“Too Many Girls” is not the best of Rodgers & Hart’s musical comedies, but is most well known for the first film pairing of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, years before their hit television show “I Love Lucy.” The story has Ball playing a young woman going to college in New Mexico, with her wealthy father employing four body guards/football players to protect her. The zany comedy proceeds from there, with passable direction by George Abbott (“The Cheat” 1931) and acceptable writing by John Twist, based on a 1939 stage musical from Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyrics).
Lucille Ball does her usual capable acting job in these “B” movies. The supporting cast includes Harry Shannon as her father, and, as the discreet body guards, Richard Carlson, Eddie Bracken, Desi Arnaz, and Hal Le Roy. Other cast members include Ann Miller, Frances Langford, Chester Clute, Douglas Walton, and Ivy Scott. There were uncredited appearances by Chief John Big Tree, Pamela Blake, Iron Eyes Cody, Peggy Drake, Van Johnson, Jay Silverheels, Grady Sutton, Dorothy Vernon, Dan White, and Harry James as the orchestra leader.
“Too Many Girls” had limited box office success for producer George Abbott and RKO Radio Pictures. Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball eloped immediately after the picture’s release in 1940 and remained married until their very public divorce in 1960.
Too Many Girls (1940)
cinema
My Review
“Too Many Girls” is not the best of Rodgers & Hart’s musical comedies, but is most well known for the first film pairing of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, years before their hit television show “I Love Lucy.” The story has Ball playing a young woman going to college in New Mexico, with her wealthy father employing four body guards/football players to protect her. The zany comedy proceeds from there, with passable direction by George Abbott (“The Cheat” 1931) and acceptable writing by John Twist, based on a 1939 stage musical from Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyrics).
Lucille Ball does her usual capable acting job in these “B” movies. The supporting cast includes Harry Shannon as her father, and, as the discreet body guards, Richard Carlson, Eddie Bracken, Desi Arnaz, and Hal Le Roy. Other cast members include Ann Miller, Frances Langford, Chester Clute, Douglas Walton, and Ivy Scott. There were uncredited appearances by Chief John Big Tree, Pamela Blake, Iron Eyes Cody, Peggy Drake, Van Johnson, Jay Silverheels, Grady Sutton, Dorothy Vernon, Dan White, and Harry James as the orchestra leader.
“Too Many Girls” had limited box office success for producer George Abbott and RKO Radio Pictures. Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball eloped immediately after the picture’s release in 1940 and remained married until their very public divorce in 1960.