One Touch Of Venus
All men today should behold the exquisite example of womanhood that was Ava Gardner, who with her beauty, smile, and charm had the ability onscreen to stir men within their soul and not just their loins as with so many of the loose, cheap starlets of today, and also possessed a virtuous quality that in many ways made her superior in looks even to Monroe. Thus is the case with this 1948 trifle where she literally plays the Goddess Of Love herself, Venus, brought to life from a statue with the kiss of a nervous window dresser played by Robert Walker (best known as the psycho killer from Hitchcock’s Strangers On A Train). Walker’s nebbish character who trips and bumbles over everything lives a life of constant aggravation due to his overbearing boss and ready to get married in an instant girlfriend played by Olga San Juan (who just passed away last year), not to mention his Nazi-like landlady (complete with German accent) who gives him strict orders that he is NOT to have any women alone with him in his apartment, as just the sound of a woman’s voice coming from the room results in her banging down the door with Der Fuehrer-like authority. Once Gardner’s Venus comes to life, Walker does everything he can to act as if other things are more important than her, but soon realizes there’s no fighting it when you’ve got Ava Gardner in front of you saying that she loves you (no surprise since Walker was infatuated with her during filming). The film suffers of course due to its age and the pedestrian directing job by William Seiter, and also due to the fact (since it was based on a musical) that they throw in a few musical numbers that only seem to slow things down even for an 81-minute movie, especially insulting since Gardner’s singing voice was dubbed in by someone else (which pissed her off to no end because she was actually a good singer). Other roles include Dick Haymes (a renowned crooner in his own right) as the best friend who discovers that he loves the San Juan character; Tom (Brother Of George Sanders) Conway as the filthy rich boss who tries to steal Venus away from Walker with the promise of material pleasures; and Eve Arden (whom many know as the principal from Grease) as the boss’ sidekick whom Venus determines are perfect for each other. While many modern moviegoers will be bored otherwise, the charm of Gardner actually holds the whole thing together, right up to the touching ending. Overall, if you can distance yourself from the idea that is an oldschool Hollywood musical, you can get the chance to marvel at maybe the most beautiful actress who ever lived…
7/10