Barbara Ruick Movies
American actress Barbara Ruick, the daughter of actor Melville Ruick, played leading roles in several musical comedies during the 1950s including Carousel (1956). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
The most narratively loose of Robert Altman's '70s films, California Split details the haphazard lives of two compulsive gamblers searching for that ever-elusive big score. Newly single and soon-to-be-unemployed Bill (George Segal) joins live-wire pal Charlie (Elliott Gould), as the pair moves from Fruit Loops with Charlie's hooker roommates Sue (Gwen Welles) and Barbara (Ann Prentiss) to bets on horses, backroom card games, boxing, and basketball. They make it to Reno, but Bill comes to realize that even the big score may not be the answer to the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life. For Charlie, however, that's all there is. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Segal, Elliott Gould, (more)
Lesley Ann Warren plays the title role in this television production of the classic Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein III musical. Cinderella (Warren) is a sweet and pretty young woman who has been given a poor hand by fate; her stepmother (Jo Van Fleet) treats her cruelly, and while her graceless sisters are invited to a royal ball, Cinderella is not allowed to attend. But her Fairy Godmother (Celeste Holm) has other plans, and Cinderella attends the ball, where she makes a tremendous impression upon the Prince (Stuart Damon). But her Godmother's magic only works until midnight, and Cinderella is forced to leave the festivities at their height; will she ever see the Prince again? And how will he ever find her? This was the second television production of this musical version of the classic fairy tale; the original 1957 version featured a young Julie Andrews in the lead. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lesley Ann Warren
Carousel was adapted from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical of the same name--which, in turn, was based on Liliom, a play by Ferenc Molnar. Gordon MacRae stars as carnival barker Billy Bigelow, who much against his will falls in love with Maine factory girl Julie Jordan (Shirley Jones). Billy proves an improvident and unreliable husband, but Julie stands by him. Upon discovering that Julie is pregnant, the unemployed Billy sees an opportunity for some quick money by joining his unsavory pal Jigger (Cameron Mitchell). The scheme goes awry, and Billy dies. Standing before the Pearly Gates, Billy is given a chance to redeem himself by the kindly Starkeeper (Gene Lockhart). He is allowed to return to Earth to try to brighten the life of his unhappy 15-year-old daughter Louise (Susan Luckey). Billy offers Louise a star that he has stolen from the sky; when Louise backs off in fear, Billy slaps her. He feels like a failure until he and his Heavenly Friend (William LeManessa) attend Louise's school graduation ceremony. There the invisible Billy watches as the principal (Gene Lockhart again) inspires Louise (and, by extension, Julie) by assuring her that so long as she has hope in her heart, she'll never walk alone. Frank Sinatra, the film's original Billy Bigelow, dropped out of the production due to laryngitis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, (more)
- 1953
Confidentially Connie is an MGM factory product starring Janet Leigh and Van Johnson. Upon learning she is pregnant, Leigh tries to convince her husband Johnson, a humble teacher, to find a better-paying job. But Johnson is a proud man, so much so that he refuses to request money from his wealthy father (Louis Calhern). Somehow this plotline was related to the dilemma of rising meat prices in the postwar era. In the 1930s, MGM would have stretched Confidentially Connie well past its welcome, say for about 100 minutes; but 1953 was a year of austerity, thus this harmless little comedy breezed along at 74 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Van Johnson, Janet Leigh, (more)
- 1953
Though the film may be titled The Affairs of Dobie Gillis, Dobie -- that is, Bobby Van -- takes second billing to Debbie Reynolds. The scene is a Midwestern university, where freshman Dobie Gillis and his pal Charlie Trask (Bob Fosse) court cute coeds Pansy Hammer (Debbie Reynolds) and Lorna Ellingboe (Barbara Ruick). Pansy's wealthy father (Hanley Stafford) can't stand Dobie and does everything in his power to keep them apart. Along the way, Dobie and Pansy manage to blow up the chemistry lab, while Dobie's officious English professor Pomfritt (Hans Conried) is misled to believe that the feckless Gillis is a literary genius. With Bobby Van, Debbie Reynolds, Bob Fosse, and Barbara Ruick in the cast, The Affairs of Dobie Gillis simply has to have a few musical numbers in its repertoire -- and it does. The film was based on the novel by Max Shulman, which subsequently served as the basis for the popular TV series of the late '50s-early '60s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Debbie Reynolds, Bobby Van, (more)
