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You Can't Run Away From It

1956, Movie, NR, 95 mins

You Can't Run Away From It: Review

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Remaking classic films as musicals seems to be a hit-and-miss affair. SILK STOCKINGS was a fine adaptation of NINOTCHKA, but YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM IT is another story. This reworking of Frank Capra's IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT is an unsuccessful attempt that never approaches the original film in humor or charm. The plot is essentially unchanged. Lemmon takes the Clark Gable role, as a reporter who accidentally falls onto the story of the year. He meets Allyson (in Claudette Colbert's part), a runaway heiress who's trying to escape from her father Bickford's grasp. Allyson wants to marry Scott, so Lemmon promises to help her if she'll give him exclusive rights to her story. Just about every scene is reprised from IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT as Lemmon and Allyson come to fall in love in the course of their travels. Bickford takes a liking to Lemmon, realizing that the man wants no part of the reward for delivering Allyson. Finally Allyson takes her father's advice and runs away from the altar to marry the man she really loves, Lemmon. YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM IT seems to reverse everything that made IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT such a wonderful film. The simple black-and-white Depression-era look has been tossed aside for big-screen Technicolor, updating the story to 1956. The results clearly show why new and bigger doesn't always mean better. This is a light story that the additions of color and song simply can't improve. Rather than add to plot development, the songs slow the pace, sapping the film of much-needed energy. Powell's direction doesn't help much either, a heavy-handed job where a light touch was necessary. Lemmon actually fares well in the part, wisely avoiding any imitation of Gable's original performance. He gives the role some good comic flair, playing well off Allyson, though it's just not enough to make the film work. The Gene DePaul and Johnny Mercer-penned songs include: "You Can't Run Away from It" (sung by The Four Aces), "Howdy, Friends and Neighbors!" (sung by Stubby Kaye, Allyson, Lemmon, ensemble), "Temporarily" (sung by Lemmon, Allyson), "Thumbin' a Ride" (sung by Lemmon, Allyson), "Scarecrow Ballet" (sung by Allyson), "Old Reporters Never Die" (sung by Lemmon), and "Finale" (sung by chorus). leave a comment
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