Somebody Loves Me

The singing voice of Benny Fields was filled by Canadian singer Pat Morgan. Pat was not very well known outside of Canada. He was frequently on radio and TV. He was featured on CBC shows "Some of those days" and the "Music Hall" show that alternated with the "Irish Rovers" show.

Betty's last major film for her home studio Pararmount was one of her best. Her acting is toned down,her singing is warm and mellow. Vocal surgery had kept her from the shouting type of singing she did so in a way this was a more mature role for her. Ralph Meeker is good as her husband Benny Fields. The sets,costumes and color are very lush and typical of the big studio's fifties product. Billy Bird is a riot as Betty's companion. Ironically,in real life Blossom Seely did retire so Benny Fields could be the star of the family but his career fizzled and he retired a year later,also. There was a soundtrack issued at the time but it hasn't resurfaced. I never was a big fan of Hutton's but thought her role in this film was very good.

In her last major film, Betty Hutton gives a great performance in the story of Blossom Seeley, a legendary star of the early 20th century.

Subduing her usual bop character for the more sedate style of Blossom Seeley, Betty Hutton perfectly captures the mood and pace of the teens and 20s. Singing some great standards and few new songs, Hutton exudes warmth and an era long gone. Blossom Seeley was a major star of the early 20th century, one of the biggest vaudeville stars.

Seeley made a few film appearances, her best being a Vitaphone short in 1928 with Benny Fields. This short film is available on DVD.

Hutton looks great, sings great, and turns in a boffo performance. Ralph Meeker is dubbed and seems uncomfortable in a musical. Solid support from Robert Keith, Billie Bird, Sid Tomack, and Henry Slate.

Sadly, this was the end of Betty Hutton's studio career in Hollywood. She made this film the same year as starring in THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH. She made several TV specials and guest appearances but appeared in only one more film: 1957's SPRING REUNION. One of the biggest stars of the 40s, she was tossed aside by the studio system.

Hutton's performance in this films ranks among her best. Worth a look to see one great star impersonating another great star.

This was Betty Hutton's last major film at Paramount and she gave her all playing Blossom Seeley. She looked beautiful and was singing better than ever. Blossom worked with Betty on the songs and movements. If Paramount ever releases this film on DVD, it would be a good idea to track down some of Blossom's early musical shorts and include them. Blossom's partner, Benny Fields, is played by Ralph Meeker and he does a fine job with his numbers. His singing is dubbed by Pat Morgan, but it's a good match. Betty wanted Frank Sinatra. Great idea. Too bad it didn't happen, but everything turned out quite well and it's one of my favorite movies starring my favorite bombshell. There are nearly 20 songs and maybe someday there will be a decent soundtrack released on CD. The 10 inch LP that RCA put out at the time was a very sloppy mix of Paramount studio tracks and RCA studio sessions. You can hear the splices.

Betty Hutton sings all or part (medleys) of about 18 songs, the final documentation of Hutton at her best. The film biog was certainly routine and Ralph Meeker, a non-singer, dubbed, was miscast. He had a role somewhat like that of James Mason in Star is Born but nowhere the talent. He was dubbed with a Bing Crosby-like singing voice that also did not fit. Hutton was a spitfire in the dramatic scenes but Meeker was weak. I have read that the role was offered to Frank Sinatra but he was otherwise engaged in a film. What a different film it would have been. Sparks would have flown rather than the sparks coming only from the magnetic, truly one of a kind star, Betty Hutton. She did have vocal cord surgery and it left her not at all diminished and rather with more 'color.' As the years wore on her voice fragmented too rapidly because of the surgery, leaving her with little range by the late 1950's. Still, as of a few years ago on TCM when she was interviewed in depth, she was funny, poignant, incredibly honest and forthright. I have everything I can get on Betty - an incredible talent, never to be seen again.