JLRMovieReviews June Allyson and Jack Lemmon star in this musical remake of "It Happened One Night," which centers on an oil heiress who is taken by her father from her wedding to a man of whom her father doesn't approve. When her father played by Charles Bickford threatens to have the marriage annulled, she jumps off the yacht they're on and gets away. The father instantly sets up an extensive search for her before she can get to her newlywed husband in Houston. Jack Lemmon is a newspaperman whose path crosses hers. Such is the gist. While this is essentially a scene-for-scene and almost word-for-word remake of the Clark Gable film and not nearly so good, it is a very pleasant, enjoyable little film helped by some very upbeat songs and the chemistry of the two leads. As remakes go, I've seen a lot worse. And, it looks like they had fun making this, especially June Allyson, who has a good dance number in the hay! June Allyson was a very good comedienne. Not much is said about her comedic timing. It's been said she was a good crier; she could cry on cue in her melodramas. But she was very funny in her comedies. One other good example is "Two Sisters from Boston." And, Jack Lemmon is always a joy to watch. Charles Bickford is a little stiff for the role of her father though. Arthur O'Connell would have been better. If you come across this film on TCM, I think you'd enjoy this whimsical piece of fluff.

Larkrise I noticed in a lot of the reviews people have a lot of problems with June Allyson being cast in the Claudette Colbert role of Ellie Andrews as i am a fan of both versions of the movies i have to say i have absolutely no problems with it what so ever. So what if her husband was the director.I liked the teaming of both of June Allyson and Jack Lemmon there chemistry was'nt that bad and the musical numbers were enchanting. June Allyson will always be a favourite of mine with her raspery voice and her charm that comes out a lot in her movies. And Jack Lemmon has that great likable factor like James Stewart. So don't think this movie as a remake but as an affectionate tribute.

LIND77777-1 For fans of "It Happened One Night," it's fun to see how they remade it in the 50's, in Technicolor, and as a quasi-musical.The young Jack Lemmon is a delight to see, and it would have been stupid to try to follow Clark Gable's act--no one could.The oddball casting has June Allyson playing the Claudette Colbert role, but since June was producer/director Dick Powell's wife, it's comprehensible. June had a lot of appeal in many of her roles, but sexy she wasn't; she was more the girl next door, or the long-suffering, proper wife. Here, playing a post-debutante, June was, in real life, pushing 40. The supposedly sexy scenes had that sanitized 50's feel to them, and the chemistry between the two stars was minimal.But June makes the movie in the scene where they sleep in a field, as she sings & dances to a scarecrow, with moves that would have done Donald O'Connor proud. Such energy & wit, paired with her funny, froggy voice, are a delight. Who knew she had all this talent hidden away?There's a lot to enjoy, even though, like nearly all remakes, it falls a bit short.

IanBarrie Jack Lemmon, a new leading man in Hollywood in the 1950s and a younger June Allyson, straight from the M.G.M. Galaxy of musical stars made this a tuneful technicolour re-make of "It Happened One Night," for Columbia Pictures, ably assisted by Stubby Kaye, who never fails with a song; and all this under the direction of Dick Powell, who was married to June Allyson. There have been many post-war musicals released on Video and DVD and Columbia would do well to add this one to their DVD collection. It would be a fitting tribute to the multi-talented Jack Lemmon and Dick Powell who, himself, who was a song and dance man of the 1930s.