The IMDb score for this film is under 5--indicating it's a bad film. While I agree it is very slight and has many problems, the film isn't bad and is a decent time-passer.
Frank Sinatra is completely wrong for the part, though his singing was great--better than his co-star Kathryn Grayson. He plays a Bostonian who has moved to Mexican California (before it became a part of the US). His thick New Jersey accent sounds completely unlike a Bostonian and midway through the film he is impersonating a man from Spain!! As I said, he's completely wrong for the film.
Sinatra moves to California to assume control of his father's inn. However, he doesn't realize that inn-keeping was NOT his father's real job--he was the infamous 'Kissing Bandit'. When the father's old henchman (J. Carrol Naish) informs him he MUST assume control of the old gang and take up the tradition of kissing fair ladies who he robs, Sinatra is afraid--he doesn't think he is up to the task! When he's on his first robbery, he meets a gorgeous lady (Grayson) and ISN'T up to the task--and cannot make himself kiss her. It isn't that he's not attracted--it just seems wrong to kiss a stranger! As for her, she's intrigued...and a bit disappointed he didn't kiss her! The story gets a lot weirder--especially when later Sinatra and Naish pose as emissaries from Spain--and Grayson's father (the Governor) wines and dines them! What's next? Tune in and see.
As for the plot, it's really silly--completely silly, actually. And, in this era of political correctness, it's also likely to offend some of the more feminist bent. But it is fun! What isn't fun, however, is the singing. As I said above, Sinatra is great--with a gorgeous voice as you'd expect. As for Grayson, she has a quality voice but it's also VERY operatic--and hard on the ears. Also, most of the songs are completely forgettable. An odd exception is "Love is Where You Find it". I say odd, because only about a week ago, I heard this EXACT song in the movie "A Date for Judy" in which Jane Powell sang the same tune. While IMDb doesn't indicate it, they sounded EXACTLY the same to me--like one was perhaps not really singing the tune but using a recording of the other woman (though which is which, I have no idea). Overall, not a bad little film but a bit silly and the singing was a definite low-point.
Frank Sinatra is completely wrong for the part, though his singing was great--better than his co-star Kathryn Grayson. He plays a Bostonian who has moved to Mexican California (before it became a part of the US). His thick New Jersey accent sounds completely unlike a Bostonian and midway through the film he is impersonating a man from Spain!! As I said, he's completely wrong for the film.
Sinatra moves to California to assume control of his father's inn. However, he doesn't realize that inn-keeping was NOT his father's real job--he was the infamous 'Kissing Bandit'. When the father's old henchman (J. Carrol Naish) informs him he MUST assume control of the old gang and take up the tradition of kissing fair ladies who he robs, Sinatra is afraid--he doesn't think he is up to the task! When he's on his first robbery, he meets a gorgeous lady (Grayson) and ISN'T up to the task--and cannot make himself kiss her. It isn't that he's not attracted--it just seems wrong to kiss a stranger! As for her, she's intrigued...and a bit disappointed he didn't kiss her! The story gets a lot weirder--especially when later Sinatra and Naish pose as emissaries from Spain--and Grayson's father (the Governor) wines and dines them! What's next? Tune in and see.
As for the plot, it's really silly--completely silly, actually. And, in this era of political correctness, it's also likely to offend some of the more feminist bent. But it is fun! What isn't fun, however, is the singing. As I said above, Sinatra is great--with a gorgeous voice as you'd expect. As for Grayson, she has a quality voice but it's also VERY operatic--and hard on the ears. Also, most of the songs are completely forgettable. An odd exception is "Love is Where You Find it". I say odd, because only about a week ago, I heard this EXACT song in the movie "A Date for Judy" in which Jane Powell sang the same tune. While IMDb doesn't indicate it, they sounded EXACTLY the same to me--like one was perhaps not really singing the tune but using a recording of the other woman (though which is which, I have no idea). Overall, not a bad little film but a bit silly and the singing was a definite low-point.