- 1953
Singin' in the Rain co-stars Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds were re-teamed in the ebullient little musical I Love Melvin. O'Connor plays Melvin Hoover, the hapless assistant to Look magazine photographer Mergo (Jim Backus). When he falls in love with chorus girl Judy LeRoy (Reynolds), Melvin claims that he's the magazine's head photographer. Carrying the ruse to the limit, Melvin arranges to shoot a portrait of Judy and her entire family, insisting that it appear on the cover of Look. On the verge of being found out, Melvin is saved when his boss decides that Judy is photogenic enough to be a cover girl for real. The plot is so lightweight that it threatens to blow away, but the stars are cute as can be, and the musical highlights even more so. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, (more)
- 1952
You for Me stars Peter Lawford as a profligate playboy who's a nice guy underneath. After suffering a hunting accident which leaves him with a butt full of buckshot, Lawford is interred in the hospital that his donations have kept afloat. Nurse Jane Greer refuses to treat Lawford any better than any other patient, which of course makes him adore her all the more. Gig Young is once more the poor schlemiel who loses the girl--but this time Young deserves it, since he encourages Jane to make goo-goo eyes at Lawford so the donations will keep on coming (there's a word for that sort of thing where we come from, stranger). You for Me was directed by Don Weis, whose MGM films are often so lightweight that they're in danger of floating away. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Lawford, Jane Greer, (more)
- 1952
The unbreakable bond between a young man and his pet lion provides the action in this comedy. The trouble begins when the young man becomes a private in the army. Because he cannot bear to sell his lion Fagan to a mean-spirited circus trainer, the private asks his sergeant to help him find a good home for his pet. Naturally, the sergeant at first disbelieves his charge. He becomes a believer after the big kitty escapes from his cage and the Army must send out search parties to get him back. Thanks to Army publicity, a good home is found for the lion. Unfortunately, the loyal feline again escapes to search for his master. He causes chaos during troop maneuvers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Janet Leigh, Carleton Carpenter, (more)
- 1952
Apache War Smoke was a remake of Apache Trail (42); both films were based on a story by Ernest Haycox. Haycox had previously written Stage to Lordsburg, a western yarn filmed by John Ford as Stagecoach (39). Apache War Smoke adheres to the Stagecoach formula by trapping several strangers in a dangerous situation, in this instance an incipient Apache uprising. Included in the group are the passengers of a stagecoach, and the gang of bandits who've just held up the coach; there's also a notorious Indian hater in the bunch. Apache War Smoke spins its yarn in a brisk 67 minutes, with only a few slow stretches here and there. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gilbert Roland, Glenda Farrell, (more)
- 1952
- NR
Above and Beyond is the story of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, as told from the perspective of the man who flew the mission. Robert Taylor stars as Col. Paul Tibbetts, commander of the Enola Gay. Once selected for this extremely dangerous mission, Tibbetts must hand-pick a crew worthy of the task. He is also forced to keep his mission a closely guarded secret, even unto withholding all information from his loving and patient wife Lucey (Eleanor Parker). The film concentrates on the strain placed upon Tibbetts, his crew and their families in the crucial days before the "big drop". The bombing itself is handled with taste and decorum, though the horror and mixed emotions of the moment are brilliantly conveyed on the faces of Tibbetts and his men. Above and Beyond represents a rare noncomedy endeavor from the writer-director team of Melvin Frank and Norman Panama. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker, (more)
- 1952
Bronislau Kaper's haunting musical score for A Life of Her Own (1951) was recycled in the romantic melodrama Invitation. Dorothy McGuire stars as Ellen Bowker, a wealthy young woman with a rare heart condition. Knowing that his daughter may have only a year or so to live, Ellen's father Simon Bowker (Louis Calhern) wants to make certain that her last months on earth will be happy ones. To that end, he arranges for Dan Pierce (Van Johnson) to marry the girl. More interested in Ellen's millions than in Ellen herself, Dan agrees. Eventually, of course, he genuinely falls in love with the girl. But trouble looms on the horizon when Ellen discovers the real reason behind Dan's whirlwind courtship. How can a happy ending possibly result from all this? It's best to reveal no more at this point. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Van Johnson, Dorothy McGuire, (more)
