The Kid From Brooklyn (1946)

A mild mannered milkman (Danny Kaye) is mistakenly thought to have knocked out the middleweight champion (Steve Cochran) in a street fight. On the basis of that error, a boxing promoter (Walter Abel) builds him up as the next champion by paying off his opponents to lose while planning to bet against him when he matches up with the middleweight champion in the ring. Harold Lloyd had previously filmed this as THE MILKY WAY in 1936. This time around we get eye popping Technicolor, songs by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, dancing and costumes by Jean Louis. One's enjoyment of all this might hinge on how Danny Kaye appeals to you. I'm a big fan myself though his vanity number Pavlova shows why he's a turn off to some. It's one thing for us to appreciate his talent, quite another for him to show off. But there are enough genuine laughs to make for a congenial diversion. Directed by Norman Z. McLeod TOPPER. With Virginia Mayo (whose peaches and cream complexion was made for Technicolor), Vera-Ellen (who has two dance numbers), Eve Arden letting loose with the wise cracks ("If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have minded"), Lionel Stander and Fay Bainter.