The Doris Day Forum

What do you think of "Romance on the High Seas"? - Doris Day' first film - released in the UK as "It's Magic".

Refresh your memory and listen to film music here:

http://www.dorisday.net/romance_on_the_high_seas.html

This has been one of my favorite movies. I never get tired of watching it. Doris was so good in her first movie role. One of my favorite songs came from this movie--It's Magic. This is an excellent movie with a great cast.

I love this film, the plot, co-stars, especially S Zakall (spelling!), the music, even Doris, her hair and clothes (that she didn't like)! Love the thought of Doris (as she told the 1987 convention) of her arriving on the set thinking she was going aboard a ship on a real cruise! I also rate Georgia Garrett as one of the nicest (and fun) characters Doris ever played, you really get the feel Georgia would never judge, she couldn't!!

This is one of my most favorite musical films of Doris. I love her expresions, her timing, her wardrobe... What a film to start your career.

Peter

I love it too! Great songs and a great start for a fantastic career. It's the film that brought Doris into our neighborhood theatres ... and into our hearts! How could I not love it?

A spectacular debut performance from Doris. This film is a delight from start to finish and it's a textbook example of how captivating she is on screen. Of course her soaring version of "It's Magic" alone makes the film worthwhile. I also like how relaxed and comfortable she is. There's not an ounce of "acting" going on: she just channels the character. You can't teach what Doris does on film. It's beyond the actor's studio.

I missed this film last year, but I finally got to see it Thanksgiving Day.

She was so young, it was like I seeing a different Doris. My favorite part is when she sang "It's Magic".

My sister watched it with me the second time, and she couldn't get over Doris' singing. She was used to seeing Doris in movies from the 60's where she only sang one or two songs.

I wish that they would show that movie over here I have never seen it and I really wanted too.

I really want this movie on DVD. What a sparkling debut and it's one of those breezy romantic musicals that makes you smile from start to finish. It's like a tonic for what ails you.

And I am the only person who howls everytime Doris utters that wonderful line at the travel agency: "but never as a blonde"?

jmichael wrote:I really want this movie on DVD. What a sparkling debut and it's one of those breezy romantic musicals that makes you smile from start to finish. It's like a tonic for what ails you.

And I am the only person who howls everytime Doris utters that wonderful line at the travel agency: "but never as a blonde"?

I am SO glad that ROTHS is going to be in the new boxset. It's such a great film... a tonic is the perfect way to refer to it. And., no you aren't the only one who howls at that line... or her delivery! You have excellent taste!

Yes, Lauren, that is such a great intro, "Greetings, chum!" And when she walks past the other employee and gives out a really bright, "Hi!" (And one that never ceases to crack me up, "Aw, the canal's for schmoes!")

I like it when Oscar comes on the ship and tells her he spent all her pay.. She calls him a "Chooch". I never heard that word before.

Just got my DVD copy of Romance On The High Seas and am taking a sweet voyage back to when Doris light up the screen with her first movie. Busby Berkeley guided the musical numbers and Jules Styne and Sammy Cahn created the tunes. It's Magic, to be sure!!!! A magic that will never end. Doris is a light that will never burn out!!

I would like to poll the film but I havent seen it yet, but I will be getting it soon

I especially love Doris singing 'It's You or No One' - [in2 very distinct styles] in this film - with the Paige Canavan Trio- it is a very good song and could easily have got the oscar nomination too [with It's Magic].

Here's a review of ROTHS from Mike Clark in the USA Today. He loves Doris and has always been complimentary about her work.

Romance on the High Seas* * * (out of four)
1948, Warner, unrated, $20

"Doris Day, who should have gotten a special Oscar two decades ago, blasted star power in her very first movie. It helps when a consistently sparkling score includes It's Magic, one of the greatest pop standards written for the screen.

Back story: Duplicating the visual majesty of a laser disc famed for its Technicolor hues, this mistaken-identity shipboard froth turned the fourth-billed Day into the film's centerpiece. Fun co-stars include Jack Carson as a detective, Oscar Levant as Day's piano man and the Page Cavanaugh Trio. Directed by Warner's then-premier director Michael Curtiz, it also is available in a new six-title box ($60) that includes her Curtiz follow-up, My Dream Is Yours, which Martin Scorsese has acknowledged as a major influence on 1977's New York, New York."

