A goddess on earth

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Movie
German title A goddess on earth
Original title Down to Earth
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1947
length 101 minutes
Rod
Director Alexander Hall
script Edwin Blum ,
Don Hartman
production Don Hartman
music George Duning ,
Heinz Roemheld ,
Doris Fisher
camera Rudolph Maté
cut Viola Lawrence
occupation

A Goddess on Earth (Original title: Down to Earth ) is an American film musical by Alexander Hall from 1947 with Rita Hayworth in the role of the Greek muse Terpsichore . This is a continuation of the film leave from the sky (1941) after the play Heaven Can Wait by Harry Segall .

action

In the heavenly realms, the seat of the nine muses , the news penetrates that the earthly Broadway director Danny Miller is having a revue that presents the muses as stylish showgirls to the American audience. Terpsichore , the Greek muse of dance, is particularly outraged. She decides to take matters into her own hands and vigorously intervene in the action. After much persuasion, she receives permission from the sky guardian, Mr. Jordan, to enter the earth in the company of Heavenly Messenger 7013. During a dance rehearsal, Terpsichore, who now calls herself Kitty Pendleton, manages to smuggle herself onto the stage and draw everyone's attention with a dynamic dance. Director Danny is so fascinated by her beauty and talent that he immediately entrusts her with the lead role of Terpsichore. Since Kitty openly expresses her indignation at the frivolous songs and choreographies , she soon clashes with Danny.

However, when Danny falls in love with her, he obediently puts into practice her request to stage the revue as a classical ballet . The rest of the troop, however, are not very impressed with the "new" interpretation of Greek mythology . At the preview in Philadelphia, dance aficionados are enthusiastic about the performance, but the mass of the audience finds it boring to yawn. Since Danny's financiers demand a big show, he is forced to bring out the revue in New York in its original form, which induces Kitty and Terpsichore to leave the ensemble angrily.

When Mr. Jordan turns up unexpectedly, he shows Terpsichore the financial pressure Danny is actually under. Terpsichore returns with a bad conscience and, as the star of the show, leads the revue to great success. Because she has done her job, Mr. Jordan orders her back to Olympus at home. However, she does not want to leave Danny. For the first time she knows what it means to love someone. Mr. Jordan comforts her about her current loss and lets her take a look into the future. There she will see Danny again at the Elysion and be happily united with him for all time.

background

A Goddess on Earth was created as a sequel to the successful film Vacation from Heaven from 1941, which was also directed by director Alexander Hall. Actors Edward Everett Horton and James Gleason , who previously appeared on Vacation From Heaven , reasserted their roles, while Claude Rains was replaced as Mr. Jordan by Roland Culver . Rita Hayworth, who was voiced by Anita Ellis for her vocal performances , was at the height of her fame as a screen beauty and dancer in 1946 after her great success with Gilda , which is why it made sense for her studio Columbia Pictures to cast her as the divine muse of dance. Filming delays made the project one of the most expensive productions for the studio in the 1940s.

A Goddess on Earth premiered on September 11, 1947 at New York's Radio City Music Hall . The film received mixed reviews as a result. The weak plot and the insignificant songs were mostly criticized, while the Technicolor colors and Rita Hayworth's external advantages were praised. In Germany, the film musical was first shown on television on December 7, 1981.

The 1980 film Xanadu , in which Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly participated, is an unofficial remake of A Goddess on Earth . Kelly took on the role of Danny McGuire, whom he had already played in 1944 in the film musical The Goddess Dances alongside Rita Hayworth.

Music and dance numbers

  • Let's Stay Young Forever ( Doris Fisher / Allan Roberts )
  • This Can't Be Legal (Fisher / Roberts)
  • They Can't Convince Me (Fisher / Roberts)
  • Kiss of the Muse
  • Greek Ballet ( Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco )
  • The Muses Come To Earth
  • People Have More Fun Than Anyone (Fisher / Roberts)

Reviews

For the lexicon of international films , A Goddess on Earth was a "very free variation of the film Vacation from Heaven, made by the same director in 1941 ". The result was "an enjoyable musical with brilliant songs". Bosley Crowther of the New York Times praised "the color, music and dances" which "stimulate the senses in a zippy and exuberant way." The Technicolor is also "excellent".

According to Variety , the story is "one of those sensitive matters that looks much better on paper than celluloid". "All the gags that are supposed to give the plot a bit of pepper" are rather "flat". Time said that you can forgive a musical like A Goddess on Earth "almost anything". There are definitely “saving elements”. Some comedic interludes, especially that of James Gleason as Broadway agent, are "very helpful". Rita Hayworth's first dance in a sea green dress is again "wonderful to look at".

"While there is a lot about A Goddess on Earth that is bad, the movie is still fun," said Craig Butler of the All Movie Guide . The “biggest problem” is the “ridiculous” plot and the “sedate and silly looking” dialogues. The songs are "unforgettable either to be forgotten or for the wrong reasons". Fortunately, there is "Rita Hayworth, who looks absolutely gorgeous and exudes enough charm and attractiveness to make up for the many deficits". Helpful? "A technically appealing production with the most exuberant colors" that existed at the time. Larry Parks, on the other hand, has “a lousy role” and Roland Culver is “too sedate and stuffy”. Despite the "considerable weaknesses", the film is "heavenly compared to its remake, the terrible Xanadu ".

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. Lorraine LoBianco on tcm.com
  2. ↑ A goddess on earth. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed May 27, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  3. ↑ "Color and music and movement - the coloring, incidentally, is superb - are combined here to stimulate the senses in a splashy, luxurious way." Bosley Crowther : 'Down to Earth,' Columbia Film in Which Rita Hayworth and Larry Parks Share Honors, Is New Feature at Radio City . In: The New York Times , September 12, 1947.
  4. ↑ “Yarn is one of those tricky ideas that look so much better on paper than celluloid. [...] all the gags which should give the yarn a bit of pepper fall flat. " See Down to Earth . In: Variety , 1947.
  5. ^ " Down to Earth is a musical, and musicals are forgiven almost anything. There are saving graces. Some of the side comedy, especially as handled by James Gleason as a Broadway agent, is very helpful. Miss Hayworth's first dance, in a vivid sea-green dress, is a pleasure to watch. " See Cinema: The New Pictures . In: Time , September 1, 1947.
  6. ↑ “Considering how bad much of it is, Down to Earth is actually kind of fun […]. Its biggest problem is that the plot is ridiculous and the dialogue alternates between ponderous and ludicrous. [...] Earth ’s songs are either unmemorable or memorable for the wrong reasons. Fortunately for one and all, there's Rita Hayworth, looking absolutely stunning and exuding enough charm and appeal to help smooth over the many rough spots. She's helped by an attractive physical production, including some of the lushest color around at the time […]. Parks is given a lousy part, and Culver is too fussy and stuffy […]. For all its considerable flaws, Earth is heaven compared to its remake, the dreadful Xanadu . " Craig Butler, cf. omovie.com