| Colorful remake of the 1935 Fonda-Gaynor drama, this 1953 Technicolor musical comes across as fresh, vibrant and as American as apple pie.The story is based on fact - when the Rome Canal, NY, is under threat from the advance of the railroads. When farmer Dale Robertson is hired to work on the canal, Betty Grable falls for him, but their romance is in conflict with his interest in the land, and her loyalty to the canals. Betty Grable - in her first film after a year-long suspension - is excellent as the feisty canal boat cook and showed she had lost none of her glamour during her long absence. A tuneful show, with lots of homespun comedy numbers, the Grable leg show suffers due to the 1850s costumes, but she does manage a number or two with Broadway dancer Gwen Verdon as they dance to choreographer Jack Cole's tune. Great support from love rival John Carroll, and some excellent comedy from scene-stealers Thelma Ritter and Eddie Foy junior. Spectacular outdoor settings, for which the studio built a complete working canal, including locks, on their backlot. Glorious piece of Americana! Well worth having if only to watch Grable singing the opening number "Today I Love Everybody" - a breath of fresh air. |
Canal girl Grable falls for earthy farmer Dale Robertson
A classic Betty Grable slice-of-life on the Erie Canal.
