Speak	....	sound recordist
James G. Stewart	....	sound re-recordist

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	special effects

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director
Ken Darby	....	vocal director
Earl B. Mounce	....	music recordist (as Earl Mounce)
Glen Rose	....	orchestrator
Axel Stordahl	....	music arranger: Frank Sinatra

Other crew
Ernst Matray	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1944) (USA) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• RKO Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #9964)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Movie Connections:

Version of Room Service (1938)

Soundtrack:

AS LONG AS THERE'S MUSIC

"This Is No Time To Think!"

Gordon Miller is a Broadway producer with not much cash and even fewer scruples. He has ensconced the young cast of his new show in a large New York hotel, and is feverishly rehearsing them for opening night. Along comes the young writer Glenn Russell, and it transpires that the kid can sing ...

A frivolous, fizzing little musical from RKO Radio, "Step Lively" doesn't even pretend to be sensible. The frenetic farce is augmented by workmanlike songs from Cahn and Styne, two numbers standing out as better-than-average - "Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are" and "As Long As There's Music". Both are staged impressively.

"Come Out" gets the full production treatment, with Gloria De Haven heading a floorshow-style ensemble. "As Long" is the big finale, with two pieces of silver-screen magic. Gloria walks down a beam of light, and the chorus line have striking black-and-white gowns which enable them to 'disappear' impressively.

The sets are fun. Glenn walks Christine home to her brownstone, and the couple is tracked by a neat crane shot. When Glenn runs out of the hotel, we see him sprint away from the camera, down the sweeping staircase, across the lobby and out through the revolving door. Now that's what I call a set.

Frank Sinatra had made his name fronting the big bands, and now he was making the transition to independent actor-singer. He is good in the role of Glenn, the jeun-naif, but clearly lacking the poise of later years.

Gloria De Haven (Christine) began her movie career eight years before this film, appearing as Paulette Goddard's sister in Chaplin's "Modern Times". She was still showing up in TV movies two years ago. How many actors working today have resumes dating back to the silent era? She is pretty and engaging as Christine, the romantic lead.

"Step Lively" is a curiously old-fashioned musical. It is almost as if RKO was trying to hark back to its heyday of a decade earlier, and the 'come on kids, let's rehearse a show' approach. Compared with "Meet Me In St Louis", it seems a cinematic dinosaur, and yet both were made in the same year.

Verdict - A light-hearted, if light-headed, musical that was already old-fashioned in 1944.