19/3/2013 12:06 pm  #1


Top O' The Morning

I discovered an excellent review of Top O The Morning that might be of interest to you all:

http://laurasmiscmusings.blogspot.com/2013/03/tonights-movie-top-o-morning-1949.html

I did not write it. I wish I had. It is much too good!

 

11/4/2013 5:26 am  #2


Re: Top O' The Morning

'Top o the morning' barely entertained me. I'd not seen it for years when someone lent me a copy a year ago and I was very disapointed in it. Ann Blyth wasan  accomplished perfcormer, like Bing, but even tjhey could do little with that material.

 

11/4/2013 5:50 am  #3


Re: Top O' The Morning

In several of Bing's radio shows shortly after the release of ''Top O' The Morning'' there is jocular comment about difficulty in understanding. It is said in one show that Barry Fitzgerald used the same script as in ''Welcome Stranger'' and ''Going My Way''!

Bing also says that he owes the Irish an apology for ''Top O' The Morning''.

All very self deprecatory and funny but there must have been some reaction to cause this sort of comment.

''Bing'' Magazine website http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/A-Z.htm#T has some interesting comments and quotes -

"The law of diminishing returns had set in when Bing and Barry Fitzgerald were paired on film for the third time.  The thin plot concerned the stealing of the Blarney Stone.  The two people interested in its recovery are local police sergeant Fitzgerald and American insurance company investigator Bing.  Ann Blyth played Fitzgerald’s daughter and provided the obligatory love interest.  It was nothing like as successful as the Crosby-Fitzgerald team’s triumphs inGoing My Way (1944) or Welcome Stranger (1946). The ‘Radio Times Film and Video Guide’ described it thus: “Slim musical heavily reliant on the charm and charisma of its diametrically opposed stars.  Rather tired and formulaic.”  One of the exhibitors in the U.S.A. who submitted his own review following the film’s rental was the manager of the Majestic Theatre in Clear Lake. He commented: “He (Bing) will be an also-ran if they don’t come up with a good one for him soon.”  The film clearly failed to do the expected business out in the sticks, where audiences were thought to be less discriminating.  It played for two midweek days in late February, 1950 at the Vacaville Theatre in Vacaville, California.  The manager there called it “another Crosby dud.  Bing had better come up with a good one pretty soon or even his old standby customers are going to look somewhere else for entertainment''

 

11/4/2013 8:28 am  #4


Re: Top O' The Morning

Connected only by the thread of the Blarney Stone, (the stolen object in the storyline of the film), at Blarney Castle, there is by coincidence a news report about a court case involving the owners, here-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2307230/Former-lady-Blarney-Castle-wins-damages-called-psycho-blog-daughter-husbands-lover.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
and here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9985544/Former-lady-of-Blarney-Castle-wins-damages-after-being-branded-psycho.html

 

11/4/2013 1:44 pm  #5


Re: Top O' The Morning

I'm one of the few who likes Top O' the Morning. I thought it was a cute film with a little bit of Sherlock Holmes mixed in. I think Say One For Me is Bing's worst movie. Robert Wagner and Debbie Reynolds are to blame.


Peace and Love! 
 

12/4/2013 10:36 am  #6


Re: Top O' The Morning

One of the more memorable musical scenes, to my mind at least, is ''The Donovans''




But then the complete movie is here 



 

 

30/4/2013 3:05 pm  #7


Re: Top O' The Morning

I don't recall if or when I have seen "Top of the Morning," but the stealing of the Blarney stone sounds like a caper worthy of Bob Hope or Danny Kaye.  Perhaps it ought to have been a road movie or something more like the fairy-tale genre we find in "Connecticut Yankee."

 

18/6/2013 1:37 am  #8


Re: Top O' The Morning

At first I was lukewarm to this film, but have grown to love it.   Bing's acting is perfection here.  He's wonderful and funny, and sexy.  The chemistry between Ann Blyth and Bing is unmistakeable.  I asked Ms. Blyth about her friendship with Bing at Dolores Hope's 100th birthday party.  She didn't say anything more than they used to go out dancing.  She didn't mention whether this was during the time of filming or later on.  The love scenes and duet she does with Bing are very cozy, very warm and believable.  The film does take an unexpected turn when Hume Cronyn's secret is revealed.  The romance is very well-developed and seems to grow naturally, unlike many films.  We also have the pleasure of seeing Bing do a little big of a jig during the Donovan number.  He's like a welcome breath of Spring when he appears in the doorway of the house during the party.  The scene where Blyth is trying to figure out where the green pocket is in his jacket is very 'well-handled.'   An enjoyable film from Bing's last remaining years as a romantic lead........M

 

18/6/2013 9:11 am  #9


Re: Top O' The Morning

Bopcat wrote:

At first I was lukewarm to this film, but have grown to love it.- - -  

I agree, it's one of those that grow on you. Not in the top rank of Bing's output but I think some of the contemporary reviews I quoted earlier were a little harsh. I suspect that one of the problems might have been that by the time it came out Bing had been placed on a pedestal. It was expected that everything he did would somehow be better than the last.  Those elevated expectations could not be met all of the time. 
 

 

05/7/2013 2:09 pm  #10


Re: Top O' The Morning

Perhaps the title was just a bit of an overstatement.  Maybe initial expectations for the film would have been more reasonable had it been titled "Middle of the Morning."

 

06/7/2013 11:27 pm  #11


Re: Top O' The Morning

I loved top of the morning.It was  aa cute movie.I T thought Bing and Barry Fitzgerald were great in it.Love the songs.Very fun movie to watch

 

08/3/2019 10:51 pm  #12


Re: Top O' The Morning

IT is on again on this w/E on TCM. Check your guide for showing in your area.

 

24/3/2019 6:59 pm  #13


Re: Top O' The Morning

Darn, I thought I had press the record button but something happened and it didn't record.
Maybe I had a couple of other shows - rugby for instance ready to tape as I can only record 2 shows at once.

 

25/3/2019 11:59 am  #14


Re: Top O' The Morning

Archiefit wrote:

My cable set up only allows me to record one show at a time (I don't use a DVR) unless I want to shell out for 2 cable boxes, one's bad enough.   Just to be safe since this movie seems to only be shown once every 20 years I recorded it twice.  I really like all of Bing's movies from the '50's including Top O' The Morning and really don't understand why Paramount has yet to release it and colorize it, be great to see all the greens!

I also like this movie and I guess I must be the only one around who really likes (not loves) Say One For Me.   It's one of 3 movies I watch almost every Christmas along with Holiday Inn & White Christmas.  I dislike intensely the sickening conceited act that Robert Wagner goes into during this movie but ignoring Wagner and Debbie Reynolds weird vibrating eyeballs when she's supposed to be in love I like this movie, especially Bing's "Secret of Christmas" that alone is worth watching the movie.  I also really like Ray Walston and Joe Besser, so I have several reasons to watch each year (or mostly every year).   Here's a movie that really needs a widescreen DVD release.

Interesting post as always! Probably my favorite Bing movie of the 1950s...leaving the popular The Country Girl, White Christmas, and High Society, would be Mr. Music. Bing was in fine voice, I loved the songs, and this movie needs to be re-released and colorized as well. 

I can't get past Robert Wagner or Debbie Reynolds in Say One For Me, but I'll have to give it another chance just for you Lee. The soundtrack is great though!
 

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