Wow...... Director Tay Garnett did some great films in his career (eg: "The Postman Always Rings Twice"); his 1943 "Cross of Lorraine" is thrillingly directed and paced, and improves upon every viewing. Maybe a comic/fantasy/musical like "Connecticut Yankee" was just beyond his "comfort zone."
As soon as Bing is marched into King Arthur's court by William Bendix, the tedium and leisurely pacing sets in (beginning with the pointless song/dance routine of Rhonda Fleming), with so much dead air and droopy dialogue, dumb reaction shots, and slack editing that any tension in the plot (and there's potentially PLENTY) dies.
Too bad, since the script has all the necessary characters and action sequences to make it a real delight. But despite an occasional highlight, the film plays like a competent high-school production. For instance, Bing does his best with the court dance sequence--where he instructs the players in the 1940's "swing" idiom--- but the thing takes forever to get moving; the pace could have been sped up to about one-third the length of the scene-- and THEN you would have had something clever and engaging. As it is, it's OK, but pretty flat and contrived.
Again, too bad-- since Burke and Van Heusen's songs are of top-drawer quality. "IF YOU STUB YOUR TOE ON THE MOON" is an obscure, unheralded classic-- clearly an attempt to duplicate the success of 1944's "Swingin' on a Star"; IMHO, it's every bit as good a song--- but you have to hear it in its complete version (with the "poet" 3rd verse) as Bing recorded it for Decca. Other great singers (Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Tony Martin) attempted it, but it simply was NOT their type of song; only Bing brought the sense of easy-goin', conversational, "pipe-and-slippers" philosophizing that works for this great tune--- so unique because the 3 dreamers we hear about in the lyrics (inventor, singer, poet) all FAIL-- yes, FAIL in their pursuits, and have to settle for something much more humbling. It's message is very bittersweet. (I've recently played Bing's complete studio version for several people, all of whom were delighted--and moved--- by this song).
But, I digress. The HEAD-GEAR Bing was forced to wear--once he is dubbed "Sir Boss"; Jeeeez-- it makes him look SO dork-y-- especially next to the gorgeous Ms. Fleming.
Great color, great fun to see Sir Cedric Hardwicke display his singing and dancing talents (oh, yes--- "Busy Doin' Nothing" is another excellent tune by Burke/Van Heusen), some decent scenes (Bing n' Bendix with Sir Lancelot in the blacksmith shop) but overall, a competent but listless film, a wonderful opportunity which the director missed by a very long mile.
LR
PS#1-- was there a scene cut near the beginning, I wonder? Why does William Bendix come into Bing's prison cell before his execution with a TOTALLY new, friendly attitude towards Bing? What caused his turnaround? Makes no sense, but then, maybe I'm picking where it's pointless to do so.
PS#2-- I was impressed by the brief performance of the little peasant girl (Ann Carter); she's really good. Odd that the film turns suddenly dark and "socially conscious" for a brief moment, then returns to its lighthearted goofiness, with some standard capture/escape action sequences (plus the famous execution w/ solar eclipse scene, transplanted from the early chapters of Twain's classic to this much later point in the story).
PS#3-- Fans of the Three Stooges will recognize the great character actor VERNON DENT in a brief pratfall bit as a prison yard guard (at 1:36:05)
As soon as Bing is marched into King Arthur's court by William Bendix, the tedium and leisurely pacing sets in (beginning with the pointless song/dance routine of Rhonda Fleming), with so much dead air and droopy dialogue, dumb reaction shots, and slack editing that any tension in the plot (and there's potentially PLENTY) dies.
Too bad, since the script has all the necessary characters and action sequences to make it a real delight. But despite an occasional highlight, the film plays like a competent high-school production. For instance, Bing does his best with the court dance sequence--where he instructs the players in the 1940's "swing" idiom--- but the thing takes forever to get moving; the pace could have been sped up to about one-third the length of the scene-- and THEN you would have had something clever and engaging. As it is, it's OK, but pretty flat and contrived.
Again, too bad-- since Burke and Van Heusen's songs are of top-drawer quality. "IF YOU STUB YOUR TOE ON THE MOON" is an obscure, unheralded classic-- clearly an attempt to duplicate the success of 1944's "Swingin' on a Star"; IMHO, it's every bit as good a song--- but you have to hear it in its complete version (with the "poet" 3rd verse) as Bing recorded it for Decca. Other great singers (Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Tony Martin) attempted it, but it simply was NOT their type of song; only Bing brought the sense of easy-goin', conversational, "pipe-and-slippers" philosophizing that works for this great tune--- so unique because the 3 dreamers we hear about in the lyrics (inventor, singer, poet) all FAIL-- yes, FAIL in their pursuits, and have to settle for something much more humbling. It's message is very bittersweet. (I've recently played Bing's complete studio version for several people, all of whom were delighted--and moved--- by this song).
But, I digress. The HEAD-GEAR Bing was forced to wear--once he is dubbed "Sir Boss"; Jeeeez-- it makes him look SO dork-y-- especially next to the gorgeous Ms. Fleming.
Great color, great fun to see Sir Cedric Hardwicke display his singing and dancing talents (oh, yes--- "Busy Doin' Nothing" is another excellent tune by Burke/Van Heusen), some decent scenes (Bing n' Bendix with Sir Lancelot in the blacksmith shop) but overall, a competent but listless film, a wonderful opportunity which the director missed by a very long mile.
LR
PS#1-- was there a scene cut near the beginning, I wonder? Why does William Bendix come into Bing's prison cell before his execution with a TOTALLY new, friendly attitude towards Bing? What caused his turnaround? Makes no sense, but then, maybe I'm picking where it's pointless to do so.
PS#2-- I was impressed by the brief performance of the little peasant girl (Ann Carter); she's really good. Odd that the film turns suddenly dark and "socially conscious" for a brief moment, then returns to its lighthearted goofiness, with some standard capture/escape action sequences (plus the famous execution w/ solar eclipse scene, transplanted from the early chapters of Twain's classic to this much later point in the story).
PS#3-- Fans of the Three Stooges will recognize the great character actor VERNON DENT in a brief pratfall bit as a prison yard guard (at 1:36:05)