Incendiary Blonde (1945)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Claude Binyon (screenplay) and
Frank Butler (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 August 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

She was the biggest sucker of them all!

Plot:

The life of boisterous entertainer Texas Guinan is recalled from her poor childhood with a down-on-his-luck...

Plot Keywords:

Entertainer | Chorus Girl | Male Female Relationship | Doctor | Unrequited Love

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Betty Hutton	...	Texas Guinan
Arturo de Córdova	...	Bill Romero Kilgannon (as Arturo de Cordova)
Charles Ruggles	...	Cherokee Jim
Albert Dekker	...	Joe Cadden
Barry Fitzgerald	...	Michael 'Mike' Guinan
Mary Philips	...	Bessie Guinan
Bill Goodwin	...	Tim Callahan
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Nick the Greek
Maurice Rocco	...	Maurice Rocco (waiter / pianist)
The Maxellos	...	Themselves

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #9804) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

This film was such a hit that it actually set an attendance record at the Paramount Theater in New York.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)

Soundtrack:

Ragtime Cowboy Joe

Incendiary Betty Hutton

Gorgeous Technicolor bio of Texas Guinan is a lot of hooey but offers Betty Hutton a great role, and she's spectacular... one of her very best performances.

The films shows the rise of Guinan, a famous silent film and Broadway stars of the teens and 20s, from her rise in a wild west show, through her various careers and through her failed romances. Guinan was famous for her greeting of "Hello, suckers!" and was a major "personality" of her time. Guinan's best-remembered film is Broadway THROUGH A KEYHOLE.

Hutton captures the quirky Guinan perfectly and gets to sing and dance, ride a horse, act in silent films, emote, and look absolutely fabulous. Hutton also gets to wear some spectacular gowns. The sets and costumes are excellent throughout.

Arturo de Cordova co-star as the love interest. Also Charlie Ruggles, Barry Fitzgerald, Mary Philips, Eduardo Ciannelli, Maurice Rocco (ecellent) as the waiter/pianist, Bill Goodwin as the husband, Bess Flowers, Albert Dekker, Frank Faylen, etc.

But Hutton is front and center here and you can't take your eyes off her. This film ranks with TH PERILS OF PAULINE, THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK,and ANNIE GET YOUR GUN as among the best Betty Hutton films.