A Song Is Born
Description
At 24'33", Virginia Mayo ("Honey Swanson") enters the room from behind the curtain, she's wearing a black two-piece, black shreds to the floor with gray stockings underneath- though one can only tell through the two openings, both close to her waist, which reveal bare skin…at 24'45" toe-tapping shot, heels on, then she starts singing for just under 3'. At 27'27", she emerges backstage, lots of leg, two men escort her to her dressing room; notice the four women wearing the blue caps, showing all leg, nude or suntan hosiery, en route. Danny Kaye interrupts (his innocence reminded me of Christopher Reeve's Clark Kent), she gets rid of him, we get a better look at the women wearing the blue caps, a second time after Virginia Mayo is escorted out the window to escape from the District Attorney's men via a cab. At 34'05", Virginia Mayo complies with Danny Kaye's request for her (red) coat, she whips it off, and that outfit is underneath. Danny Kaye – no surprise – loses his breath, then asks "uh, uh, are you sure you don't want your coat?" She replies, "No, I'm fine, except I have a run in my stocking, and she pulls back the strips to show off her leg, continues to do so show them off when she sits in her chair, but now both legs. A crowd of men gather behind her. She crosses her right leg over to remove her heel; she wants to stay overnight, Danny Kaye doesn't think it will go over too well. Finally, at 35'45", Virginia, still sitting in the chair, legs crossed, no shoe on the right leg (the only toes in view) says: "Now, wait a minute!" and snaps her leg straight up in the air to let Danny feel her stockinged toes. GREAT closeup of nyloned leg and foot, with wiggling toes, at 35'49". "Now feel that! Go on, feel that foot. Now, what have you got to say?" She goes back to crossed legs, the crowd of eager men move in. Danny Kaye is still reluctant, but as one says, "Why take chances?" Another suggests she sleep in his room. She arises, goes up the stairs, giving the guys a nice slow hip-turning walk before Danny Kaye interrupts her mid-way, but soon she resumes –38'22".