Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (1952)

So much average

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Songs: "Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?" (Roy Smith, Roy Turk, Maceo Pinkard, sung by Piper Laurie), "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More" (Wendell Hall, sung by Charles Coburn and group), "Tiger Rag" (Jelly Roll Morton), "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" (sung by college boys and girls), "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along" (Harry Woods, sung by Coburn, Gigi Perreau, Lynn Bari).Copyright 6 May 1952 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at the Mayfair: 4 July 1952. U.S. release: June 1952. U.K. release: August-September 1952. Australian release: 16 October 1952. 7,985 feet. 89 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Set in a small American town in 1928, this is a comedy about a struggling middle-class family who receive an unexpected gift of $100,000.NOTES: Film debut of James Dean, and Douglas Sirk's first film in color. COMMENT: An unexpected delight from start to finish. Hard to believe that gloomy old Sirk could fashion so vividly bright and valorously enjoyable a comedy of manners. True, the pace does slow down a mite after its screamingly screwball start when the action switches to Hilverton. But though the plot twists are expected, the script is so energetically played, it all seems ultra-fresh and vigorous.Admittedly, it's hard to credit that our old aversion Rock Hudson could make so light and effervescently amusing a comedian. But he does. He's a riot. A pity he didn't pursue this vein. Of many chuckle-some scenes in which Rock figures, the most memorable is a wonderfully-timed sequence in which he attempts to teach Charles Coburn the art of mixing a strawberry surprise.In fact the whole cast, led by the indomitable Coburn (who really has the star part, despite being placed third in the billing) is just perfection plus. If ever a screenplay was measured to order, this one is. Even Gigi Perreau is handed some side-splitting lines. Larry Gates has one of his best parts ever as the hard-pressed pharmacist, whilst Skip Homeier (who can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned) turns in a gloriously hissable study of the dark-dyed heavy. Also to be especially lauded: Forrest Lewis as a grumpy druggist, Willard Waterman as a too-breezy doctor, Lynn Bari as the pushy wife, Piper Laurie as she-who-gets-pushed, and Laura La Plante (courtesy of a brief movie clip from the Universal archives) as an exercise enthusiast.Superbly photographed and dressed in appropriately stylish Technicolor, "Has Anybody Seen My Gal" has an added nostalgia bonus in its inspired selection of contemporary songs. All given a nice, razzy. toe- tapping treatment too.By the way, if you can spot James Dean, you're a more keen-eyed fan than I am.

The title "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?" comes from a popular song of the 1920s, and presumably it was slapped on this non-musical movie to let people know when the story is supposed to be taking place. That was a silly idea, but the movie itself is charming. Charles Coburn plays the world's richest man, an elderly recluse whose face is known to virtually no one. (Bear in mind that this movie was made before tycoon Howard Hughes became legendary for his secretive ways.) The rich man travels incognito to the small town where he spent much of his youth. There he becomes the anonymous benefactor of a family that played an early role in his success, though none of its members have any idea of their link to him. He works as a seemingly down-on-his-luck soda jerk in the town, watching up close how his mysterious checks change the lives of people in this ordinary, close-knit family. It's not always a pretty sight, but it does teach a lesson, not just to them but to him. There's a Christmastime angle that isn't absolutely essential to the plot, but it did point out to me this film's similarity to another bittersweet fantasy, Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life." If you want a movie that's heartwarming and entertaining and has a moral, this is a good choice. Try it for Christmas.

This is simply a pure delight of a comedy movie that runs on that ages-old premise - what would you do if you suddenly came into a fortune?Everything about this film gels into an 89-minute delight; the story, script, sets, atmosphere, colour and, above all, the performances of a disparate group of actors who ensemble into a highly believable American 1920s small-town family. Veteran screen actor Charles Coburn is outstanding as the irascible but soft-hearted Samuel Fulton and the 'Temple-esque' Gigi Perreau should have won an Oscar for her portrayal of Roberta. Yes, James Dean makes his first (and ultra-brief) appearance as a bit-parter in one of the drug-store scenes but don't let this incidental occurrence put you off.Has Anybody Seen My Gal never outstays its welcome - indeed it seems to be over all too soon. It has yet (as of Dec. 2005) to be issued on DVD and I, for one, am eagerly awaiting its well-overdue release.

This is part one of a trilogy of "Americana" movies Sirk made for Universal which are set in the early part of the 20th Century, ("Meet Me At the Fair" and "Take Me To Town" would follow). While critical of different aspects of American society, in this case the power of greed, they are movies that exude much affection for their characters and the country itself. At this point Sirk was still very enamoured with America. His future films would reflect the change of his perception of American society coming to fruition in the big melodramas that lay ahead. "Has Anybody Seen My Gal" signals the beginning of the star building process which took the almost unknown Rock Hudson and over a period of a few years turned him into America's top box office star. Much has been written of the subversive subtexts of Sirk's movies. It would seem his most subversive action was that out of a hunky, gay, not especially talented actor, he created and icon of the prototype fifties American male; a wonderful analogy for appearances and unrevealed truths that are much a part of the fifties psyche. Although Hudson receives top billing in "Has Anyone Seen My Gal", his role is decidedly secondary. This is very much Charles Coburn's movie. Hudson has little to do although his screen presence is already charged with the goodness and charm that were to be his trademarks."Has Anybody Seen My Gal" has the quality stamp of Douglas Sirk. His eye for good camera work, lighting and art direction are all evident. But like the other films of the trilogy it's a very light weight affair.