Blue Skies (1946) User Reviews (31)

Astaire's "Ritz" Makes Film Worthwhile

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 24 March 2006]

Fred Astaire's dancing and Bing Crosby's singing: wow, not a bad combination! As good as Bing's voice was, I preferred seeing Fred dance so the picture is only so-so for me. Either way, you'd think with these two stars, this musical would be tremendous, but it isn't.

Astaire has three of his four dance numbers in the first half of the movie. One of them, "Puttin' On The Ritz," is one of the most impressive performances, if not THE best, he's ever done. It is absolutely spectacular. The movie is worth seeing for that performance alone. For the next hour, there is a romance gone sour and Crosby's crooning (some good songs, some bad).

The film's intent was to pay tribute to Irving Berlin and all the music he gave us, and it succeeds on that level. There are nothing but nice people in the movie and tons of music.....but the whole thing lacks something.

It could have been Astaire's last film...

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 11 February 2017]

... but thankfully it was not. Having worked since he was a child, Astaire decided that he was tired and wanted to retire. He announced that Blue Skies was going to be his last hurrah. Fortunately for us, Gene Kelly had to bow out of Easter Parade and he managed to coax Astaire out of retirement to take over. Astaire's career was revitalized and he went on to perform into his 80s.

At any rate, here both male stars are in love with the same woman (Joan Caufield in this case). I like the pairing of Astaire and Crosby. Their respective talents play well off each other, especially in their "A Couple of Song and Dance Men" performance. There are so many songs that show up in Irving Berlin musicals that I didn't even realize were Irving Berlin songs. Crosby performs "(I'll See You in) C-U-B-A." I must say that I prefer Desi Arnaz' rendition. Crosby sang it too slow for my tastes. One of the supporting players, Billy deWolfe, was funny enough. However, I wasn't a fan of his shtick when he was performing sans Crosby or Astaire. He had one bit that went on for quite some time. He was portraying "Mrs. Murgatroyd." I was surprised that his routine was allowed to go on so long since it was just not that amusing. I did some research and found out that deWolfe was a popular comedian in the day and "Mrs. Murgatroyd" was one of his popular characters. Knowing that information, it put his performance into context and it helped make sense out of the attention his act is given in the film.

The showstopping number was Fred Astaire's "Puttin' on the Ritz" number. The rest of the film is average, but Astaire's number makes the entire film worth watching. It is fantastic and a complete joy to watch. The filming and special effects involved in this routine are excellent when considering the production date. There was also another rendition of "White Christmas" which is always enjoyable.

Oh, do notice that the lyrics to "Puttin on the Ritz", which was written for the 1930 film of the same name, have been changed to remove any perceived racial elements. The original lyrics talked about well dressed African American servants out on their night off. The version sung here mentions people who are "dressed up like a million dollar trouper trying hard to look like Gary Cooper". Not many people in 1930 would have known who Gary Cooper was. He was not a big star yet. At any rate, this film is where the change is first made.

I'd recommend it, but just don't expect "Holiday Inn".

How much you like it might depend on how much you prefer singing to dancing.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 8 August 2012]

This film starts off with Fred Astaire addressing folks over the radio. Oddly, he begins to tell people about his life with his two friends and there is a long flashback scene--where Fred looks EXACTLY the same age as he does when the film begins. It's also odd, as his character seems almost like it was inserted into the film late in the production--as the main story concerns Bing Crosby and Joan Caulfield.

It seems that the three are Vaudeville friends. Fred is head-over-heels for Joan--and Joan is in love with Bing (who is reasonably indifferent for a while). Eventually, Bing and Joan marry--and you see VERY little of Fred through much of the rest of the film. It's a shame, as I really watched this movie for him more than anything else. Eventually, the new marriage goes on the rocks because Bing is too focused on success--much to the detriment of family life. Can these folks somehow make a go of it? Now considering it's a Hollywood film, I'd say the chances are pretty great they will--though if these were real people, you'd advise to Joan to get a divorce and be done with the louse! And what about poor Fred?! What will happen with this really swell guy? Well, what REALLY happens took me aback--as it appears as if she got BOTH of them by the end of the movie! "Blue Skies" is a film weighted very heavily towards singing and Crosby's talents. So, if you love his singing, the film will no doubt be more enjoyable--especially when he sings an abbreviated version of "White Christmas" (who could dislike that?!). However, I do think the film has one or two too many musical numbers and could have used from a bit more plot. As for me, seeing Fred get to play the #3 man and only dance a bit was sad--though his number "Putting on the Ritz" was terrific. One or two more of his numbers might have made the film a bit better. As for the story, it's pretty clichéd but enjoyable. A decent film but it could have been better--particularly if they'd made Bing's character more likable.

