(1952)
2.5
Craig Butler
A minor musical, April in Paris' assets are offset by several debits, but the most damaging is the casting of its leads. Both Doris Day and Ray Bolger are accomplished performers, but the mixture of the two is oil-and-water. The lack of chemistry is troublesome, but what's worse is that the pairing is simply unbelievable -- the viewer can't root for them to get together because it seems entirely unnatural. April would have been much better served had either star been replaced. As written, it seems that replacing Day -- who is supposed to be a brassy broad with no couth -- with someone like Betty Hutton would have made more sense, but keeping Day and pairing her with a Donald O'Connor would have worked just as well. Even with more compatible leads, however,Aprilwould still have problems. The script is not as sharp and witty as it needs to be, the plot is tired, some of Sammy Cahn's lyrics are off-kilter (although set to some attractive Vernon Duke tunes), and Claude Dauphin is not sufficiently charming. Still, there are some fine musical moments, such as Bolger's dance with "himself" as Washington and Lincoln, and a lovely rendition of the title song by Day. April in Paris is diverting and pleasant, but ultimately not very memorable.
cast-crew for April in Paris on AllMovie
April in Paris (1952)
