Romance on the High Seas

Romance on the High Seas, known in the United Kingdom as It's Magic,^[3][4] is a 1948 Technicolor musical romantic comedy film directed by Michael Curtiz, and starred Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don DeFore and Doris Day in her film debut.^[5] The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Original Song for "It's Magic" (music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Sammy Cahn), and Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture (Ray Heindorf).

Plot

Doris Day as Georgia Garrett

Elvira Kent (Janis Paige) and her husband Michael (Don DeFore) suspect each other of cheating. For their wedding anniversary, Elvira books an ocean cruise to Rio de Janeiro but her husband claims that unexpected business will prevent him from going. Seeing an opportunity, Elvira pretends to take the trip alone, but in fact sends singer Georgia Garrett (Doris Day), a woman she'd met at the travel agency, in her place and under her name. By secretly staying behind, Elvira hopes to find out if Michael is indeed sneaking around behind her back. Michael, however, is suspicious over Elvira's supposed willingness to go on the trip alone, and so hires private detective Peter Virgil (Jack Carson) to see if she is sneaking around behind his back.

Peter joins the cruise and, as part of his job, becomes acquainted with Georgia. Georgia, following the instructions of the real Elvira, keeps up the ruse by pretending to be Elvira to everyone, including Peter. Georgia and Peter are attracted to each other and gradually fall in love, which causes conflict for both of them.

During one of the cruise stops, Georgia's friend, Oscar Farrar (Oscar Levant), comes on board. Oscar is in love with Georgia despite Georgia's lack of interest in him, and when Peter spots them together, he thinks he has discovered the identity of Elvira's lover.

Cast

Songs

• "Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea" – Doris Day and the Page Cavanaugh Trio
• "It's Magic" – Doris Day
• "It's You or No One" – Doris Day
• "I'm in Love" – Doris Day
• "The Tourist Trade" – Avon Long
• "Run, Run, Run" – Jack Carson
• "She's a Latin from Manhattan" – Doris Day
• "Romance on the High Seas" – The Samba Kings
• "Brazilian Rhapsody" (aka Cuban Rhapsody) – Oscar Levant

Productions

Originally conceived as a star vehicle for Betty Hutton, the film had to be recast when Hutton became pregnant, and thus unavailable. Other established stars like Judy Garland and Jane Powell were briefly considered, before Michael Curtiz was talked into auditioning Doris Day, a well-known band vocalist, but hitherto not considered an actress, despite some early appearances in 1940–1941 in a number of soundies. Her personal life was in some turmoil at the time, as her second marriage, to musician George Weidler, was ending, and this, combined with her evident nervousness, led her to deliver a notably teary, emotive version of Embraceable You at the audition. Impressed by her singing ability and fresh-faced good looks, Curtiz signed her to a film contract and cast her in the leading role of Georgia Garrett. Despite the change in star and the late casting of Janis Paige, the film was financially successful.

Accolades

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

• 2002: AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions – Nominated^[6]
• 2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
  • "It's Magic" – Nominated^[7]
• 2006: AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals – Nominated^[8]

References

External links

• Romance on the High Seas at the Internet Movie Database
• Romance on the High Seas at AllMovie
• Romance on the High Seas at the TCM Movie Database