Bit of History

[dancertm · 2 December 2005]

Blue Skies was to be Fred's "swan song" as he had announced he would retire from dancing. He had been on the stage since being a child, and at age 46 thought he was danced out. The very last dance number filmed (as in all Astaire musicals) were his solos. The last number, he thought, ever to be filmed in his life was Puttin' On The Ritz. After the last take, he pulled off his mini-rug and stomped on it saying he was glad he didn't have to wear that thing ever again.

His retirement didn't last too long (he spent time with his race horses)as Gene Kelly called saying he had broken his foot playing football, and Fred came back to film work in Easter Parade.

There was to be a third paring of Crosby and Astaire in White Christmas, but Fred had other commitments, that's when Danny Kaye was brought in. Both Astaire and Crosby made their last recording together in the early 1970's called, "A Couple of Song and Dance Men". When they started to record the album, one of them remarked this was the first time they had worked together since Blue Skies. It was their last recording date as Crosby died shortly after, and Astaire never made other recordings.

Not great, but Astaire is wonderful

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 21 February 2007]

Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, and Joan Caulfield star in "Blue Skies," a 1946 musical film also starring Billy de Wolfe and Olga San Juan. The film starts with Jed (Astaire) on the radio telling the story of his buddy Johnny's (Crosby) relationship with Mary (Caulfield), and saying that he hoped Mary, wherever she was, would hear him. Both Jed and Johnny had been in love with her, but she had chosen Johnny.

The story of this love triangle is backed up by one Irving Berlin song after another - there is a lot of music, some fine singing by Crosby and tremendous dancing by Astaire. This was to be his last film but his retirement only lasted a couple of years. He worked in film until 1977 and continued working in television and doing voiceovers until 1981; he died in 1987. In the late '50s, he did two dance specials on television, and he did one in 1968. Was he dancing at the age of 69? Probably.

The movie doesn't really hang together. The production values are great, but the story is trite, and there aren't enough fabulous numbers. Astaire does "Puttin' on the Ritz," which is the height of the film, also "Heat Wave," and with Crosby, "A Couple of Song and Dance Men." There is a section during World War II where Crosby sings some of his Berlin standards, "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," "White Christmas," and "Any Bonds Today?" The beautiful "Always" is done as a chorus number, as is "How Deep is the Ocean," with Crosby sometimes singing along.

Having heard Crosby when he had something to prove back in the early '30s, I can never be content with his crooning, except perhaps in some parts of "Holiday Inn." Astaire is the one who makes this film worthwhile at all. See it for him and for some of the music and musical numbers. Ignore the story.

Delightful Musical

[criddic2 · 7/10 · 18 February 2007]

Sure it's the same old story of two showbiz guys fighting over the girl, but that's just an excuse to have fun with Fred and Bing. The two dance and sing several fine numbers throughout the film.

And there's the added treat of music by one of the legendary composers. Irving Berlin provides his beautiful songs, including the Oscar-nominee "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song." Fred Astaire does his famous "Puttin on the Ritz" number, while Bing sings the title tune. The duo work well together as they did on "Holiday Inn" four years earlier.

Billy De Wolfe has some funny moments in songs and sketches.

Overall, a colorful and entertaining musical. Don't listen to those who'd turn you away just because the plot is kinda thin.

What more could you want?

Decent film but was expecting much more

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 25 June 2015]

Dancing from Fred Astaire. Singing from Bing Crosby. Songs by Irving Berlin. How could one go wrong? Luckily the three main attractions do not disappoint at all, but as an overall film Blue Skies could have been better.

Blue Skies does suffer from a rather tired and over corny story, and it also feels rather thin with a romance that felt like filler and not much else. Joan Caulfield is both incredibly bland and sometimes annoying in a very underwritten part, and the comedy was patchy. In fact, a lot of the comedy falls as flat as a lead balloon and this is not helped by the overplaying of Billy De Wolfe(though he has his moments). And as good as Bing Crosby is, he comes over as rather stiff and clumsy in his acting here, which is a shame as he has shown a lot of natural presence and likability before.

The film looks great however, with some very clever photography in the Puttin' On the Ritz scene and charming costumes and sets. Irving Berlin's songs are marvellous, the Oscar-nominated You Keep Coming Back Like a Song and the unforgettably energetic Puttin' On the Ritz being the standouts, Blue Skies is a beautiful song too. The score is lush and whimsical. Every bit as good as the songs is the characterful and graceful choreography, the truly outstanding number being Puttin' On the Ritz, the whole scene is spectacular and one of Astaire's most classic routines. Crosby sings absolutely beautifully and Olga San Juan brings fire and charm to a rather one-dimensional part with her particularly shining in the Latin rhythm duet I'll See You in Cuba with Crosby, but other than Puttin' On the Ritz, it's the divine dancing and performance of Fred Astaire that makes Blue Skies worth watching.

