Universal studios, during its big bad B days had a rival for every headliner they had under contract. For Lugosi, it was Karloff; for Abbott and Costello, Olsen and Johnson. To keep singing bird Deanna Durbin leveled, they brought in Gloria Jean, and for the Andrews Sisters, they brought in the King Sisters for this one fun but frivolous musical that features an incredible cast of character favorites, as well as a reunion of the team of Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones, nearly a decade after "A Night at the Opera". The King sisters are a foursome rather than a trio, slightly more refined than the Andrews, but providing equally as much rhythm.
The basic plot involves William Frawley's attempts to get Carlisle a contract with hotel owner Leo Carrillo based on the lie that she's a heiress and could bring in a ton of publicity. But somehow she ends up as a chambermaid (as opposed to a chamber singer) and more plot complications has her fighting with Jones who was behind her being "demoted" with the same pay rate. More larceny occurs with Gus Schilling blackmailing Frawley. The songs are fun, the comedy brisk and frenetic, but the plot slightly bizarre. Jones scores with the King sisters on a rendition of "When You Were a Tulip" that covers several different styles.
The basic plot involves William Frawley's attempts to get Carlisle a contract with hotel owner Leo Carrillo based on the lie that she's a heiress and could bring in a ton of publicity. But somehow she ends up as a chambermaid (as opposed to a chamber singer) and more plot complications has her fighting with Jones who was behind her being "demoted" with the same pay rate. More larceny occurs with Gus Schilling blackmailing Frawley. The songs are fun, the comedy brisk and frenetic, but the plot slightly bizarre. Jones scores with the King sisters on a rendition of "When You Were a Tulip" that covers several different styles.