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I Love Melvin

Play trailer Poster for I Love Melvin 1953 1h 16m Musical Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Insignificant assistant photographer Melvin Hoover (Donald O'Connor) is instantly love-struck after meeting struggling actress and chorus line dancer Judy LeRoy (Debbie Reynolds). To win her over, Melvin greatly embellishes the importance of his position at a trendy magazine, claiming that with his help Judy could appear on the magazine's cover. Their budding romance is threatened, however, when Melvin's ploy is exposed to Judy and her entire family during a staged photo shoot.
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I Love Melvin

Critics Reviews

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Bob Thomas Associated Press 06/24/2019
Likable diversion. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 04/29/2010
B-
The appealing energetic cast do wonders with the slight material. Go to Full Review
Steve Crum Video-Reviewmaster.com 04/30/2007
3/5
Silly, typical '50s teen type fluff with competent O'Connor and Reynolds in leads. Go to Full Review
Carol Cling Las Vegas Review-Journal 05/19/2006
3/5
OK musicial, but hardly an MGM classic. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Steve D 06/25/2023 One of the thinnest scripts ever put to film. See more 04/04/2019 The best of the MGM musicals of the time period, being held back only by its title "I Love Melvin". What genius sunk this classic with that monstrosity of a name? This is a magical and wonderful movie musical with great chemistry between Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds. In this vehicle, we are finally free of the egotistical Gene Kelly and are introduced to the talented and delightful Donald O'Connor who dances to entertain us; not to prove to us how great he is. Debbie Reynolds is delightful as well as talented and there is genuine chemistry between O'Connor and Reynolds. This MGM musical was, by far and away, better than "Singin' in the Rain" but audiences have tuned into the title of "Rain" -- which was written several decades before the movie ever came out -- and there is no great title song associated with "I Love Melvin" like there should be. That was a huge mistake on MGM's part, leaving this great movie musical in the dark when it should have been at the forefront of the studio's best productions. "I Love Melvin" is a masterpiece of the movie musical genre and should have served as a model for future successes. Try watching "I Love Melvin" and then "Singin' in the Rain" -- it's obvious that Melvin is much superior in almost every way. In Melvin, you are caught up in the characters, the music, the action, and the plot and you feel uplifted, as a good movie musical should make you feel. You won't get that same feeling from the inferior "Rain". "Melvin" is one of the best examples of a good Hollywood musical. If they had kept making them this way, they would still be making them. O'Connor and Reynolds and the supporting cast work well together. There is no showboating here or trying to outshine the other actor. We have a cast of people willing to share in the spotlight so that the audience can enjoy what is happening. This is the one of the best movie musicals of all time. . See more 08/27/2017 Although the film contains some charming song and dance numbers, the non-compelling storyline is lackluster and predictable. See more 11/26/2016 Minor MGM musical is a good example of how the studio could take a slight story and make it interesting; Reynolds and O'Connor make a nice team, especially in the "Where Did You Learn To Dance?" number; O'Connor also dances on roller skates. See more s r @ScottR 02/07/2016 A silly feel good musical. See more 12/02/2014 reunites reynolds & o'connor (from 'singing in the rain" for yet another musical. See more Read all reviews
I Love Melvin

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Movie Info

Synopsis Insignificant assistant photographer Melvin Hoover (Donald O'Connor) is instantly love-struck after meeting struggling actress and chorus line dancer Judy LeRoy (Debbie Reynolds). To win her over, Melvin greatly embellishes the importance of his position at a trendy magazine, claiming that with his help Judy could appear on the magazine's cover. Their budding romance is threatened, however, when Melvin's ploy is exposed to Judy and her entire family during a staged photo shoot.
Director
Don Weis
Producer
George Wells
Screenwriter
George Wells
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre
Musical, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 20, 1953, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2012
Runtime
1h 16m
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