NR | 1 h 38 mins | Comedy, Romance | 1948
During the Golden Era of Hollywood, MGM was the king of the musical. This production company had the best singing and dancing stars, opulent production design, and a lavish budget to create musical extravaganzas.
Many movies were built around a cast of musical performers. For example, “Luxury Liner” (1948) is a treasure trove of talented MGM players. The film is a fun combination of classical and popular music from the late 1940s with an interesting assortment of actors and a delightful story.
A Girlhood Tale
Polly Bradford (Jane Powell) is a 16-year-old aspiring singer at a girls’ boarding school. Her father, Jeremy Bradford (George Brent), is a charming, widowed captain of a luxury liner. Polly is very upset that her father refuses to take her on his next cruise, insisting that she wait until after she graduates, so she decides to stow away.After her discovery, her father is very upset with her and decides to teach her a lesson by making her earn her passage. In response, Polly declares to the crew that her last name is Murphy, so that they won’t realize she is the captain’s daughter.
Also on board the ship are Olaf Eriksen (Lauritz Melchior), a famous operatic tenor who is Polly’s hero, and his soprano nemesis, the very flirtatious Zita Romanka (Marina Koshetz). Latin orchestra leader Xavier Cugat (who plays himself) and his band also provide shipboard entertainment. While Zita chases the uninterested captain around the ship, his eye is caught by a beautiful young widow, Laura Dene (Frances Gifford), who takes a compassionate interest in Polly, whom Laura thinks is a poor, fatherless waif. Dene also has a very persistent former fiancé, Charles G.K. Worton (Richard Derr), who followed her aboard against her will.
A Musical Extravaganza
A musical extravaganza, “Luxury Liner” has many different types of music. The main musical star is semi-classical soprano Jane Powell, who was 19 at the time. That’s no surprise, since the movie was produced by Joe Pasternak, a cultured Hungarian who loved showcasing classical music and young artists.
Melchior also shows off his dramatic tenor voice, singing excerpts from “Aida,” a traditional Scandinavian drinking song, a Neapolitan song, and a Wagner piece. Koshetz provides a very memorable musical moment when she sings a comical rendition of Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”
Cugat and his fabulous orchestra provide some featured numbers and effective background music, all while the charismatic bandleader holds his adorable chihuahua. Finally, The Pied Pipers, a popular singing group, puts a jazzy spin on “Yes, We Have No Bananas.”
Watching an old movie can be like taking a cruise on a classic ocean liner. It takes you to another place, and it offers many forms of entertainment on the way. There’s something for everyone in this movie: It has romance with multiple couples, several comedic situations, singing classical and popular music numbers, dancing in many styles, music in many genres, clever dialogue, and touching family moments.
This cruise has an excellent passenger list. Brent was one of Warner Bros.’s most dynamic leading men during the 1930s and pre-war ‘40s, starring opposite Bette Davis in 11 movies. In “Luxury Liner,” he is perfect as the often exasperated but always loving father. He and Powell have great rapport as father and daughter. This was one of Melchior’s biggest acting roles; his character’s relationship with the energetic young singer is touching, as well.
