As Good As It Gets

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Having always found Betty Hutton a tad manic in lieu of talented I've just watched two of her movies that caused me to revise my opinion, first off, Here Come The Waves, in which she pulled off a dual role as twins and then Incendiary Blonde, an alleged bio-pic of Texas Guinan that fits where it touches. Hutton was a natural and probably the only choice to portray the larger-than-life personality but it's as if once the producers realized Hutton was made for the role they threw out the facts of Guinan's life, gave Hutton her head and stood back to count the take so that instead of the three times married real Guinan we get Hutton as a one-woman man who waits nun-like for her true love to claim her - which he never does. In 1945 no one was going to let out a squawk about facts as long as the leading lady delivered which she did in spades. Recommended.

I wasn't really expecting much out of this film, but I watched it because I think Betty Hutton (and all that happened to her in later life) was quite interesting, and I always enjoy seeing Charles Ruggles. After a slow start, I was quite pleasantly surprised. It's a pretty good movie.Technically, the Technicolor is beautiful, if in some places a bit gaudy.The basically true story is of an early performer named "Texas" Guinan, who started her life as an entertainer in a wild west show, moved on to national vaudeville, and was an influential entertainer during Prohibition. The film seems somewhat realistic in portraying her story, which is intriguing.Whether or not you enjoy the film will probably depend on how you feel about the cast. Boisterous Betty Hutton as Texas Guinan is fine...a role seemingly made for her! She was a decent singer and had real pizazz. Arturo de Cordova is another matter; he plays the love interest. I've probably seen him in other films, but he's pretty forgettable as a leading man; his American career was rather short (and I can see why), after which he returned to Mexican films. Charles Ruggles is as "fun" as ever, although you'll hardly recognize him early in the film as a Buffalo Bill type character, and his importance in the film fades as it progresses. And then there's a character actor I truly dislike -- Barry Fitzgerald -- as Texas' father.I'm glad to have watched it. It was interesting. I have no desire to watch it again, mostly because of the presence of de Cordova and Fitzgerald.

Absolutely fabulous Betty Hutton vehicle where she portrays the life of Texas Guinan, rodeo queen, actress, Broadway starlet and nightclub entertainer, whose personal life was such a heartbreak. This is definitely one of Hutton's better films and finer performances. It was as if the part were written for her.She had wonderful support from Arturo de Cordova, a business person falling in with gangsters and who had horrible tragedies with the loves of his life.Barry Fitzgerald provides some comic relief as her spud investing father who found himself on Broadway instead.The singing and dancing routines are marvelously staged, but it's Miss Hutton's vehicle all the way. What stamina and true grit she gave to the part.The picture begins in an interesting way, not often tackled that way by Hollywood. Of course, it works its way back to depict her tragic, but exciting life.

As splashy entertainment goes, this one is very splashy indeed, wrapped up in an abundance of Technicolor and show biz with costumes and sets that stamp it as a big-budget extravaganza centering on BETTY HUTTON.While she creates a colorful portrait of Texas Guinan, none of the other characters really stand out, not even BARRY FITZGERALD who is short changed by playing a dim supporting role as her "so Irish" father. ARTURO de CORDOVA is decent enough as the man she falls head over heels in love with, but again, his role is strictly second tier while Hutton has the spotlight. Her musical numbers are all performed with skill and given the full Hutton personality which suits the Texas Guinan character completely.For Betty Hutton fans, this is certainly one of her better films at Paramount, where she demonstrated a talent for playing wacky dames with a zest for life. She's zestier than ever here, in a colorful role that is a forerunner of things to come--mainly, her Annie in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. She even has some tearfully dramatic moments when the script tries to dig deeper into her personal loves and fears. She handles the varied situations well under George Marshall's direction.But when it's all over, it's a bit of a disappointment that leads to a downbeat ending.