All in all, decent film but with the likes of Crosby, Astaire and Berlin involved you expect more than just decent. 6/10 Bethany Cox

A pretty girl

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 6 July 2011]

Never had the opportunity of watching this Paramount feature of 1946 until it showed on a cable channel recently. The pairing of Fred Astaire, supposedly acting what was supposed to be his last movie, was an added incentive, plus Irving Berlin's music was enough for a look. Directed by Stuart Heisler with an uncredited help by Mark Sandrich, seems to have been an excuse to use Mr. Astaire and Bing Crosby together. Mr. Sandrich, a man closely associated to some of Fred Astaire's best screen work must have served to tweak an otherwise a project that had nothing except Astaire's charisma and Berlin's wonderful repertoire to offer.

The plot is thin. Jed Potter, now years later, is doing a radio show where he announces there must be a pretty girl listening to the broadcast and he threatens to go looking for her after he finishes. That gives way to flashbacks in which Jed, singles out a pretty chorus girl, Mary O'Hara, and taps her to be a star. Jed makes the mistake of bringing Mary to his pal Johnny Adams' place. Mary and Johnny will become a couple because they fall in love.

Johnny is a man that loves to start night clubs and in the height of their popularity, he sells them, because he is already thinking of a new theme for his next spot. When Mary boldly asks him to marry her, she has no idea in what she is getting into. Johnny's own inconsistency is enough to make Mary a frustrated lady who only wanted to settle down with the man she loved.

The redeeming point of the film is Fred Astaire's fantastic job in "Puttin' on the Ritz", which gets the splashiest production number. He shows why he was the best of all American dancers of his generation. What style, what elegance, the man was amazing! A stiff Bing Crosby shows up as Johnny. Unfortunately, he does not fare as well in the film. Beautiful Joan Caulfield, a pretty face in the Hollywood of that era, does what she can to give Mary some warmth. Billy De Wolfe is also on hand to play Tony, Johnny's right hand man in his clubs. Olga San Juan has a couple of numbers.

The Memory of All That

[lugonian · 8/10 · 23 November 2007]

BLUE SKIES (Paramount, 1946), directed by Stuart Heisler, reunites a couple of song and dance men Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire from the ever popular HOLIDAY INN (1942) in a lavish scale musical with songs by the Irving Berlin. While the title BLUE SKIES tends to sound like an aviation movie, it's actually a love triangle story set to music. This could have been an interesting sequel to HOLIDAY INN, where Crosby and Astaire both continue to compete for the same blonde, this time Joan Caulfield instead of Marjorie Reynolds. Overall, it's an original idea credited by Irving Berlin himself with an added touch of Technicolor and larger scale dance routines.

In common tradition to many 1940s movies, most commonly found in the "film noir" genre, BLUE SKIES is told in flashback, starting in modern day setting at a radio station, Broadcast Network of America in New York City's Rockefeller Center, where Jed Potter (Fred Astaire), a former dancer now a radio personality, relates his life story and career to his listeners, a story with a beginning but without a finish. Dating back circa 1919 following World War I finds Jed attracted to Mary O'Hara (Joan Caulfield), a girl, a "very pretty girl," working in the chorus. He invites her to accompany him for dinner at a night club owned by Johnny Aams (Bing Crosby), his Army buddy. Almost immediately, Mary is attracted to Johnny, but in spite of Jed's warning that Johnny is not the marrying kind, she cannot resist him. Johnny and Mary marry, and during their union have a daughter, Mary Elizabeth (Karolyn Grimes). All goes well until Mary finds that Jed is right in his assumption of Johnny being selfish and unstable, buying and selling nightclubs (oneof them called "Top Hat") at a moment's notice, and unable to settle down at in one place they could call home. After their divorce, Mary becomes engaged to Jed. Finding she's unable to marry Jed, Mary disappears, leaving Johnny as well as Jed, through his narration, to wonder whatever became of her.

As Jed Potter relates his "album of Irving Berlin songs" to his radio listeners, movie viewers get to to be treated to see and hear such classic tunes including: "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" (sung by chorus, danced by Fred Astaire); "I've Got My Captain Watching for Me Now" (Sung by Bing Crosby); "You'd Be Surprised" (sung by Olga San Juan); "All By Myself" (Crosby); "Serenade to an Old-Fashioned Girl" (sung by Joan Caulfield); "Puttin' on the Ritz" (Astaire);  "I'll See You in C.U.B.A." (Crosby); "A Couple of Song and Dance Men" (Astaire and Crosby); "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" (Crosby); "Always" (chorus); "Blue Skies," "The Little Things in Life," "Not for All the Rice in China" (all sung by Crosby); "Russian Lullaby" (Chorus); "Everybody Step" (Crosby); "How Deep is the Ocean" (chorus); "Running Around in Circles" (Crosby); "Heat Wave" (sung by Olga San Juan/danced by Astaire); "Buy Bonds Today" "This is the Army" "White Christmas" and "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" (all sung by Crosby). "Mandy" and "Some Sunny Day" are those other songs heard as background music.

