Coming up next we have 1952's "April In Paris", a film that sees a chorus girl mistakenly sent to represent America at a festival in Paris. And this chorus girl has a thing or to to say once the mistake is uncovered.
The film's cast includes Doris Day, Ray Bolger, Claude Dauphin, Eve Miller, George Givot, Paul Harvey, Herbert Farjeon, and Wilson Millar.
Broadway chorus girl Ethel "Dynamite" Jackson is excited. She's been chosen to represent America at an entertainment showcase festival in Paris.
Before she sets sail for Paris, Dynamite's friends in the chorus give her a swell party and shower her with gifts.
Sadly for Dynamite, a man named Sam, from the State Department, comes to tell her that some letters were mixed up. Ethel Barrymore is the one supposed to be on her way to Paris. Dynamite is heartbroken. "The State Department
would appreciate it if you wouldn't mention this to anyone.We might be investigated by the Justice Department, which would be a
little bit embarrassing, because we're investigating them," says Sam.
When Sam leaves, a disappointed Dynamite sings "April In Paris" as she must deal with the reality of a crushed dream.
Back in Washington, Sam's boss, the Secretary, thinks it's a wonderful idea to send a chorus girl to represent America. Telegrams have poured in after the newspapers got wind of the story. And he congratulates Sam on a job well done.
Sam is so thrilled that he does a dance right there in the office. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln join him. Now all that's left is to inform Dynamite Jackson that the trip is back on!
He goes to see her and basically begs and pleads for her to accept. At first she's angry. "Uncle Sam has been
takin’ a hunk outta my paycheck for the past ten years.So now I owe him?What did you guys do with the two hundred bucks I gave ya last
year?" she asks. But Sam presses on. "Don't throw away this whole trip just because you hate me," he begs. She smiles and says, "But I don't hate
you. You're tryin' so hard I'm startin'
to root for you."
On the boat trip over to Paris, Dynamite has a perfectly boring time. That is until she meets Philippe Fouquet, a down on his luck entertainer who has to work his way to France on board the ship as a steward. He's actually quite famous in France, but a lack of money in America has brought about his present circumstance. Philippe invites Dynamite to the ship's dance later that evening, and she eagerly accepts.
The Secretary isn't happy that Dynamite wants to have fun with Philippe. She's had enough of their stuck-up behavior. "Take my advice, gentlemen," she tells the table. "Hang on to your life preservers!"
Philippe and Dynamite start out at the dance, but then Philippe takes her to the kitchens where she delights the entire kitchen staff with a song, "I'm Gonna Ring The Bell Tonight".
Such a good time is had that many of the ship's guests make their way to the kitchen, even Sam. Dynamite comes to really like him once he let's his hair down and has a little fun.
They spend the rest of the evening together and quickly fall in love. Dynamite sings "The Place You Hold In My Heart".
They decide to get married that very night by the ship's captain with Philippe as a witness.
However, it turns out that the ship's captain was really a steward in disguise. Philippe has to keep them from beginning their honeymoon, and he's unable to tell them the truth about their married state.
Once in Paris, Dynamite finds she has some competition in the form of the Secretary's daughter, who has designs on Sam.
When the lady insults her, Dynamite has to try very hard to keep it together.
Unable to stand the insults any longer, Dynamite hauls off and smacks her in the face, to the complete astonishment of the lady's father, the Secretary, who is in the middle of giving a speech.
The Secretary and his daughter pull Sam away from Dynamite, and she turns to Philippe for comfort. He finally tells her the truth about how their marriage was never legal. "I'm in love with the man I married, and he's not even my husband," says Dynamite. "Even in Paris that's an unusual situation," says a puzzled Philippe.
To take her mind of things, Philippe asks Dynamite to appear with him at his nightclub. She agrees, and the two sing "That's What Makes Paris Paree" together.
Don't worry, though. Sam and Dynamite work out all their troubles, and the two are able to enjoy April in Paris.
Cast rundown:
Doris Day.................................Ethel "Dynamite" Jackson
Ray Bolger................................S. "Sam" Winthrop Putnam
Claude Dauphin........................Philippe Fouquet
Eve Miller.................................Marcia Sherman
George Givot............................Francois
Paul Harvey..............................Secretary Robert Sherman
Herbert Farjeon.........................Joshua Stevens
Wilson Millar.............................Sinclair Wilson
And that's it for April In Paris. Despite the title, the characters actually only spend twenty-five minutes of film time in the French capital. In her autobiography, Doris Day said that Ray Bolger and the director had frequent disagreements. The director accused Bolger of trying to steal scenes from Day, a newcomer to pictures who managed to stay beneath the fray because she was unaware of Bolger's motives.
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