Anything Goes (2021)

On an ocean liner sailing from New York to London, a young stockbroker (Samuel Edwards) stowaways so that he can pursue his romance with a young heiress (Nicole Lily Baisden) even though she's engaged to another man (Haydn Oakley). Also on board are a nightclub evangelist (Sutton Foster) and a wanted gangster (Robert Lindsay). Based on the Tony award winning  2011 revival of the Cole Porter musical and directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. This is a filmed production of a live performance of the London 2021 revival. I've never been fond of the book of the Cole Porter musical, neither the original 1934 production or the 1987 rewritten book which is the one performed here. It's all rather silly and its "charms" escape me but I suppose the nostalgists get a kick out of it. But really, the book is just filler for those marvelous Cole Porter ditties including I Get A Kick Out Of You, You're The Top, Blow Gabriel Blow, Friendship, Easy To Love, It's De-Lovely and, of course, the title song. Kathleen Marshall's lively choreography is another plus. Since it's literally a filmed play, the acting is broad and it takes awhile to get used to. With Felicity Kendal, Gary Wilmot and Carly Mercedes Dyer.