Astaire's "Puttin' on the Ritz" number, where he dances to eight images of himself, is one of the great highlights. First introduced by Harry Richman for the 1930 musical, PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ, the original lyrics have been changed to fit the Astaire style as well as the changing of times. Crosby and Astaire also provide fine moments with their joint collaboration as "A Couple of Song and Dance Men." Billy De Wolfe supplies much of the comedy relief as Johnny's partner and assistant. Aside from being the love interest to Olga San Juan, he does a five minute one man comedy routine as Mrs. Murgatroyd.

While the story tends to get corny at times, it does get better with its passage of time and its assortment of fine songs. Aside from Crosby's singing, his sentimental moment where he meets with his little girl (Grimes) again is well done, along with Astaire's dancing, which is always first rate. He briefly breaks away from his traditional character where he becomes a troubled dancer who turns to liquor after being jilted. Legend has it that BLUE SKIES was originally intended to become Astaire's farewell movie. Fortunately, after his two year retirement, he was lured back to the screen for more musicals, dramas and everything else through 1981. Joan Caulfield, then new to the movies, would work again with Crosby in WELCOME STRANGER (1947), an underrated drama with songs. Crosby and Astaire wouldn't work together again until being reunited again for their TV special, "A Couple of Song and Dance Men" (CBS, 1974)

Formerly presented on American Movie Classics (1994-1999) and later Turner Classic Movies (where it premiered February 18, 2007), BLUE SKIES, distributed on video cassette in 1997, is also available on a DVD package double featured with Crosby's other musical, BIRTH OF THE BLUES (1941). Although BLUE SKIES is not as memorable as HOLIDAY INN, they can be summed up as being two different movies with similar storyline as well as the memory of all that. (***1/2)

Blue Skies is another pretty entertaining Irving Berlin musical starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire

[tavm · 7/10 · 30 December 2015]

I just watched this Irving Berlin musical-the second starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire-for the second time in my life on a DVD that also had Bing's Birth of the Blues on it. My first time was when it aired on AMC back in the '90s before the channel had their programs interrupted with commercials or edited certain content in their movies. Anyway, the most memorable and enjoyable part of this film-then and now-was Astaire's "Puttin' on the Ritz" number with multiple images of him dancing with himself on screen. He and Crosby also do an amusing "A Couple of Song and Dance Men" number where they do various pantomime scenes. Joan Caufield is the lovely leading lady who comes between them but she's merely decoration for the most part. Billy De Wolfe is fine as comic relief and Olga San Juan is a fine singer for some of the numbers. The plot is just an excuse to put many fine Berlin numbers. So on that note, I recommend Blue Skies. P.S. Since It's a Wonderful Life is my favorite movie, I always like to cite when some of the players of that one is in something else. Here, it's Frank Faylen-Ernie the cab driver there-as a stage manager who talks to Fred at the movie's beginning and Karolyn Grimes-little Zuzu there-as Bing and Joan's daughter.

Pretty package to look at but there's nothing inside...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 21 September 2006]

Let's face it, the saving grace of BLUE SKIES are twofold: Irving Berlin wrote the music and FRED ASTAIRE does "Puttin' on the Ritz".

But the film itself is like a pretty package tied up with pink ribbons and nice wrapping paper. When you open the box, there's nothing inside. The fault here, of course, is the same old tired story of two show biz pals in love with the same woman (JOAN CAULFIELD), the recipe Astaire and Crosby had already used for HOLIDAY INN. This time Paramount gave them the additional ingredient of Technicolor but failed to come up with a screenplay worth caring about.

BILL deWOLFE does his "Mrs. Murgatroyd" routine and OLGA SAN JUAN does a Latin rhythm duet with Bing--but it's all rather tepid as a filler between dull stretches of story.

Astaire's fans will not want to miss his "Ritz" routine, but that's about it.

Following the trend of Crosby leading ladies.

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 28 June 2004]

For the second and last collaboration of Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Irving Berlin, Bing and Fred needed all of their collective charm and talent to make this one work.

Bing and Fred play the same type roles in this as in Holiday Inn. Fred's the ambitious partner of an act who wants to get to the top of the show business ladder. Bing just wants to work at the trade and go through life with the least responsibility possible. Of course they fall for the same girl as in Holiday Inn and at Paramount in the 1940s who do you think winds up with the girl?

But the real star of this film is the music of Irving Berlin. This time Paramount gave Crosby and Astaire technicolor and it's put to good use with some great numbers. Astaire does two classic dance numbers with Putting on the Ritz and Heat Wave. Crosby gets two big budget numbers with Everybody Step and C-U-B-A, the latter nicely paired with Olga San Juan.

