Antonius Block A passable enough movie but all over the map, and while it was a vehicle for the Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler tandem, I liked it more for their supporting cast, featuring Hugh Herbert as a bumbling millionaire and Joan Blondell as a gold-digger. The musical numbers are mildly entertaining, but tap dancer Paul Draper lacks charisma and Ruby Keeler's singing is flat. I liked "Boulevardier from the Bronx" performed by Blondell and Jack Oakie more, as goofy as he was, and perhaps influenced by Blondells's décolleté. It's not horrible or anything, but you can do better. I suggest trying a movie like Footlight Parade from 1933 instead.

MikeMagi I was surprised to see how many IMDb contributors gave this movie a thumbs down. The story isn't any more substantial than a few dozen other romantic comedies of the time. But it moves along at a merry pace, especially when the cast takes over an ocean liner. And there are enough plot twists to keep it rolling. Dick Powell is his usual easygoing self. Ruby Keeler is surprisingly good --for an actress who had more than her share of detractors. Hugh Herbert dithers amusingly. And even Joan Blondell scores as a woman on the loose. Add some stylish production numbers-- with the usual bevy of toe-tapping chorus girls led by Keeler and Paul Draper -- and you've got a pleasant 90 minutes or so.

JohnHowardReid Although Colleen opens most promisingly when the players introduce themselves to the movie audience (why don't all movies do that? It should be the rule, rather than the exception), this musical comedy actually develops into a rather routine offering. In view of all the talent involved, both behind and in front of the camera, this outcome is rather disappointing. The cast list is enormous, and the behind-the-camera talent positively makes this movie an absolute must-see. For all that, it's a somewhat disappointing movie. Where did it go wrong? The photography, the sets and the players led by Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, Jack Oakie, Joan Blondell and Hugh Herbert are all fine. It's with Bobby Connoly's weak dance direction that the movie really goes wrong. Dancer/choreographer Paul Draper plays himself and it's with his so-called "specialties" that the movie really takes a wrong or at least a very disappointing turn. For audiences weaned on Busby Berkeley, Draper's dance routines are absolutely nothing to write home about. The film's original cut ran 100 minutes, but it was mercifully shortened to 89 after preview audiences overwhelmingly gave the movie a low rating.

JOHN T. NAPIER A fine cast outperforms the material that was given. Two of the dance numbers are worth the price of admission. The major number with Ruby Keeler and Paul Draper leads me to reevaluate Keeler's ability. I have seen a Dick Powell interview in which he stated that Ruby was only an average dancer. She certainly was not an Eleanor Powell or Ann Miller, but "The Stomper" was better than I had thought.The Joan Blondell/Jack Oakie ballroom type segment was truly enjoyable. In fact, I'll call it delightful. Watched it four times before proceeding with the remainder of the movie.Two of the reviewers of this movie have each made an incorrect statement. 1.)Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler were not married at the time this movie was made. They never were married to each other. Keeler was married at the time to Al Jolson. The reviewer might have been thinking thinking of Dick's marriage to co-star Joan Blondell. They were wed from September 19,1936 to July 14,1944. 2.)Cast member Hugh Herbert did not co-write the script for "Colleen". F. Hugh Herbert was the co-writer. These were two different persons.