One Touch of Venus (1948)

Calificación de los usuarios:

6.5/10   

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writers:

F. Anstey (novel)
S.J. Perelman (book) ...

Release Date:

agosto 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Musical | Romance

Frase comercial:

The Gal Who Invented Love!

Plot:

Fantasy comedy about a young window dresser (Robert Walker) who kisses a statue of Venus, which then comes to life in the form of Ava Gardner. The problems begin, however, when Venus falls in love with him.

Plot Keywords:

Department Store | Male Female Relationship | Singer | Love | Rivals For Love

Comentarios de los usuarios:

AVA - GODDESS OF LOVE

Cast

Robert Walker	...	Eddie Hatch
Ava Gardner	...	Venus
Dick Haymes	...	Joe Grant
Eve Arden	...	Molly Stewart
Olga San Juan	...	Gloria
Tom Conway	...	Whitfield Savory II
James Flavin	...	Det. Kerrigan
Sara Allgood	...	Mrs. Fogarty
listado alfabético del resto del reparto:
Hugh Herbert	...	Mercury (scenes deleted)

También conocida como:

Diosa del amor, La (Venezuela) [es]
Venus era mujer (Spain) [es]

Duración:

82 min

País:

USA

Idioma:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sonido:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Clasificación:

Finland:S | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #13181) | West Germany:12 | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Artists Alliance

Trivialidades:

When Universal assumed the screen rights in August 1947, the studio considered casting Deanna Durbin as Venus.

Quotes:

Pretty girl: What's this about a certain "most eligible bachelor" falling in love with a statue?
Whitfield Savory: Perhaps, my dear, she reminds me of you.
[Walks away with Pretty Girl. ]
Molly Grant: Yeah, they both have large pedestals.
[Referring to statue and Pretty Girl. ]
Dowager: [Sashays up to Savory, who has reappeared] Whitfield, you remember my daughter, Brenda?
Whitfield Savory: Not little Brenda? You've - uh
[looks her over ]
Whitfield Savory: - grown, Brenda.
Molly Grant: [Reappears] Hatch is waiting, chief. He finished the drapes.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Costume Designer (1950)

Soundtrack:

Don't Look Now But My Heart is Showing

AVA - GODDESS OF LOVE

After being married to Jennifer Jones (who is/was my particular 1940's screen love goddess), Robert Walker stars opposite a very erotic Ava Gardner, described by film critics in "The Naked Contessa" (1954) as, "...the most beautiful woman in the world", so she was aptly cast to play Venus, the goddess of love, in this 1948 production.

Robert Walker plays Eddie Hatch a lowly paid window dresser at the store owned by Whitfield Savory II (played by Tom Conway -George Sanders cousin).Eddie is instructed to ensure that the curtain will not snag at the forthcoming unveiling ceremony of the recently acquired statue of Venus.When finished, he impulsively kisses the statue which promptly comes to life! Eddie is to marry Gloria (Olga San Juan), who irritatingly keeps reminding Eddie they are to marry.They have drifted into their relationship and marriage just seems the next logical move - but who said love is logical!! However, Eddie's friend Joe, (Dick Haymes), secretly is in love with Gloria himself but he doesn't know it.Whitfield Savory II is likewise ignorant of his subconcious love for his efficient secretary, Molly Stewart, played by Eve Arden in one of her typical wise-cracking roles; (see her as Mildred Pierce's manager in the Oscar winning film of the same name (1945) opposite Joan Crawford.

I was mesmerized by Ava Gardner as she spreads her instinctive love to bring all these true lovers together, while working her magic on Eddie himself who is soon in love with her.Her task over, Jupiter, the head of The Gods summons her back to Mount Olympus and she returns as a statue at the store much to the relief of the store boss who thinks Eddie has stolen her whilst she is in her alter-ego.This sub-plot gives rise to some comic Keystone Cops chase abouts.Watch out for Sara Algood who plays Eddie's landlady, (see her in previous roles as Mrs Beth Morgan in "How Green Was My Valley (1941) and as Mrs Maile in "Cluny Brown" (1946).The song "Speak Low" is sung by Dick Haymes miming to his own recording while Ava effectivly mimes to another singer's voice.Another song about men problems, sung as a trio, features Ava, Olga & Eve.

The audience feels strong sympathy for Eddie and he is finally given his divine award when a very beautiful new store recruit called "Venus Jones" (Ava),appears in human form to him there.We have to assume this will become another love match engineered by Mount Olympus!

I found this film hugely enjoyable as I love classic 1940's films having made something of a speciality of them.It is a difficult title to find.I obtained mine by winning an e-Bay auction after searching on Robert Walker.