Previous reviewers found Joan Caulfield as the object of affections performance weak. Maybe so, but she's following a trend of Crosby leading ladies who are nice girls swept up by the Crosby song and charm. It wasn't until Jane Wyman did those two films with Bing that he got a leading lady with real spirit. Sometimes Bing didn't even get the girl.

The hit song here was You Keep Coming Back Like A Song which was a recurring theme. It got Oscar nominated, but lost to Judy Garland's train excursion On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe.

Billy DeWolfe also does a nice comic turn and we get his famous Mrs. Mergitroid act which he did in nightclubs.

Though the plot is thin who cares when you can see Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire at their very best.

Bing's picture, but not the best of the Crosby-Irving Berlin collaborations

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 22 January 2016]

Personally I think the Crosby-Astaire version "Holiday Inn" (a;so a compendium of Irving Berlin songs) is superior to this film. But that's not to say this film isn't darned good, as well. "Holiday Inn" was in black and white (although there's a sparkling colorized version out of it that might change your mind about colorization). "Blue Skies" has blue skies...quite nice Technicolor.

In both films there's a friendly competition between Crosby and Astaire for the girl. Here the girl is Joan Caulfield. Caulfield is quite good here, but her film career was finite. The real treasure here is the camaraderie between Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. I'm not sure it isn't better even than Crosby and Hope. I especially like seeing Bing dance; it's not that he's particularly good at it (nor is he particularly bad), but he always put real effort into it and he seems to be having fun...so we do, as well. Additionally, here we have Billy DeWolfe as the comedy relief, and he comes off fairly well, as well, although his solo comedy bit is too long.

However, for Crosby and Irving Berlin, "Holiday Inn" is superior, and "White Christmas" is superior to both.

"A Couple of Song And Dance Men" is a fun number with Crosby and Astair. Astaire's best numbers are "Puttin' On The Ritz" and "Heat Wave". But make no mistake, this is Bing Crosby's picture; Astaire is almost no more than a supporting actor. And, there's a fair amount of dram here, too, between Crosby and Caulfield. Bing is happy go lucky and always looking for a new gig. Caulfield wants to really settle down and have a stable life. Divorce! But, competitor Astaire, of course, brings them back together.

A rather unremarkable story surrounding the Irving Berlin songbook.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 13 January 2011]

Fred Astaire plays a disc jockey telling the story of his career through a bunch of old Irving Berlin recordings. It appears he was once a great Broadway star in love with a chorus girl (Joan Caulfield) but that relationship ended once crooner pal Bing Crosby won her heart and married her. Astaire, now spinning records on the radio for some mysterious reason, has a secret motive for his tale, which you have to wait until the last record is spun to find out. This is a tale involving alcoholism, major egos and fatherly neglect. To see Astaire getting tipsy and then going on stage to do a musical number is strange to say the least. It's one of the most disturbing images in films.

The songbook is mixed with familiar tunes ("Blue Skies", "Heat Wave", "Puttin' on the Ritz", even a bit of "White Christmas") and obscure songs that hadn't been pulled out of Berlin's sheet music trunk in years. There's probably a reason why those songs aren't classics today. For my taste, "Easter Parade" was the best of the Irving Berlin songbook films, while "There's No Business Like Show Business" comes a close second. Astaire's dapper "Puttin' on the Ritz" is the best known routine from this film. "Young Frankenstein" fans won't be able to resist adding their Peter Boyle impression (as I didn't). All in all, I felt the film overlong and a bit dull, although Crosby's rendition of "Blue Skies" (and its filming) is quite lovely. Billy DeWolfe's portrayal of a housewife visiting a nightclub for the first time is embarrassing, and the Crosby/Astaire vaudeville routine is extremely dated, even by 1946 standards.

A Major Disappointment

[ottoflop · 8 April 2003]

I had wanted to see this film for years. Despite the talent involved: Astaire; Crosby; Berlin and the best production values that money could buy, I found it to be very disappointing. Part of the problem is, I believe, the lackluster performance of Joan Caulfield who becomes annoying with her vacillating romance between Astaire and Crosby. One wonders why one, much less two, guys would fall for her. Billy DeWolfe and Olga San Juan are very good in supporting roles and,of course, the Irving Berlin score is great, but somehow it all fails to jell.

I believe that this film shows the different "style" of the studios. Had this been made at M-G-M, if probably would have been great, at Paramount it falls flat. "Lady in the Dark" was another Paramount opus which had a similar fault.

Great Classical Musical

[whpratt1 · 7/10 · 19 February 2007]

This is a film which takes you back in the late 40's when musicals where starting to fade from Hollywood Pictures. This film has many great film actors like Bing Crosby, Fred Astair, Joan Caulfield and Billy DeWolfe. Bing Crosby plays the role as( Johnny Adams) who is a night club owner and sings and dances on the side. Johnny is good friends with Fred Astair,(Jed Potter) who visits Johnny at his club and brings along his girlfriend Joan Caulfield,(Mary O'Hara) who seems to fall immediately in love with Johnny. There is plenty of great old time musical tunes by Irving Berlin and if you like to see Fred Astair dance all over he place, this is the picture for you. Gene Kelly was originally scheduled to perform in this film but was taken ill and Fred Astiar was called to take his place.

