Customer Reviews

One Touch of Venus

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 1948 comedy was adapted from a Broadway musical that starred Mary Martin and featured a score by Kurt Weill. Sadly, the music, except for three songs, has been cut from the movie.

The film, directed by William A. Seiter, is reminiscent of TOPPER, HERE COMES MR. JORDAN and other like fantasy-comedies that were popular with movie audiences during the 1930s and 40s.

[During the 1960s, TV shows like BEWITCHED and I DREAM OF JEANNIE filled this void.]

Robert Walker stars as a shy window dresser for a big department store, who impulsively kisses the store's invaluable statue of the Greek goddess, Venus. A moment later, the statue, played by Ava Gardner, has come to life and Walker faints on the spot.

Upon awakening, poor Robert discovers that he's in very big trouble. He's being pursued by the cops for stealing the statute and, if that isn't bad enough, it appears that Venus won't return to her pedestal because she has fallen in love with him. Even worse, his jealous girl friend (Olga San Juan) is convinced that he's been unfaithful.

Dick Haymes, Eve Arden and Tom Conway co-star in what is still a clever, if somewhat silly, romp that should entertain the entire family.

© Michael B. Druxman

ONE TOUCH OF VENUS is a musical comedy/fantasy about a window dresser named Eddie who kisses a statue of the goddess that then comes to life in the exquisite form of Ava Gardner. Venus falls in love with him; matters are further complicated when Eddie's boss is smitten by her loveliness.


The 1951 version of SHOW BOAT is another stage-to-screen musical that features Miss Gardner.


Parenthetical number prior to title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film research website.

(6.5) One Touch of Venus (1948) - Robert Walker/Ava Gardner/Dick Haymes/Eve Arden/Olga San Juan/Tom Conway (uncredited: Arthur O'Connell)

"ONE TOUCH" TRIVIA--

Mary Martin was Venus on Broadway. Elia Kazan directed this S.J. Perelman play.

Mary Pickford bought the screen rights, intending to bring the original cast to the screen. Later plans included Miss Martin, Frank Sinatra, Clifton Webb and Bert Lahr, but when Mary became pregnant, Pickford sold the rights to UNIVERSAL and the movie was entirely recast. Plans to shoot in Technicolor were also abandoned.

The Venus statue of Ava Gardner originally depicted her in the nude; the studio demanded (and got) a more modest version.

I think I was about 15 when I saw this on TV and for the past 40 years wanted to see it again. It was quirky, but I was so glad to be able to see it. There are several movies that I hope are brought back, just because they were enjoyable.

I first saw this movie when it came out when I was a young guy in college. My buddies and I were mesmerised by Ava Gardner then, and now as old geezers. She was certainly the film goddess in those days and her magic prevails (for me) to this day. So this film is a great trip down memory lane. It's a classy film and may not appeal to the tastes of the current generation of young people. This DVD preserves the quality of the original film, and I'm glad to add it to my collection.

I first saw this film in the 1950s on WOR's "Million Dollar Movie" broadcast from New York City. As a boy I found it whimsical and intriguing; the Pygmalion theme, and the Olympian element (what with Jupiter turning the clock back five minutes, and those great black and white thunderbolts) gave it a wonderful fantasy feeling very much in keeping with some of the "angel movies" of the 1940s. Think Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson in "A Guy Named Joe" and David Niven in "A Matter of Life and Death" aka "Stairway to Heaven." That much of the action took place in a department store, which was like a pleasure palace because the store owner had a penthouse on the top floor, was just strange enough that it created some indelible (but fragmented) "film clip" memories for me. So when I tumbled to the fact that I could see this film on DVD 50 years later, there was no way I wasn't going to order it on Netflix immediately and see how much childhood memory matched "old man" reality.

I can't say I was disappointed. Despite a fair amount of jejune slapstick that made me think, initially, "Oh No!" the magic is still there. Ava Gardner is absolutely ravishing as Venus, and brings an impishness to the goddess that stands the test of time wonderfully. As a boy I never appreciated the music, but "Speak Low" is fabulous. And while I wondered where the film was going plot-wise, the sweet-bitter-sweet ending (where even a goddess doesn't get what she wants, or does she?) was enormously satisfying. THAT payoff made me remember why I enjoyed the movie so much, and still had such a warm memory of it.

The movie is also a marvelous time capsule. The sets, the clothes, the manners and morals of the time, offer a look into a vanished America where everyone wore suits in the big city, and landladies checked to make sure their male boarders didn't have "a girl in the room."

Not a five star film, but a must-see anyway. Highly recommended.

Saw this movie when I was a teenager and loved it. Now some 25 years later I wanted to see it again. Bought it and enjoyed it all over again. Old movies are the best!

Classic Ava Gardner! Also features baby-faced Robert Walker, Eve Arden, and the golden pipes of crooner Dick Haymes. The song, "Speak Low When You Speak Love" floats throughout this movie like a delightful siren's song. Gardner is the goddess Venus returned to Earth from the Olympian realm for a brief frolic. Poor, befuddled Walker plays her foil. Eventually, Venus tires of Earthly mortals as could be expected. The movie's end is a classic twist, which I won't reveal. Loved every minute of it!

This was one of my old time favorites. The casting and acting were just right. Ava Gardner was at her magnificent best. All she had to do was stand there. I particularly liked Eve Arden. This was just before Miss Brooks. When I watch this film I sit with a smile on my face and remember the first time I saw it.

For a movie made almost 70 years ago, it was very entertaining. I remembered seeing it when it was already a rerun and I was very young and I fell in love with the theme song "Speak Low". I've never forgotten it and wanted to see it again. I was really happy that Amazon carried it. Ava Gardner was gorgeous and no leading man could match her unfortunately.

The DVD transfer is good and the detail is there.

This comedy should keep you interested. It flows along with a little madcap confusion over a stature that comes to life (Ava Gardner) and falls for a store clerk (Robert Walker). Walker is excellent as the bemused and bewildered clerk who has a fiance and a new girlfriend. Ava Gardner, as Venus, is gorgeous in her gowns and quite sexy too. Toss in the wise-cracking Eve Arden and 40's crooner Dick Haymes and you've got a very good comedy.

Recommended for: Fans of Ava Gardner (you'll love this film), comedy fans, Robert Walker fans. OK for the kids but the youngest ones will get bored.