Good News!

For my entry in the 2nd Annual Peter Lawford Blogathon, I decided to go with Good News. I was originally going to tackle Royal Wedding, but I couldn’t find a great copy of it, so I changed my mind.

I first discovered Peter Lawford in his supporting roles, which most of them are, but it is so much fun to see him in Good News since he has a lead role here! Even though he felt like he couldn’t compete with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly and felt pressured by the studio to do this movie, I really enjoy him here. Check him out in this fun number, Be a Ladies Man –

This film is also a great chance to see a young Mel Torme. He did a few films before this one, including Higher and Higher with Frank Sinatra in 1943.

Good News centers around a football player, Tommy, played by Lawford, who needs to pass French in order to play in the big game. He gets help from Connie, played by June Allyson, to get a passing grade. The two click and Connie falls for him, but he has his sights set on a gold digger named Pat, played by Patricia Marshall.

It takes him a while and hurting Connie’s feelings, but Tommy eventually realizes that she’s really the girl for him. Here is the fun French lesson that begins it all. What’s funny is that Lawford had to teach Allyson how to teach him to speak French. He was fluent. She was not. Allyson is playing a college student, though she is 30 years old here. Lawford is 24.

This film is fun from start to finish with great numbers and endearing characters. If you haven’t seen this version of Peter Lawford, you are missing out!

Check out the other entries for my blogathon here!