Happy Go Lucky Reviews

A formula wartime musical that never acknowledges that WW II was going on, HAPPY GO LUCKY instead follows the fortunes of Marjory Stuart (Mary Martin). She is a New York City hatcheck girl who has saved her pennies to travel to a Caribbean island in hopes of snaring a rich husband. Marjory arrives on the same boat as Bubbles (Betty Hutton, who steals the movie), a singer who has come to meet her lover, Wally Case (Eddie Bracken). Wally's best pal is beach comber Pete Hamilton (Dick Powell), and once they learn that Marjory, masquerading as a wealthy type, is not rich at all, the three conspire to help her land fat cat Alfred Monroe (Rudy Vallee, playing a snobbish role similar to the one he essayed in PALM BEACH STORY and continued to play for many years, up to and including his work in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING). In the course of events, however, Marjory and Pete fall in love. Although there are some fine songs, Vallee doesn't sing any of them. Hutton is given more than her share, with her rendition of "Murder He Says" one of the film's highlights. The legendary calypso singer Sir Lancelot also contributes a fine traditional version of "Never Make a Pretty Woman Your Wife." Other songs by Loesser and McHugh include "Let's Get Lost," "Fuddy Duddy Watchmaker," "Sing A Tropical Song," "Happy Go Lucky," and "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay" by Sayers, with special lyrics by Loesser.