Down to Earth (1947) (NTSC)

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General		Extras
Category	Musical	None
Rating
Year Of Production	1947
Running Time	100:42
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	Alexander Hall
Studio Distributor	ViaVision	Starring	Rita Hayworth Larry Parks Marc Platt Roland Culver Edward Everett Horton James Gleason George MacReady
Case	?
RPI	?	Music	Doris Fisher George Duning Heinz Roemheld

     Broadway producer Danny Miller (Larry Parks) is in rehearsals to put on a burlesque type show featuring the nine classical Greek Muses with the muse / goddess Terpsichore in the main part. In the clouds above Mount Parnassos the real goddess Terpsichore (Rita Hayworth) is aghast at the vulgarity of the depiction of herself and her fellow muses and is determined to do something about it. She goes to Mr. Jordan (Roland Culver), who is sort of a heavenly gatekeeper with lists of those going to the next world after death, and persuades him to send her to Earth. Accompanied by Messenger 7013 (Edward Everett Horton), Terpsichore arrives in New York and in short order has acquired an Agent, Max Corkle (James Gleason), and under the name Kitty Pendleton has manoeuvred herself into playing herself in Danny’s show.

     The show needs to be a financial success because Danny owes money to mobster Joe Manion (George Macready) and without repayment his life would be on the line. Kitty / Terpsichore, however, is determined to elevate the quality of the show above the vulgar; she gets Danny to fall in love with her and change the show’s content substantially despite the opposition of Danny’s friend and fellow performer Eddie (Marc Platt). At the out of town preview the new show, more opera and ballet than burlesque, fails badly. With so much at stake, and with Kitty falling in love with Danny, the show reverts to the burlesque original and is a triumph on Broadway. But a goddess muse cannot remain on Earth and Mr. Jordan summons her back.

     Down to Earth was directed by Alexander Hall and is a semi-sequel to his earlier hit film from 1941 Here Comes Mr. Jordan that won two Oscars, for best writing – original story and best writing – screenplay. That 1941 film was based on the play by Harry Segal Heaven Can Wait (under which title a film version was made by Warren Beatty in 1978!). Two actors from the 1941 film reprised their roles in Down to Earth, Edward Everett Horton as Messenger 7013 and James Gleason as Max Corkle (he was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in Here Comes Mr. Jordan). In Down to Earth, however, Mr. Jordan is played Roland Culver instead of Claude Rains.

     Rita Hayworth said that Down to Earth was her least favourite of all her films. The reason may be that as a light, frothy musical comedy with singing and dancing Down to Earth was a throwback to the sorts of wholesome musicals Hayworth had been making in the first half of the 1940s, such as You Were Never Lovelier (1942), Cover Girl (1944) or Tonight and Every Night (1945) that allowed her no latitude to act as anything but a nice girl. Her performance in Gilda had changed that image, and then some, and it may be that Hayworth thought of Down to Earth as a backward step. However, she does give her all in a strong and glamorous performance. Her co-star Larry Parks was coming off the success of his performance in The Jolson Story (1946), for which he was Oscar nominated, and while he looks handsome his charisma is lightweight and any spark between himself and Hayworth is lacking. The other male lead is dancer Marc Platt who had appeared with Rita in Tonight and Every Night and was one of the seven brothers in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) although his career never really took off. George Macready, so menacing in Gilda, is wasted.

     Down to Earth is not a particularly good film, nor a good musical. It is a succession of musical numbers and performances hung on a threadbare plot, although that is not much of an issue in this genre. As well, a lot of the humour is forced, silly and ham-fisted, including comments about artistic snobbery. But a greater issue is that a number of the songs (music Doris Fisher / lyrics Allan Roberts) are discordant and the choreography of the production numbers lacks fluidity; indeed, some are the most jarring in execution I think I have seen in a 1940s or 1950s musical. Two things, however, save the picture. The first is the Technicolor photography of the set piece performances by cinematographer Rudolph Mate. Mate had shot a number of Rita films including her earlier musicals for Columbia, Cover Girl and Tonight and Every Night and the performances and costumes in Down to Earth are a dazzling swirl of colour. The second treason, of course, is Rita Hayworth; she is glamorous, mischievous and beautiful, so one can indeed believe that she could be a goddess!!

Video

     Down to Earth is presented in Technicolor in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, in NTSC and not16x9 enhanced.

     This is another of those old Technicolor films that looks wonderful. The colours of the costumes, especially some of the reds and golds, are rich and vibrant, and there is a great depth of field with both foregrounds and backgrounds strongly detailed. Skin tones are fine, blacks are solid. The film was solid in motion in the production numbers although some aliasing crept in against vertical lines elsewhere. There were some minute marks. Grain is nicely controlled.

     No subtitles are provided.

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Audio

     The audio is English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono at 192 Kbps.

     The dialogue is easy to hear. Effects are limited to crowd and audience voices and in one scene with the train engine. The orchestra in the production numbers and the songs come over loud and clear.

     There was no hiss or crackle.

    Lip synchronisation was pretty good given that this picture is unusual because the singing of both leads was dubbed; Rita again by Anita Ellis and Larry Parks by Hal Derwin.

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     Nothing. The menu offers “Play” as the only option.

     Down to Earth has been available in other regions as well as in Australia as a stand-alone DVD. This release of the film is as part of The Films of Rita Hayworth Collection which collection itself forms part of The Films of Rita Hayworth Platinum Collection. See the summary section below.

     Down to Earth is a light, silly and rather forgettable Technicolor musical only made worth watching by some dazzling Technicolor photography and a gorgeous Rita Hayworth as a goddess. Typecasting anyone?

     The Technicolor video is excellent, the audio is the original mono. No extras of any kind.

     Down to Earth is included in the 12 disc / 12 film set The Films of Rita Hayworth Platinum Collection. The Films of Rita Hayworth Platinum Collection itself comprises the The Films of Rita Hayworth Collection and the The Films of Rita Hayworth Collection Two. Both of these individual Collection packs have been released previously. If you have an interest in the stars or musicals and have not picked up the earlier releases, this collection is great value.

     The Films of Rita Hayworth Platinum Collection was supplied for review by ViaVision Entertainment. Check out their Facebook page for the latest releases, giveaways, deals and more.

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