Azure Thing

[writers_reign · 7/10 · 2 September 2009]

Even in something as dire as Second Chorus Fred Astaire lights up the screen so when Paramount re-teamed him with both Bing Crosby and Irving Berlin he wasn't going to do a lot wrong. Actually Paramount re-teamed him with Crosby, Berlin AND the same screenplay they shot in Black and White as Holiday Inn shrewdly betting that lightning would strike twice. Had they retained Marjorie Reynolds and deep-sixed Joan Caulfield we may well have been talking classic. As it is Fred Astaire is just about the only thing worth watching. Crosby has a few half-decent moments, Billy de Wolfe and Olga San Juan do their best but Caulfield just didn't turn up. Given how well they worked with a score by Berlin we can only dream of how sensational they would have been in a movie with words and music by Cole Porter.

Der Bing & Der Fred

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 2 May 2011]

This is a pleasant musical film. There is a plot, that Bing's character can't settle down in one place even when he has a daughter. The romance is with Joan Caulfield who is a pleasant looking blonde with a good figure.

The romance doesn't really have a lot of sparks. The story line is rather bland. If you want to enjoy this one, you want to hear Bing sing, which there are lots of songs including a chorus of White Christmas, Fred dance and narrate the story, and then some comic support from Billy De Wolf who was a pretty funny guy.

Once you get past these things, there is not much other reason to check out this movie. Still, the Technicolor looks good and Irving Berlin did do some decent song writing for Crosby in this one.

Ok Movie, One Great Scene

[churchpaul · 8/10 · 13 October 2001]

First off, this movie is not that great. Fred Astaire is the only standout, and the rest of the cast is just vanilla. However, one scene makes watching the entire film worth it. Anyone who does not know who Fred Astaire is should watch this movie for, most likely, his most famous dance scene. "Puttin on the Ritz" is performed spectacularly through amazing tapdancing and mirror effects and makes you wonder exactly how they did this scene. I suggest you watch, purely for this scene.

This is terrible

[HotToastyRag · 2/10 · 22 November 2018]

Die-hard Fred Astaire fans and die-hard Bing Crosby fans are probably going to do what I did: watch Blue Skies. There won't be anything I can say to talk you out of it, because that's what die-hard fans do! So go ahead and rent it, get it over with, and then go rent a good movie.

I have no idea if Billy De Wolfe had a terrible sense of humor or if he was forced to do ridiculous things on camera, but whoever was responsible for his lengthy, unfunny scenes in this movie should have been banned from Hollywood. He has a ten-minute segment where he dresses in drag and pretends to be a drunk, old lady. I fast-forwarded it but kept my eye on the running time. Most of the songs, Billy or not, lasted far too long, tacking on extra verses simply to annoy the audience. In one of the only cute songs "Song and Dance Man", in which Bing is the song and Fred is the dance, the song keeps going when it should have stopped and the two regress to a vaudeville banana peel act where they give impersonations. Folks, keep your fast-forward button handy.

Now, if all the songs were cut out, the story is a little interesting. Joan Caufield starts out as a chorus girl in Fred Astaire's dance show. He keeps pursuing her, but she's heard rumors about the women who succumb to his charms so she resists. Then, when she finally lets him take her out for a drink, he inadvertently introduces her to his friend Bing Crosby. Fred's a bit of a cad in the beginning, so Joan starts to fall for Bing's charms. Sounds good, especially since Fred doesn't get to play a stud muffin very often, but the love triangle quickly becomes disappointing. First one's a jerk, then the other, then the other, then the other. Why are we rooting for her to end up with anyone?

And, if that's not enough to convince you Blue Skies is a bad movie, the entire movie is narrated by Fred as he performs a radio program. How is it suspenseful when it keeps cutting back to him in a booth? It really isn't, since he tells us the ending at the beginning of the movie. Still, I guarantee nothing I said will convince you, so go ahead and watch it.

She couldn't live with or without him!

