On the Riviera (1951)

89-90 mins | Musical comedy | May 1951

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HISTORY

According to HR news items, William Perlberg was originally scheduled to produce this picture, for which Corinne Calvet was borrowed from Hal Wallis' company. HR news items also note that production on the picture was intermittently halted to allow the principals time to rehearse dance numbers, and that background footage was shot on location in the French Riviera. According to information in the MPAA/PCA Collection at the AMPAS Library, the PCA rejected a 28 Apr 1950 draft of the film's screenplay because "the last part of the story...seems to be based in large measure on the suspicion of illicit relationships between the various characters." A later screenplay was approved, however.
       According to studio publicity, On the Riviera marked the first English-speaking role of noted French actor Jean Murat, as well as the film debuts of model Mari Blanchard and socialite Franchesca de Scaffa. Dancer Gwen Verdon, who was known as Gwyneth early in her career, also made her film debut in On the Riviera. Although a HR news item stated that Danny Kaye's longtime accompanist, Stanley Praeger, was to appear in the picture, his appearance in the finished film has not been confirmed. The song "Popo the Puppet," written by Kaye's wife and frequent collaborator, Sylvia Fine, became one of Kaye's most popular songs. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction (Color) and Best Music (Scoring of a Musical Picture).
       Twentieth Century-Fox produced three earlier films based on the play by Rudolph Lothar and Hans Adler: a 1935 version, entitled Folies Bergère de Paris, which was directed by Roy Del Ruth ...

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According to HR news items, William Perlberg was originally scheduled to produce this picture, for which Corinne Calvet was borrowed from Hal Wallis' company. HR news items also note that production on the picture was intermittently halted to allow the principals time to rehearse dance numbers, and that background footage was shot on location in the French Riviera. According to information in the MPAA/PCA Collection at the AMPAS Library, the PCA rejected a 28 Apr 1950 draft of the film's screenplay because "the last part of the story...seems to be based in large measure on the suspicion of illicit relationships between the various characters." A later screenplay was approved, however.
       According to studio publicity, On the Riviera marked the first English-speaking role of noted French actor Jean Murat, as well as the film debuts of model Mari Blanchard and socialite Franchesca de Scaffa. Dancer Gwen Verdon, who was known as Gwyneth early in her career, also made her film debut in On the Riviera. Although a HR news item stated that Danny Kaye's longtime accompanist, Stanley Praeger, was to appear in the picture, his appearance in the finished film has not been confirmed. The song "Popo the Puppet," written by Kaye's wife and frequent collaborator, Sylvia Fine, became one of Kaye's most popular songs. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction (Color) and Best Music (Scoring of a Musical Picture).
       Twentieth Century-Fox produced three earlier films based on the play by Rudolph Lothar and Hans Adler: a 1935 version, entitled Folies Bergère de Paris, which was directed by Roy Del Ruth and starred Maurice Chevalier and Merle Oberon; Del Ruth also directed the 1935 French-language version, entitled L'homme des Folies Bergère, which starred Chevalier and Natalie Paley (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40); and a 1941 version, That Night in Rio, which was directed by Irving Cummings and starred Alice Faye and Don Ameche.

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
LOCATION
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
28 Apr 1951
---
Daily Variety
20 Apr 1951
pp. 3-4
Film Daily
20 Apr 1951
p. 6
Hollywood Reporter
27 Feb 1950
p. 2
Hollywood Reporter
26 Jun 1950
p. 1
Hollywood Reporter
10 Jul 1950
p. 1
Hollywood Reporter
18 Sep 1950
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
21 Sep 1950
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
23 Oct 1950
p. 8
Hollywood Reporter
7 Nov 1950
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
30 Nov 1950
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
5 Dec 1950
p. 8
Hollywood Reporter
6 Dec 1950
p. 2
Hollywood Reporter
14 Dec 1950
p. 7
Hollywood Reporter
14 Feb 1951
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
20 Apr 1951
p. 3, 7
Hollywood Reporter
9 May 1951
p. 8
Hollywood Reporter
24 May 1951
p. 1
Motion Picture Daily
20 Apr 1951
---
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
28 Apr 1951
p. 818
New York Times
24 May 1951
p. 47
Variety
25 Apr 1951
p. 6
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
PRODUCER
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
ART DIRECTORS
Art dir
Art dir
Mus settings
FILM EDITOR
SET DECORATORS
Set dec
Set dec
COSTUMES
Ward dir
Cost des
Cost for Miss Tierney des by
MUSIC
Mus dir
Vocal dir
Earle Hagen
Orch
VISUAL EFFECTS
Spec photog eff
DANCE
Dances staged by
MAKEUP
Makeup artist
COLOR PERSONNEL
Technicolor col consultant
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the play The Red Cat by Rudolph Lothar and Hans Adler (New York, 19 Sep 1934).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHORS
SONGS
"On the Riviera," "Rhythm of a New Romance," "Popo the Puppet" and "Happy Ending," music and lyrics by Sylvia Fine; "Ballin' the Jack," music by Chris Smith, lyrics by Jim Burris; "Ballin' Le Jaques," music by Chris Smith, lyrics by Andre Touffel.
SONGWRITERS/COMPOSERS
+ −
SONGWRITERS/COMPOSERS
+ −
DETAILS
Release Date:
May 1951
Premiere Information:
New York opening: 23 May 1951; Los Angeles opening: 25 May 1951
Production Date:
18 Sep--mid Dec 1950; addl seq late Feb 1951
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
22 May 1951
LP937
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Recording
Color
Technicolor
Duration(in mins):
89-90
Country:
United States
Language:
English
PCA No:
14863
SYNOPSIS

