Musical Monday: Nob Hill (1945)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
Nob Hill (1945) – Musical #854

Studio:
20th Century Fox

Director:
Henry Hathaway

Starring:
George Raft, Joan Bennett, Vivian Blaine, Peggy Ann Garner, Alan Reed, Edgar Barrier, B.S. Pully,
Emil Coleman, Mike Mazurki, Rory Calhoun (uncredited), Benson Fong (uncredited), Jean Wong (uncredited)

Plot:
At the turn of the century, Katie Flanagan (Garner) travels from Ireland to San Francisco to live with her uncle. When she arrives at the Gold Coast, the nightclub where he worked, she learns he has died. The club’s proprietor, Tony Angelo (Raft), and star performer, Sally Templeton (Blaine), take Katie under their wing and care for her. Katie also introduces Tony to Nob Hill society heiress, Harriet Carruthers (Bennett), who she met on the ship coming to the United States. Harriett falls for Tony and also convinces him to help back her brother who is running for political office. Tony’s relationship with Harriett and her brother puts him at odds with Sally and peers at the nightclub.

Trivia:
• George Raft’s first color feature film, according to Raft’s biography
• Rory Calhoun has a brief, uncredited walk-on role as a boxer.
• Benson Fong both appears in the film and also assisted with Chinese translation in the film.
• Actors Brian Donlevy, Michael O’Shea, James Cagney and Fred MacMurray were all considered for the role of Tony.
• Third and final film George Raft starred in directed by Henry Hathaway

Highlights:
• Vivian Blaine
• Technicolor cinematography
• Cat fight between Joan Bennett and Vivian Blaine

Notable Songs:
• “I Don’t Care Who Knows It” performed by Vivian Blaine
• “I Walked Right in With My Eyes Wide Open” performed by Vivian Blaine
• “San Francisco, the Paris of the USA” performed by Vivian Blaine
• “What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?” performed by Vivian Blaine

My review:
When it comes to movie musicals, those produced at 20th Century Fox are underrated. That’s largely because they can be more difficult to access in the age of streaming and the limited amount that were released on DVD. I’m still waiting on Vol. 2 of the Betty Grable Collection from 2006, by the way.

One of 20th Century Fox’s stars is equally underrated: Lovely Vivian Blaine. With her vibrant red hair and lush, deep singing voice, Blaine was a brief bright spot at the studio in seven films from 1942 to 1945 at Fox. Though her total film and TV career spanned 42 credits from 1942 to 1985, Blaine was at her prime during her time at Fox.

One of the films she starred in was NOB HILL (1945), an interesting musical starring George Raft, Blaine, Peggy Ann Garner and Joan Bennett.

Set in San Francisco at the turn of the century, the plot centers around a little girl, Katie, played by Peggy Ann Garner. Katie travels from Ireland to the United States to live with her uncle. When she arrives at the Gold Coast, the nightclub where he worked, she learns he has died. The club’s proprietor, Tony Angelo (Raft), and star performer, Sally Templeton (Blaine), take Katie under their wing and care for her. Katie also introduces Tony to Nob Hill society heiress, Harriet Carruthers (Bennett), who she met on the ship coming to the United States. Harriett falls for Tony and also convinces him to help back her brother who is running for political office. Tony’s relationship with Harriett and her brother puts him at odds with Sally and peers at the nightclub.

Now don’t get too excited. George Raft sadly does not sing or dance in this film, nor does Peggy Ann Garner or Joan Bennett. But we get plenty of wonderful songs performed by Blaine. It is a shame Raft doesn’t dance, since he did in films earlier in his career.

Peggy Ann Garner is a favorite child star of mine, and she is lovely and sweet in this. Raft does especially endearing here playing the tough guy with a heart of gold. While several excellent actors were considered for the lead, such as Brian Donlevy, Michael O’Shea, James Cagney and Fred MacMurray, Raft is interesting in this type of role.

As I mentioned, I love Vivan Blaine, and it’s a treat to see her in NOB HILL, filmed in Technicolor with her vibrant red hair.

Joan Bennett’s role feels like it could have been more developed. Her character is largely the wealthy woman who serves the purpose of causing romantic complications between the characters played by Raft and Blaine.

As far as the plot, the story around Peggy Ann Garner’s character, Katie, arriving in San Francisco as an orphan and being cared for by unlikely characters is sweet. The film does lose me a bit when they pull in the backing of a political opponent and how it’s Tony’s downfall. I think the plot would have been just fine if it focused on Tony figuring out how to raise Katie and crossing paths with wealthy Harriett.

As for the musical aspect of the film, there are several wonderful songs performed by Vivian Blaine. There’s also an interesting number with dancers jumping and diving across the screen. It’s wild.

The movie gets a little near the end, but overall is a good, colorful time.

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