The Time the Place and the Girl

Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson lead the charge in a battle between operatic highbrows and showbiz sharpies in the fun-loving "let's put on a show" Warner Bros. tradition. Their team spirit infuses this Technicolor treat, in which nightclub operators run afoul of their stuffy "cultured" classical neighbors who shut them down. But the tables are turned thanks to a sparkling Arthur Schwartz/Leo Robin score and the romantic mix-ups that inevitably follow. They're helpfully untangled by S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall as a conductor won over by the charms of pop music, and before you can smack your cheeks, a Broadway show is born. Janis Paige, Martha Vickers and Andrea Greene also class up the joint, as do Carmen Cavallero's orchestra and Chandra Kay and His Dancers. The songs are choice -- from the sassy "A Solid Citizen of the Solid South" (with terrific Condos Brothers tapping) to the lilting "Oh, But I Do" and the slangy Western-flavored Best Song Oscar nominee "A Gal in Calico." The Time, the Place and the Girl are all you need to make your day.

• comedy
• musical