(1949)
Directed by Preston Sturges
Written by Preston Sturges from a story by Earl Felton
Starring Betty Grable, Cesar Romero, Rudy Vallee, Olga San Juan, Porter Hall, Hugh Herbert, El Brendel, Margaret Hamilton, Sterling Holloway
IMDB Entry
A few years ago, I did a series of posts on Preston Sturges and stopped after covering his major films. Sturges's career fell apart in the late forties, and I wondered if any of his work was worth considering. So I'm starting with a film from 1949 and his last film from his Hollywood years, The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend.
It begins with a short scene about a grandfather teaching his granddaughter how to shoot. Years later, the girl, Winnifred "Freddy" Jones (Betty Grable) is a saloon singer with a boyfriend Blackie Jobero (Cesar Romero). When she catching him romancing another woman, she shoots -- hitting Judge O'Toole (Porter Hall) in the butt. He vows to put her in jail, so, with her friend Conchita (Olga San Juan) she jumps on a train with a stolen ticket to Bashful Bend. She is mistaken for the new schoolteacher and takes up the job, attracting the eye of Charles Hingleman (Rudy Vallee). But Blackie tracks her down and there's a price on her head, leading to complications.
The movie misses the wild bawdiness that was a part of Sturges's stock in trade. The Hayes Office loosened up on its censorship during World War II, but it was back in place by 1949. There are hints of it, but nothing like his earlier films.
The film is also hurt by the lack of Sturges's stock company. There are plenty of great character actors in it, but they are not as wild and revolutionary as things were at his peak. The ending was an extended gunfight scene that just goes on too long.
Still, there are some funny scenes. The judge being ministered to by the town doctor is very amusing, as are several of the bits in the schoolroom.
There are some very good actors in the film. Betty Grable is just fine as a character that seems to be highly influenced by the story of Annie Oakley.* Cesar Romero makes a good cad, but one who isn't really all that bad, if having a bit of a wandering eye.
There is a whole host of memorable character actors. Porter Hall is best known today as Mr. Sawyer in Miracle on 34th Street. Margaret (Wicked Witch ) Hamilton, Hugh Herbert (well known enough to be charactured in Looney Tunes occasionally), and El Brendel (famous for his Swedish characterization) all appear.
Most notable is Sterling Holloway, best known for being the voice of Winnie the Pooh and other characters with Disney and also a busy actor in television, where his squeaky voice made him memorable. I remember him well playing a couple of mad scientists in The Adventures of Superman.
The movie flopped. Sturges already had a dicey reputation in Hollywood and no one was willing to hire him. Time had passed his type of comedy by, and he was discarded by the studios, directing only one more film (in France) after this.
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*She later played the role in Annie Get Your Gun when Judy Garland was removed from the part.
