For the final time Victor Mature and Betty Grable teamed up to star in a film with Wabash Avenue. And this was the second time that Betty did this film if it seems familiar. The plot is taken from previous Grable hit Coney Island and moved to Chicago at the time of the 1893 World's Fair.
Mature and Phil Harris take the parts previously played by George Montgomery and Cesar Romero, a pair of ruthless rival conmen who live to top each other. In this case and in the previous film the billing tells you who tops who in the end.
Grable of course is caught between the two of them as a period entertainer of the day. She has some period songs to sing, but unlike Coney Island she also got an original score from Joseph Myrow and Mack Gordon. The song Wilhelmina was nominated for Best Song of 1950.
Mature was at the height of his career just coming off a loan out hit from Paramount in Samson And Delilah. He was big box office for 20th Century Fox at that time as was Grable. Tn their salad days the two were in I Wake Up Screaming and Song Of The Islands together and they were a romantic item at one point. Maybe Darryl Zanuck should have included My Old Flame in the score.
Best scene is when Mature uses some temperance workers played by Margaret Hamilton and Dorothy Neumann to break up Phil Harri's joint. One of his best scenes from any of his films.
Fans of the two stars should make Wabash Avenue a must.
Mature and Phil Harris take the parts previously played by George Montgomery and Cesar Romero, a pair of ruthless rival conmen who live to top each other. In this case and in the previous film the billing tells you who tops who in the end.
Grable of course is caught between the two of them as a period entertainer of the day. She has some period songs to sing, but unlike Coney Island she also got an original score from Joseph Myrow and Mack Gordon. The song Wilhelmina was nominated for Best Song of 1950.
Mature was at the height of his career just coming off a loan out hit from Paramount in Samson And Delilah. He was big box office for 20th Century Fox at that time as was Grable. Tn their salad days the two were in I Wake Up Screaming and Song Of The Islands together and they were a romantic item at one point. Maybe Darryl Zanuck should have included My Old Flame in the score.
Best scene is when Mature uses some temperance workers played by Margaret Hamilton and Dorothy Neumann to break up Phil Harri's joint. One of his best scenes from any of his films.
Fans of the two stars should make Wabash Avenue a must.