marcslope Fairly expensive Warners musical, the then-novelties of which are a) CinemaScope and b) location filming in Miami, which does look '50s-luscious. These are tied to a very tired screenplay about superstitious Doris Day and her pals Phil Silvers, Nancy Walker, and Eddie Foy Jr. going from revue work to kitchen work to Broadway, courtesy of songwriter Robert Cummings, whose songs all sound like second-rate Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster. Much talent that had just turned out "Calamity Jane"--Day, Webster, Fain, choreographer (and here director) Jack Donohue, screenwriter James O'Hanlon--worked on this one, but it's nobody's best work, though Doris is as spirited and golden-voiced as ever, and you don't really want to see her end up romantically with someone as uninteresting as Robert Cummings. Silvers and Walker certainly deserved better material, and Donohue doesn't know how to pace a plot, even one as fragile as this. Martha Hyer is another casualty, overplaying Cummings' shrew of a girlfriend, and the other supporting players are no-name. It's worth sitting through once for a couple of nicely staged numbers (especially the opening) and some alluring glimpses of Florida, but it's the Warners musical at its most labored and uninspired.

wes-connors In sunny Miami, superstitions showgirl Doris Day (as Candy Williams) and her musical troupe find themselves destitute after their show "Parisian Pretties" closes. This is strange, because Ms. Day and performing manager Phil Silvers (as Hap Schneider) appear captivating on stage. The troupe is forced to take menial jobs. While working as a maid, tap-dancing Nancy Walker (as Flo Neely) meets famous songwriter Bob Cummings (as Dick Carson) and learns he is producing a new Broadway show...Day hopes Mr. Cummings could provide her with a lucky break. Perhaps romance will follow. "Lucky Me" was meant to be a follow-up to the crowd-pleasing "Calamity Jane" (1953), but fell short. The earlier film featured Day's million-selling #1 "Secret Love" single. This film's song highlight is "I Speak to the Stars", a sleepy #16 hit. The closing party is mildly interesting, beginning with Day in a convincing disguise. This is where you can spot black-haired Angie Dickinson, in her big screen debut.**** Lucky Me (4/9/54) Jack Donohue ~ Doris Day, Robert Cummings, Phil Silvers, Nancy Walker

ryancm LUCKY ME is part of a Doris Day collection so I'm glad it's included, but this not her best film. She does what she can with the lame material, as does the rest of the cast, but to no avail. Could have been a cute story, but somehow things go screwed up. Very messy screenplay or maybe too many cuts. Doris is sure bouncy and breezy as usual, and she "saves the day" so to speak. Now working in a Hotel as kitchen workers, where does she get those elegant cloths? Must be working the streets as a side job!! Same for the her three other friends, played by Eddie Foy, Jr, Nancy Walker and the nauseating Phil Silvers. It's a shame all of Doris Day's early films at Warner's are all studio bound. This one calls for location in Miami itself, as did ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS which should have had location work in Rio. Another help to APRIL IN Paris would have if they had actually gone to Paris.

dencar_1 LUCKY ME is one of those class "C" musicals of interest to those who need to compile either Doris Day credits or simply want to view the benign concerns spinning in the era's forgettable musicals. Bob Cummings just does not fill the bill in this one for reasons that are unclear and one wonders why he was cast in the production at all. He looks as if the project was done as an intermission from DIALING M FOR MURDER, probably the best thing Cummings ever did. Bill Goodwin and the ensemble are pleasant enough, but really no one including Doris can redeem this second-rate, predictable caper. If only we had a nickel for every musical that was about producing a musical! Among musicals, LUCKY ME is one. Dennis Caracciolo