'Out of this World' is a real stinker. It's the story of an all girl band down on it's luck, until they discover a nebbish Western Union boy (Eddie Bracken) with a golden singing voice (courtesy of Bing Crosby). Intended as a reteaming of Bracken with his 'Miracle of Morgan's Creek' co-star Betty Hutton, the part had to be rewritten as Hutton was otherwise committed and the role given to the actress who played her younger sister in 'Creek' Diana Lynn. The 11 year age difference between the two leads is distracting, especially as Lynn was only 17 when she made the picture. The best line in the film is when Bracken asks Lynn why it was she never married.
Veronica Lake is the secondary female lead, playing a publicity agent. Her appearance in the film and third billing was a punishment that Paramount inflicted on her, owing to her prima donna nature and something offensive she apparently said at a war bond rally in Boston. It's a shit script with Lynn taking advantage of Bracken, who of course is smitten with her, when her band accidently sells 125% of shares in him. While there is some amusement in the idea of Bracken as a bobby soxer idol, it's not enough to sustain this film, which feels stretched at 96 minutes.
The movie was held back for over a year after filming wrapped, released July 13th 1945, three days before the Trinity Test, making it the second biggest bomb of the month. *
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