[weezeralfalfa · 8/10 · 16 March 2013]

I was very surprised to learn that Fred Astaire wasn't the original choice to play Jed Potter! That honor went to Paul Draper, who apparently was a versatile tap dancer, but without Fred's other film actor assets. It then became sort of a Technicolor remake of the B&W "Holiday Inn", but with just one girl(Joan Caulfield), not two, to fight over. The problem is that she is definitely more in love with Bing, but Fred is more in love with her than is Bing, and keeps trying to steal her back. Bing(as Johnny) keeps telling her he would make her a lousy husband. Like many other girls, she refuses to take no for an answer, being sure she could overcome Johnny's need for geographical novelty, once she had him snared. Like many other girls, she was wrong, and eventually left him for that reason, now with a child to support. (Babies began to appear in some post-war musicals, mirroring the 'baby boom'). Mary is then back with Fred for a while, but jilts him again, relocating in Europe(doing what??). We then skip from the '20s to mid-WWII, with Bing singing about buying war bonds, followed by the Irving Berlin standards "This is the Army Mister Jones" and "White Christmas". The latter was done in the context of an USO performance for the troops, very different from the romantic context it was done in "Holiday Inn". This is followed by the anti-climactic finale, in which Bing is a singing guest on Fred's radio program. He reprises "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" and, low and behold, we hear Mary, off-stage, start singing "Blue Skies". This is very reminiscent of the emotional reunion of Bing and Marjorie Reynolds in "Holiday Inn", with "White Christmas" being reprised in a surprise duet.

Actually, as in "Holiday Inn", we do have a musical supporting actress in cute Olga San Juan. However,unlike in "Holiday Inn", she is not romantically involved with either of the stars, bur rather has something going with Bing's constant buddy in his various nightclub businesses, played by Billy De Wolfe. I assume the brass pandered to the fear of audience ethnic prejudice here, as New Yorker Olga was born to Puerto Rican parents. I found Olga much more appealing than Joan, and she certainly upstaged her in her 3 stage numbers: "You'd Be Surprised", "Cuba", with Bing, and "Heat Wave", with Fred. To be fair, Olga was a professional singer and dancer, while Joan was not. You can also see her in the Universal musical comedy "Are You With It", where she is Don O'Connor's leading lady. This was still Joan's first year in films, having previously been Bob Hope's leading lady in the historical comedy "Monsieur Beaucaire". Apparently, she did rather well in her comedic role in that film. I thought she was poorly suited to her role in this film compared to the other lead actresses in this or the previous "Holiday Inn".

Astaire planned this to be his final film. As in "Holiday Inn", he was given one classic unique solo production, to "Puttin' on the Ritz", in the latter portion of which ,mutiple dancing copies of Fred fill the background,along with his front center primary image. Quite impressive! Again, as in "Holiday Inn", he does one song and dance with Bing, but with the bonus of a terminal series of impressions of various stereotypes, alternating with and interacting with Bing. This was more effective than the series of too brief comedic get ups he and Don O'Connor did individually in the later "Anything Goes" Fred also got to dance around during much of the major production "Heat Wave", costarring Olga.

Another major difference with "Holiday Inn" is that the great majority of songs had been composed long ago or had been done in films within the previous few years. This includes the title song. Al Jolson sang it in the first ever musical talkie in 1927, and Ethel Merman, in the '38 "Alexander's Ragtime Band". In that film, Ethel also sang the here-included "Heat Wave" and "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" Marilyn Monroe would later again redo "Heat Wave" in her provocative style in "There's No Business Like Show Business". However, you may prefer the performance in this film. The opening lavish production to "A Pretty Girl...", Joan's major singing(dubbed) and dancing role, had been done even more lavishly in the MGM '36 "The Great Ziegfeld", with Dennis Morgan's fine tenor voice(check this out on You Tube)."Puttin' on the Ritz", with its unorthodox complex rhythmic pattern, had been done on film in 1930. Even Clark Gable did it as song and dance("Idiot's Delight"), but Fred's performance much tops these.

Billy De Wolfe wasn't especially amusing, other than his improvised monster guise. He was better in "Dixie", "Dear Ruth", and "Call Me Madam", for example.

Now that "Holiday Inn" has been released in a colorized version, it can more legitimately compete with this film as the best of the Crosby-Astaire films.

A for Astaire; zzzzzz for Crosby

[ptb-8 · 5/10 · 18 May 2008]

There are four terrific reasons to see this boring musical: 1: Fred Astaire dancing Puttin On The Ritz; 2: Fred Astaire in the boogie woogie version of Heatwave; 3: The incredible Technicolor' and 4: The production values of this massive Paramount nightclub musical. There are three reasons the film repeatedly falls as flat as a tack in-between: 1: Bing Crosby...ugh. 2: a leading lady who was really a leaden lady in Joan Caulfield whose character seemed to have a personality bypass... and 3: the normally effervescent campy Billy de Wolfe who seemed to be Bing's secret lover in this film, following him about from nightclub to nightclub and performing possibly the most embarrassing and tedious female impersonation act last century: his Mrs Murgatroyd nonsense which stops the film cold at a point when it is actually becoming tedious. Thank god Fred dances and tosses himself off a bridge not long after that. At 104 minutes and crammed with about 30 Irving Berlin songs, several big dance sequences and several elaborate and very lavish nightclub sets, BLUE SKIES annoyingly becomes dull and exasperating when Bing Crosby appears to warble, look lost and attempt some overextended dance moves. I find him just so wet. I know he had a massive following and in the crowded cinema where I saw it today there were even ancient Bing Crosby fan club members (!!!) who called themselves The Bing-Gang ............ and they sat there goggle eyed at the screen at this soppy percolation in a suit as he moaned his way through too many songs. If you get the DVD for home enjoyment, just go straight to the two dynamite Astaire numbers applauded above and watch them for 104 minutes, thus saving yourself many trips to the fridge which you will feel compelled to make any other time you get a whiff of Bing.