I just received my copy of the DVD in the mail today. Guess what I'm doing tonight?

Best regards to all,
Michael

I absolutely love this movie ! And I can't agree more - it is amazing that she was so good in her first movie !! She was a natural - there's no other explanation. Michael Curtiz certainly saw a new star in her and he was so right ! I can't wait to get the anthology too. I have these on VHS but am looking forward to the DVD's. I hope there will be some extras on them.
Once again - one of my favorite Doris movies.

Toni

What a fantastic entry into movies. She was such a doll. Such a complete natural ! I was looking through my pictures and came across some interesting ones - thought you all might enjoy them.




Dutch gum card


mini poster from Spain


postcard


British lobby card with title It's Magic


Belgian poster


French poster

Trailer for "Romance on the High Seas":

http://stage6.divx.com/Doris-Day-Tribut ... t''s-Magic

Big thanks to Pam~ for sending me the DVD - unavailable in the UK.

I can't post it on YouTube because of Warners.

Thanks Bryan, I had never seen Romance ..... trailer before, really enjoyed it. Even then, in her first role, Doris outshines Janis Paige by far, that little 'ooh' - brilliant!

And that thing about her left and right side (that she preferred) - in the opening scene she and Janice Paige both show left and right and looking at Doris, I really couldn't see any difference. Maybe it's a 'mirror thing', I notice if I reverse an image of someone, Doris for example, it looks strange.

I've only seen it once on TV - Doris seemed very different at first but she develops as it goes along and she is almost 'Doris Day' by the end of it. It's what I would call a Saturday/Sunday afternoon film - and very enjoyable.

She's an abosolute doll in this movie. You can see what a natural she was. Michael Curtiz was right on about her natural talent, and her strong personality making her a "star".
One of my favorite movies !



Thanks for the trailer -- fun !!

webmaster wrote:And that thing about her left and right side (that she preferred) - in the opening scene she and Janice Paige both show left and right and looking at Doris, I really couldn't see any difference. Maybe it's a 'mirror thing', I notice if I reverse an image of someone, Doris for example, it looks strange.

I've only seen it once on TV - Doris seemed very different at first but she develops as it goes along and she is almost 'Doris Day' by the end of it. It's what I would call a Saturday/Sunday afternoon film - and very enjoyable.

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All you have to do is look in the mirror and turn your face left, look. Then turn right, look. You can tell which side looks best. I had an aunt who took a good picture once and every pix after that, she'd have her face tilted the SAME way, and in every picture! She nearly had a lifetime of "ONE picture!"

Looking at yourself on film is difficult enough, but having closeups are crucial to vain people like movie stars. Doris Day has said that one side of her face is "cheeky," so she prefers the other, more flattering side. Claudette Colbert would never allow her left side or profile to be photographed and wouldn't appear with male stars who had the same "best side" as hers.

When you are the star, you get what YOU want, to hell with the supporting players. Just imagine being a star in a closeup with another star. You are to be photographed facing one another. If both of you have a "left best side," somebody's bad side is going to be sealed on celluloid!!! That could cause a riot. Day had "problems" with not only Cary Grant, but Clark Gable as well.

I voted exellent...Our doris in her very first movie!! What can I say "ITS MAGIC ".

I can see the cheeky aspect that she refers to. The scene I really see it in is in Thrill of it All - in the basement, making ketchup scene. When she and Garner are talking to Elliott Reid about the commercial offer. You see a lot her her cheeky side and there is an obvious difference. But - its not an unattractive look. Evidently it was to her.
I've always thought that you see her from both sides in most of her movies. Its never seemed that she only went with one side like Colbert. Although in the early 60's I think she seemed to be photographed a bit more from the right side. I guess it did cause a difficult situation with Grant in TTOM when they were going to do the cab scene.
I think she looks great from both sides - but there is a difference.