Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Mehdi Hoffman There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Ortiz Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

drednm When the saucy lyrics of the title song are dumbed down ("four letters words" becomes "three letter words"), Reno Sweeney isn't even a character in the story, and additional (and lousy) songs are added in place of Cole Porter's music, what in hell was the point to this mess? Crosby and O'Connor are starring in a new show and each hires a leading lady (Gaynor and Jeanmaire). The cute "twist" is that each guys falls for the other's lady. It takes places on an ocean liner, but that's about all that's kept from the original Broadway show.There's a lame subplot about a tax-evading daddy (Phil Harris) and other cast members gets credit but nothing to do (Richard Erdman, Dorothy Neumann, Kurt Kaznar) and other familiar faces can be spotted (Nancy Kulp, Ruta Lee, Bess Flowers, Marcel Dalio).In its own terms, Crosby, O'Connor, and Gaynor are all fine but nothing really works. The storyline is a mess and Zizi Jeanmaire is a cold fish disaster, dancing some ballet stuff and faking the rest of the dances badly. She appeared in a handful of films and Broadway shows to no great success.Stick with Merman and the original film version.

dailyshampoo48 I really enjoyed this movie. Typically, I hate remakes, but this one isn't so bad. Was Bing Crosby a better actor in the 30's and 40's? You bet your boots. Then again, I've never liked him in anything he's done, ever, and at least in 'Anything Goes' he doesn't try to act, and sticks to the crooning instead.Also, I love Donald O'Connor, and he is at the top of his form here. I didn't know who Mitzi Gaynor was, but now that I do, I really like her. She's a good dancer with a pleasant screen persona. Jeanmaire is okay. I liked her wardrobe.The art direction is good (I especially like the number where Donald and Bing sing the same song from two adjoining rooms) and the film hasn't been 'overproduced', as was the somewhat comparable 'White Christmas'. I hate it when musicals take themselves too seriously! The story is silly, but worrying about that sh*t is missing the point entirely.Don't believe these over-critical snobs. They're missing out, and they don't even know it.

aimless-46 It's easy to understand why they took their time getting around to releasing a DVD of this one. As can be seen from other comments, the 1956 film version of "Anything Goes" will generally disappoint those who love the stage version. Other than some of Cole Porter's songs and a setting on a cruise ship there is no similarity between the two productions. The very entertaining (and still frequently performed) Cole Porter musical has been transformed into a pretty lame film, and three songs by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn have been inexplicably added to the production. Even worse is the loss of most of P.G. Wodehouse's clever script, which was rewritten by a Hollywood hack into this dumbed-down version. This doesn't make "Anything Goes" unwatchable. The choreography is mostly first rate. Most of the musical numbers are entertaining and several are excellent. The performances are typical of each cast members career work (both good and bad) and the film has some interesting Hollywood cinema history aspects. You know almost immediately that this will not be a rousing bit of entertainment, instead of a high-energy opening number the film begins with a back stage party scene that is about as lively as an abandoned railroad track. Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor play Broadway co-stars who go to Europe to recruit a leading lady for their upcoming show. Each brings their discovery aboard a cruise ship for a transatlantic voyage. Mitzi Gaynor and Zizi Jeanmaire play the girls. Since there is only one role the remainder of the film is about determining which one will be featured and keeping it secret that both were already promised the role. There are two romances, with the two actors falling for each other's girl during the ocean crossing. Suspense and comedy are in short supply. Gaynor manages a pretty good performance; she gets one very hot feature number (the title song-although Porter's original four letter word lyrics are toned down) and duets with O'Connor in the film's best number "It's De-lovely". O'Connor is also featured in a very original dance routine with children and a lot of bouncing balls. In this he dances to Van Heusen's "Bounce Right Back," not much of a song but a good excuse for using him in another unique routine. Jeanmaire was a French ballet star ("Carmen") who briefly tried her stuff in mid-50's Hollywood. She was a Leslie Caron clone complete with the same hairstyle. Her two solo numbers "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "Dream Ballet" are surprisingly good, at least the dancing portions. Bing Crosby of course is well known to old movie buffs but others will be somewhat puzzled by his popularity. Nothing he does in "Anything Goes" sheds light on this question. He was a "popular" extremely bland singer and a horrible actor with some comic ability. In "Anything Goes" even his comedy stuff is pretty awful. Paired with Bing, O'Connor has about the same chance for success as someone trying to sneak through a balloon shop wearing a porcupine overcoat. The Technicolor and VistaVision completely overpower the cheap production design as well as Sidney Sheldon's (the hack writer mentioned above) weak adaptation. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Cara I had never seen the movie before I went out and bought it the other day. It was an impulse thing I know. But there are very few musicals that I've seen and not liked. Also I have yet to see a movie with Donald O'Connor in it and not love it and him even more than I already do. It was my first Bing Crosby film and though I thought he was okay in it I have to say the only reason for me has to be Donald. I love his dance and song solo number of bounce right back. It makes me smile and laugh each time I see it. It's a cute movie and puts you in a good mood each time you watch it. SO I'd get it a 10. It's one of Donald's best. It's a must see.