(1946)
2.5
Craig Butler
Clearly inspired by earlier folksy musicals like Meet Me in St. Louis and State Fair, Centennial Summer is an amiable enough musical that lacks the spark that animated Fair and especially St. Louis. The plot of Centennial is wafer thin, but so are those of many better musicals. The quality of the songs isn't to blame; even slightly lesser Jerome Kern is superior to almost any other composer's better work, and there are no complaints about lyricists like Oscar Hammerstein and E.Y. Harburg, either. Yet, while the individual songs (especially "All Through the Day" and "In Love in Vain") are excellent, it doesn't quite add up to a real score. The songs aren't as essential and integral a part of the film as they need to be. The cast is slightly problematic as well, for if Jeanne Crain and Linda Darnell look beautiful, neither gives a very compelling performance (or seems particularly at home in a musical, despite the dubbing). Much better are Constance Bennett and Dorothy Gish; Avon Long does light up the screen with true musical talent, albeit all too briefly and in a number that may make modern audiences uncomfortable. Otto Preminger has directed professionally but dispassionately and with a somewhat too heavy hand. The film, however, does a have a lovely look to it. Problematic and far from a classic, Centennial still has its assets and will definitely appeal to those who like their nostalgia straight up.
Centennial Summer on AllMovie
Centennial Summer (1946)
