Girl Most Likely The (1957)

Girl Most Likely The (1957)

This musical version of Tom Dick and Harry (1941) is one of the few remakes which is better than the original and Jane Powell is the reason. Her characterization of the title character Dodie is far superior to Ginger Rogers’s performance in the first movie. Directed by (Academy Award nominated art director) Mitchell Leisen with a screenplay by Devery Freeman (based on Paul Jarrico’s original Oscar nominated screenplay) this musical comedy features Cliff Robertson as Pete a poor boat mechanic Keith Andes as millionaire playboy Neil Patterson Jr. and Tommy Noonan as Buzz Dodie’s longtime yet unexciting steady who’s an ambitious real estate salesman – all three get engaged to Dodie at the same time! Rounding out the cast are Kaye Ballard as Dodie’s best friend and co-worker Marge Kelly Brown as Marge’s sailor boyfriend Sam Kelsey Una Merkel as Dodie’s mom Judy Nugent as Dodie’s kid sister Pauline and Frank Cady as Dodie’s father. Joseph Kearns appears uncredited as Dodie and Marge’s bank manager boss Mr. Schlom.

Poor Dodie has always wanted to marry a millionaire she even jumps off a ferry into the channel near her home hoping to meet one. Through a case of mistaken identity she briefly believes that boat mechanic Pete is really Neil Patterson Jr. but soon learns otherwise. Still when she kisses Pete she experiences a special sensation complete with pink clouds something she’s never ‘seen’ while kissing her boyfriend Buzz to whom she’d finally agreed (out of boredom?) to marry … so she agrees to Pete’s proposal as well! Later when she and Pete ‘rescue’ the tipsy Patterson Jr. who’d gotten separated from his yacht Dodie gets to know the young millionaire enough on a cruise to Tijuana that she ends up promised to him as well. Marge who gets the incredulous scoop from Dodie at work while they’re under the watchful eye of Mr. Schlom also happens to be in Mexico with her nautical boyfriend Sam. In the end of course Dodie must decide between her three betrothed and choose her one true fiancé and future husband.

Songwriters Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane (Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)) wrote the five songs that Powell and company sing; the Hi-Lo’s sing the Bob Russell-Nelson Riddle title song.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>