'Lucky Me' is very much like another Doris Day film 'The West Point Story' (or 'Fine and Dandy as it's credited here) in that great talent was involved and that it should have been a good film and shouldn't have gone wrong, even if it wasn't an instant classic.Not so luckily, 'Lucky Me' is sadly a misfire, though not an unwatchable one, that somehow did go wrong. It's worth seeing if you're a Doris Day completest, speaking as one right now on a quest to see all her films including the ones that have been watched many times and are favourites, but not much else. Although it actually does not show that Day didn't want to do 'Lucky Me', she did deserve better and it is one of her weaker films. 'The West Point Story' had a lot of faults, was cheaper looking and had no show-stoppers when crying out for them, but it utilised its cast better and had slightly better songs.With that being said, she is the best thing about it. Her singing is delightful, as it always was regardless of the quality of the song (although there are no hits), and she has a bright natural charm and breezy gusto that livens things up when desperately needed.She's not the only good element fortunately. 'Lucky Me' needed Technicolor and gets it with lavish and vibrantly colourful treatment. Didn't think much of the songs overall, but "I Speak to the Stars" and "I Wanna Sing Like an Angel" are sublime, the former the only one deserving of minor hit status though, and "The Superstition Song" is catchy. Phil Silvers is an acquired taste, still don't know what my overall stance is because it is always dependent on the material, but has some amusing and likable moments, though he has been much funnier (as well as more grating).Unfortunately, the rest of the songs are not that memorable and a couple not worth mentioning. Personally myself cringing my way through "Men" despite the presence of Day. The choreography is every bit as uninspired, with the ensembles having an under-directed and indifferent feel, it was crying out for a show-stopper and it never came.Day and Silvers aside, the cast disappoint. Robert Cummings is more than capable in comedy and drama but is completely out of his depth here. Nancy Walker and Eddie Foy are criminally underused, especially Walker, who is a hoot when the material is good (which it wasn't here and there wasn't enough of it). Martha Hyer wildly overplays and comes over as irritating, even in a role that was meant to be on the annoying side (but you can still do that while being funny and charming at the same time, here you want Hyer to shut up and go away).The direction is going through-the-motions-like. The script is as limp as soggy cucumber sandwiches and has humour that is both under-cooked and overdone that it feels bland and grating. Worse is the threadbare, ridiculous and often forced story that lacked focus and kept going off in under-explored tangents.In conclusion, despite being a fan of Day it was a not so lucky experience. 4/10 Bethany Cox

Warner Bros. certainly skimped when it came down to choosing the latest leading man for a Doris Day movie. Didn't they have any handsome, charismatic actors on the payroll besides Robert Cummings? There are no sparks between Day and Cummings in what amounts to nothing more than a staid and stale musical romance with corny comedic asides. A superstitious chorine down Miami way gets stuck washing dishes while waiting for her big break; she happens to meet a popular songwriter while dodging black cats and sidewalk cracks, but he's courting her under an alias as a car mechanic (!). Comic deceptions are always good material for a Day picture--and when she finds out the truth, her slow-burn is something to behold--but Cummings really has no reason to be deceiving this girl, and the plot starts coming apart before the picture even gets going. Doris is supported by a vaudeville-styled trio who travel together (Phil Silvers, Nancy Walker and Eddie Foy, Jr.), and they seem just a bit mature and stodgy for her, which weakens the musical numbers. Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster are responsible for the lackluster song score (they must have used up all their natural resources on "Calamity Jane" the year before--there's not a "Secret Love" in the bunch). Some color and frivolity, much of it forced. *1/2 from ****

LUCKY ME is one of those class "C" musicals of interest to those who need to compile either Doris Day credits or simply want to view the benign concerns spinning in the era's forgettable musicals. Bob Cummings just does not fill the bill in this one for reasons that are unclear and one wonders why he was cast in the production at all. He looks as if the project was done as an intermission from DIALING M FOR MURDER, probably the best thing Cummings ever did. Bill Goodwin and the ensemble are pleasant enough, but really no one including Doris can redeem this second-rate, predictable caper. If only we had a nickel for every musical that was about producing a musical! Among musicals, LUCKY ME is one. Dennis Caracciolo

"Lucky Me" was the first musical to be shot in the then, new process, CinemaScope. It was also a picture that Doris Day, Hollywood's Golden Girl, did NOT want to make.Because of contractual obligations, she decided to do the film and to give it 110% of herself in the role of 'Candy Williams'. Her co-star was Robert Cummings, long-time Hollywood leading man and television star. In support, she had Phil Silvers, Nancy Walker, who later gained fame as Ida Morgenstern in "Rhoda", and Eddie Foy, Jr.It was reported that Martha Hyer, a blond, was forced to dye her hair red so as not to conflict with the star, Miss Day.This film is famous for another reason. Judy Garland was on the Warner Brothers lot filming "A Star is Born". She and Miss Day visited each other's sets and became friends."Lucky Me" is a fun musical which opens with Doris Day's dynamite opening number, "The Superstition Song," which she sings while bouncing down the streets of Miami! A TRUE STAR PERFORMANCE! Only Doris could have gotten away with this, and she was brilliant.She played Candy Williams, a singer/actress who was appearing in a travelling show, "Parisian Pretties" which bombed in Miami. Standed, she meets a New York songwriter, Cummings, who is casting a new Broadway show. He pretends to be someone else to court Candy, but falls in love with her.During the proceedings, Doris Day sings most of the numbers including her chart hit, "I Speak to the Stars". The highlight is "I Wanna Sing Like an Angel" and "Love You, Dearly," a lovely ballad which should have been a hit.Phil Sivers was wonderful and had a great number with Day called "Men!" The other actors gave Miss Day able support and everyone seemed to work well with each other.Angie Dickinson made her film debut in a walk-on scene at the big party, but you probably won't recognize her (she had black hair). Bill Goodwin played the same role he played in many a film at various studios.Again, Doris Day fans will just love seeing their favorite star do ANYthing. Even though Miss Day didn't like the picture, her fans seem to love every minute of it. I must admit, I liked it!