Panama Hattie

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Panama Hattie

Released Oct 1, 1942

1h 19m

Musical

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4 Reviews

40%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Hattie (Ann Sothern), the boisterous, lovable owner of a Panama hotel --- which is more of a temporary home to American sailors with names like Red (Red Skelton) and Rowdy (Ben Blue) than high-society types --- finds herself thrown for a loop when she falls for the rich and urbane Dick Bulliett. Though love supposedly can conquer all, including obvious class differences, Dick and Hattie must first survive the sabotaging attempts from Dick's enamored admirer, rich girl Leila Tree (Marsha Hunt).

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Paul Trench

London Evening Standard

Red Skelton is a comic sailor. Virginia O'Brien, the dead-pan singer, stops the show with a Cole Porter number.

May 26, 2021

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Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Otherwise poor musical has some good dance numbers directed by Vincente Minnelli, as an apprentice starting Hollywood film making.

May 14, 2017

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

A low-brow musical that doesn't bear the stylistic signature of Vincente Minnelli, not to mention the fact that Ann Sothern is not Ethel Merman, who did it on Broadway.

Rated: C

Apr 26, 2011

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

The wartime musical/comedy Panama Hattie was a hit on Broadway for songwriter Cole Porter and its star Ethel Merman.

Rated: C

May 21, 2010

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Audience Member

Watch this for the lovely Ann Sothern.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Audience Member

Not the best script, but several great ideas are well shot and strung together well enough to entertain.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

Much-maligned MGM musical is pretty good until the half-way point when it disintegrates into a silly WWII spy spoof; based on the Cole Porter Broadway hit and including the songs "I've Still Got My Health," "Let's Be Buddies," "Fresh As a Daisy" and "Just One of Those Things" sung by Lena Horne.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Norman Z. McLeod

Director

Ann Sothern

Hattie Maloney

Red Skelton

Red

Rags Ragland

Rags

Ben Blue

Rowdy

Marsha Hunt

Leila Tree

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Synopsis

Hattie (Ann Sothern), the boisterous, lovable owner of a Panama hotel --- which is more of a temporary home to American sailors with names like Red (Red Skelton) and Rowdy (Ben Blue) than high-society types --- finds herself thrown for a loop when she falls for the rich and urbane Dick Bulliett. Though love supposedly can conquer all, including obvious class differences, Dick and Hattie must first survive the sabotaging attempts from Dick's enamored admirer, rich girl Leila Tree (Marsha Hunt).

Director: Norman Z. McLeod
Producer: Arthur Freed
Screenwriter: Jack McGowan, Wilkie C. Mahoney
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 1, 1942, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 19m

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