American entertainer Jack Martin and his French girl friend Colette are performing in the Cote d'Azure nightclub on the Riviera when the audience rushes out to watch a television broadcast of the landing of famed aviator Capitaine Henri Duran. Duran, who is also well known for his romantic escapades, is greeted by his lovely and patient wife Lilli, and his two partners, Philippe Labrix and Louis Forel. Jack is stunned by his uncanny resemblance to Duran, and soon after, when nightclub owner Capeaux threatens to fire him unless he comes up with a sensational new act, Jack decides to perform an impersonation of Duran. Lilli, Duran, Philippe and Louis attend the opening of Jack's new act, and Duran is entertained by Jack's portrayal of him as a world-renowned woman chaser. When he goes backstage to congratulate Jack, Duran meets Colette, and, charmed by her beauty, invites her to an upcoming reception at his house. Meanwhile, Jack goes to the bar, where he meets Lilli and Louis. Lilli is amused as Jack flirts with her, and after she leaves, Colette throws her purse at the infatuated Jack. Later, Philippe and Louis see Lilli chatting with Felix Periton, Duran's chief rival and the proposed buyer of fifty of his new planes. Periton, who is aware that Duran is having financial difficulties, is delaying signing the contract for the planes in order to force Duran into bankruptcy. Unaware of her husband's problems, Lilli invites Periton to the reception, which is to be held that evening. Louis and Philippe are horrified by the situation, especially when they discover that Duran has left for London ...

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American entertainer Jack Martin and his French girl friend Colette are performing in the Cote d'Azure nightclub on the Riviera when the audience rushes out to watch a television broadcast of the landing of famed aviator Capitaine Henri Duran. Duran, who is also well known for his romantic escapades, is greeted by his lovely and patient wife Lilli, and his two partners, Philippe Labrix and Louis Forel. Jack is stunned by his uncanny resemblance to Duran, and soon after, when nightclub owner Capeaux threatens to fire him unless he comes up with a sensational new act, Jack decides to perform an impersonation of Duran. Lilli, Duran, Philippe and Louis attend the opening of Jack's new act, and Duran is entertained by Jack's portrayal of him as a world-renowned woman chaser. When he goes backstage to congratulate Jack, Duran meets Colette, and, charmed by her beauty, invites her to an upcoming reception at his house. Meanwhile, Jack goes to the bar, where he meets Lilli and Louis. Lilli is amused as Jack flirts with her, and after she leaves, Colette throws her purse at the infatuated Jack. Later, Philippe and Louis see Lilli chatting with Felix Periton, Duran's chief rival and the proposed buyer of fifty of his new planes. Periton, who is aware that Duran is having financial difficulties, is delaying signing the contract for the planes in order to force Duran into bankruptcy. Unaware of her husband's problems, Lilli invites Periton to the reception, which is to be held that evening. Louis and Philippe are horrified by the situation, especially when they discover that Duran has left for London to ask a friend for a loan. Desperate to hide Duran's absence from Periton, Louis and Philippe hire Jack to impersonate the aviator at the reception. Jack agrees, although he insists that Lilli not be told of the impersonation so that he will not develop stage fright. Without Jack's knowledge, Louis and Philippe do tell Lilli about the charade, and she is so amused that she plays along. Periton tries to involve Jack in a business talk, but Louis and Philippe rescue him by lying that he has received an urgent call from the Air Ministry. Meanwhile, Colette, furious that Jack is missing, decides to attend Duran's reception in order to make Jack jealous. Upon her arrival, however, Colette sees the nearsighted Jack's glasses in his tuxedo pocket and realizes that he is not Duran. Colette then reveals that Capeaux has arranged for their performance that evening to be broadcast on television, and Jack eagerly makes his excuses to Lilli and promises to return shortly. As Jack is leaving, however, Duran returns home and sees him. Duran deduces that Jack has been impersonating him at the reception and watches Jack's television performance with a nervous Louis and Philippe. Despite Colette's warning that she will end their relationship if he returns to Lilli, Jack rushes back to the Duran home. There, he is ambushed by Periton, who insists on learning the details of his conversation with the Air Ministry. Duran and his partners anxiously await the results of Periton and Jack's "negotiations," but Periton leaves without revealing the details. Duran, worried that Lilli is enamoured of Jack, does not tell her that he has switched places with his double. Unknown to Duran, Lilli was aware of his subterfuge, and the next morning, when Duran tells Louis and Philippe that he spent a romantic night with his wife when she thought he was Jack, Louis and Philippe assure Duran that Lilli was only trying to teach him a lesson. Their debate is interrupted by the arrival of Periton, who pays Duran thirty billion francs for his planes. Although he is thrilled by Jack's accidental business success, Duran concocts an elaborate lie to convince Lilli that she spent the night with Jack. Lilli is mortified by the thought that she inadvertantly betrayed her husband, but when Jack stops by the Duran home to retrieve his clothes, she learns the truth. Lilli asks Jack to make Duran jealous, but Jack instead tells Duran that he should end his womanizing and pay more attention to Lilli, who is devoted to him. Duran takes Jack's advice, and later, goes with Lilli to the nightclub to watch Jack perform. Duran has also persuaded Colette to reunite with Jack, and she blows a kiss to Jack as he sings.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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