Ameriatch One of the best films i have seen

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Tayloriona Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

TheLittleSongbird James 'Jimmy' Stewart once, reportedly, said that he considered Pot o' Gold his worst film. Well it is certainly nowhere near among his best work (one of his weakest actually) and it is kind of easy to see why he would think that. But even lesser Stewart is worth seeing, even if it is only once, because Stewart was that good an actor.Pot o' Gold's biggest debit is the story. There is very little to it structurally and it does struggle to sustain the running time, which is not that long. It could also have done with some tightening up with some parts that felt creaky and forced. Stewart and Paulette Goddard I felt did lack romantic chemistry, apart from the odd charming moment it felt more clinical than natural and tender and it did seem like they weren't that fond of one another.Scripting-wise, Pot o' Gold has mixed results. A good deal of it is witty and quite funny, and there is a likeably feel-good honesty. Other parts however are a touch hokey and contrived, as if they were really to raise laughs but were struggling to do so, and crisper timing and more freshness might have helped.It is a good-looking film though. It is not exactly lavish and there are times where it looks like it was made quickly, but on the most part it does look pretty and like it was made with professionalism, so it hardly looks cheap. Also loved the film's quaint period charm. The music score has the appropriate amount of whimsy, and the songs, while not the most memorable for a musical, are tuneful, energetic and enough to leave the feet tapping. Do You Believe in Fairy Tales and With a Knife, a Fork and a Spoon (don't worry, the song is not as silly as the title sounds) are particularly fun. The choreography is spirited and doesn't try to do anything too complicated (neither does it get simplistic), also managing to keep within the lightweight feel of the rest of the film. The dream sequences are imaginatively surreal and colourful, without being too heavy-handed or inappropriate.George Marshall's direction is lively and does a good job keeping the film light and bouncy. While not always working, the humour is mostly feel-good, witty and honest, and the film does have a sweet charm regardless of the story's flaws. Stewart has a great easy-going charisma and a sparkling twinkle, and acquits himself reasonably well in the singing department, and Goddard, who is much better than she was in Second Chorus, is beautiful and fiery. Good amusing support too from Charles Winniger (particularly excellent) and Mary Gordon, and while there could have been a little less of him Horace Heidt does fine too and is in no way a liability.To summarise, Pot o' Gold passes the time more than amiably and is a decent enough film, but, considering Stewart's calibre as a personal favourite actor of mine and as a fan of musicals, this viewer was hoping for more. 6/10 Bethany Cox

screenidol The story line is not the best, but the movie is worth watching anyway. It starts off with a decent premise about a music-loving failing music shop owner (Stewart) going to work for his music- hating uncle. The uncle, who loves the big bangs from his "shot-with-guns" cereal factory is annoyed by the music of the big band in the building next door -- a building the uncle wants to buy but the musicians' house-mother won't sell. There's no question that when nephew Jimmy Stewart (not telling his relationship to the uncle) meets singer Paulette Goddard, romance will begin, then sparks fly, then the couple reunited. Old story, but still lots of fun. Unfortunately, it begins to unravel about half way through -- still humorous, but more preposterous. The movie does have some good character parts, and bits of swing dancing and other dancing, especially during the live radio show. What makes the movie is the music, especially in the beginning! Wonderful swing numbers, terrific harmony vocals, and a great barbershop quartet. I probably won't watch the entire film a second time, but I'll definitely listen again through the first half hour or so, at least through Stewart's introductory dinner with the entire ensemble in the boarding house.

radioflyer-1 If you are the sort that has a fetish for a particular era, as did I the swing era, you will recognize the musical fare in Pot 'O Gold as the most jumped up and comercialized representation of swing imaginable. It's highly unlikely that all of the actors actually knew how to play their instruments. The scene where a whole gene-pool of Irish suddenly whip out chromatic harmonicas is telling, if not excessively "cute." With a frozen happy-face throughout, Paulet Goddard sinks to her lowest as the lip-synching big-band diva. I happen to worship her, so I'll buy the excuse that she really needed the money. This is Hollywood at its anti-realism worst. I wanted to strangle those prodigy kids in the Haskell music shop as they ripped through their classical repertoire like nickelodians on crack. I guess that tags me for what I am--a grouch and a "Tone Snob!" Still, everyone is young and cute in this film The Irish stereotypes are endearing in their, uh, Irish way. The darkies keep to the background except for approximately 10 seconds of true talent where they are allowed to grin and shuffle a bit.

glcody26 I have a Super 8 Sound print of this gem, and it has been an audience favorite for years at my "Movie Nights"-- no figuring out an involved, complicated plot-- Jimmy is a nice guy, Paulette is gorgeous, and the movie mesmerizes the audience with the corny comedy, predictable outcomes and more than memorable music (who can forget "With a Knife, A Fork, and A Spoon"?) This is Hollywood escapism to the Nth degree-- songs that work, sets that satisfy and a story line as simple as a Hallmark card, all of it embellished with two young and energetic stars surrounded by the musical genius of Horace Heidt and his crew. I haven't screened this one in years, but I plan to show it soon enough--a perfect example of why movies always beat reality.