Not a great movie but Astaire is worth seeing here!

[miguelbgood · 8/10 · 9 May 2008]

I agree with most of the other reviews: This is not a great movie, story-wise. In fact it's quite a dumb story about a girl who can't make up her mind which guy she wants to marry.

And I agree that Joan Caulfield adds nothing to the movie. Too bad they didn't use someone with more appeal.

But it's fun seeing Bing and Fred together, and some of the songs are pretty good.

But by far the main attraction is the Puttin on the Ritz tap number in which Fred Astaire once again out-does himself! This time, literally, with mirrored images...

And the magically jumping cane had me going "Huh?! How'd he DO that???!!"

I wish someone could take all of Astaire's dance numbers with Ginger AND with all the others and put just those on a DVD! Now THAT would be a great DVD to own! And would prevent us from having to watch some of these so-so movies just to get to the "good parts" where Fred dances and/or sings!

All in all, though, this isn't that bad of a movie. Not nearly so bad as some of the other later Astaire movies. (Again, Fred was always good, but sometimes the supporting cast and/or the scripts were just plain bad.)

Crosby! Astair! Songs by Irving Berlin. In Glorious Technicolor. Can't miss, right?

[Bob-45 · 5/10 · 6 January 2010]

Wrong, "Blue Skies" lays an egg that would do a Kiwi proud. What went wrong? Simple, Joan Caulfield as "Mary." Don't get me wrong; Joan Caulfield was my first TV crush, even before Annette Funicello. However, "Mary" is a woefully underwritten part; and, as Caulfield plays her "barely there." Better to have the luscious Olga San Juan play Mary and eliminate Olga's character entirely. Perhaps given race relations at the time (Olga San Juan is Puerto Rican), the studio cowered away, and split "Mary" into two characters. Stupid, because both characters are two-dimensional. If race were the problem, why not save Olga for another movie and borrow Rita Hayworth from Columbia, Betty Grable from Fox, Ann Miller from MGM, Jane Russell from RKO (yes: she also sings), or even entrust the role to the studio's Betty Hutton? Further, why not flesh out the female character rather that waste several seemingly endless minutes of screen time with a pathetically unfunny Billy DeWolfe routine?

Now for the good stuff; Crosby's singing, Astaire's dance, Irving Berlin's songs, Billy DeWolfe's short bits, Caulfield's beauty and sweetness, Olga San Juan's EVERYTHING, glorious Technicolor, beautiful sets and costumes.

By the way, I once planned to update "Blue Skies" with Madonna songs, and have Madonna, John Travolta and Patrick Swayze play the leads. My biggest twist (and maybe why I found no interest in Hollywood), was to have the lovers' triangle revolve around TRAVOLTA.

It's not too late, Hollywood! Kenny Ortega, are you listening? You've proved there's lot of young talent out there with "High School Musical".

I give "Blue Skies" a pathetic "5" out of "10," based entirely on the musical numbers and visual splendor. Otherwise, sadly, it's a waste of talent.

Bing comes between Mary and Fred, and they all end up losers.

[clanciai · 8/10 · 10 May 2019]

A rather melancholy story lifted up by Irving Berlin's music and Fred Astaire's top dancing - he meant this film to be his last, and there is a touch of tragedy to the finale, which still is the most accomplished show item in the film, together with the overwhelming virtuosity and fantastic trick filming of "Puttin' on the Ritz"; but what's the matter with the dummy Bing Crosby? He has a fine voice but nothing else, no temperament, no passion, no expression, his acting is awkward, and together with Fred he makes a clumsy and stupid impression. The story is interesting for its long range from the 20s to the 40s - Fred loves Mary and makes shows with her and wants to marry her all through the film, but Bing comes in between, and for some reason she falls in love with him. Eventually they get married but separate, because Bing is actually married to his night clubs, which he constantly keeps changing, and Mary in the end can't bear with his inconstancy. When Mary has ditched Fred once too much, he hits the bottle, with consequences. It's a problematic plot of a "ménage a trois" were ultimately no one gets anyone, and all they have is their music, their shows, their dancing and Irving Berlin's tunes. Most of Bing's performances here are ridiculous, while Fred for some reason always managed to surpass himself.