New Faces (1954)
52KNew Faces: Directed by Harry Horner, John Beal. With Ronny Graham, Eartha Kitt, Robert Clary, Alice Ghostley. A filmed performance (in CinemaScope) of the highly popular Broadway hit that was basically a collection of skits, sketches, songs and dances built around a flimsy plot to meld them all together which, for the most part, worked. The plot involves a performer/producer (Ronny Graham) who finds himself in financial difficulties on the eve of opening night because a big check is needed before the curtain can go up. But a wealthy Texan says he will put up the money, if his daughter is in the show and he can see it first. End of plot, but the beginning of the careers of some young and talented people who have had careers across many decades. Eartha Kitt sings four songs, including “C’est si bon” (music by Henri Betti, lyrics by André Hornez) and “Santa Baby” in and around some funny skits; “Trip of the Month
“The film opens with u0026quot;Lebeauu0026quot; from Hoganu0026#39;s Heroes (Robert Clary) running around for some reason, weu0026#39;re not quite sure, since the sound is so bad, although that might just be the copy I got from Amazon. Who knew he started out as a professional singer ? We see a very young Alice Ghostly and Eartha Kitt when they show the faces of the performers to come. June Carroll (the produceru0026#39;s sister ) sings Penny Candy, Alice Ghostly , who we all know from Bewitched, sings, and actually has a hell of a voice! And WHAT is with that dress on Virginia Wilson, who keeps popping in to introduce the next number? It looks like her top is about to drop down on a trap door.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA lot of this is very u0026quot;okayu0026quot; many of the performers do their bits in a very serious manner, without expression or any emotion, so some of it is almost painful to get through. Clary, the u0026quot;emceeu0026quot; does several numbers, and E. Kitt does a naughty version of Santa Baby. Paul Lynde performs in a couple good u0026quot;bitsu0026quot;, but they would have been funnier if they had ended on a funny line about halfway through. The best number was the Lizzie Borden number u0026quot;You canu0026#39;t chop your papa up in Massachusettsu0026quot; – some clever stuff. Thereu0026#39;s a very thin plot line someoneu0026#39;s father keeps promising to pay someone some money or something, but that very thin plot line seems to have been tacked on later. Interesting to see all these young actors before they hit the bigtime, but Iu0026#39;m glad I didnu0026#39;t pay to see this one in a theater.”
