When Universal-International decided to film ONE TOUCH OF VENUS from the Broadway musical by Kurt Weill they dropped most of the songs, gave it the B&W treatment instead of Technicolor, cast AVA GARDNER in the title role (a non-singer dubbed by Eileen Wilson), and gave boyish ROBERT WALKER, then at the height of his earnest charm as a young leading man and produced it on a low-budget scale.
Aside from giving viewers a generous look at AVA GARDNER's charms, it does little else but provide tepid entertainment depending on one memorable song for its sole distinction as a musical: "Speak Low".
It's passable enough but the one joke theme of the plot whereby a department store mannequin turns into the real life "Venus" when an adoring employee kisses her, is about all there is to the so called book of this musical.
If looking at Ava is enough, you'll have plenty of time to do exactly that--while DICK HAYMES, OLGA SAN JUAN and TOM CONWAY do little to stir things up in any other direction. Haymes is wasted on a couple of forgettable songs.
Too bad the studio didn't have more faith in transferring the original to the screen including the Kurt Weill score. As it is, it definitely falls far short of the mark.
Aside from giving viewers a generous look at AVA GARDNER's charms, it does little else but provide tepid entertainment depending on one memorable song for its sole distinction as a musical: "Speak Low".
It's passable enough but the one joke theme of the plot whereby a department store mannequin turns into the real life "Venus" when an adoring employee kisses her, is about all there is to the so called book of this musical.
If looking at Ava is enough, you'll have plenty of time to do exactly that--while DICK HAYMES, OLGA SAN JUAN and TOM CONWAY do little to stir things up in any other direction. Haymes is wasted on a couple of forgettable songs.
Too bad the studio didn't have more faith in transferring the original to the screen including the Kurt Weill score. As it is, it definitely falls far short of the mark.