Description: |
Just as the musical revue New Faces is about to begin its first performance, comedian and producer Ronny Graham is hounded by the show's impatient creditor, Mr. Dee. Ronny asks French singer Robert Clary if he has seen his girl friend, Virginia de Luce Clayborn, whose rich Texan father has promised to back the show. When Virginia arrives, however, she sadly tells Ronny that her father has given her only half the money he promised, and will not supply the rest until after he has seen her performance. Desperate to stall Dee, Ronny tells Robert to "handle" him, and the diminutive Robert locks Dee in a closet, then joins the rest of the cast for the opening number. Following the first number, Eartha Kitt sings "C'est si bon," after which Virginia makes her first appearance. Although Virginia only sings one song, "He Takes Me off His Income Tax," and introduces the skits, she tries hard to perfect her skills, and Robert expresses his pride. The first skit, "Crazy, Man!" features Ronny as a "hep" musician named Dazz Rocco, who is investigated by a Senate committee exploring the potentially harmful effects of "be-bop." After revealing that he stays awake for four days at a time with the help of Benzadrine, Dazz charms the senators into joining his bohemian lifestyle. Robert then sings "Lucky Pierre" and is followed by June Carroll, who sings "Penny Candy" and reminisces about her childhood love of sweets. After watching Alice Ghostley perform "Boston Beguine," during which she describes a youthful, doomed romance, Robert goes backstage, where Virginia reveals that her father is opposed to her acting career. Robert confesses his love in French, but Virginia, who does not understand him, worries that she will have to return to her tiny hometown in Texas. Robert then returns onstage to join Eartha and Rosemary O'Reilly in singing "Love Is a Simple Thing," after which Ronny performs a skit entitled "Oedipus Goes South," in which he plays a Southern writer named Herman Kaput. Herman reads a passage from his latest book, then tells the audience: "a lot of literary critics have been telling y'all that I'm an unhealthy author. I ain't unhealthy, folks, I'm sick!" The next number presents Alice and June as spinster sisters singing "Time for Tea," after which Robert plays a painter and sings "Alouette." Next, Eartha asks Santa Claus to bring her jewels and furs in "Santa Baby," after which the company performs "Waltzing in Venice" and "Take off the Mask," about a masquerade ball in Venice. Backstage, Ronny meets Mr. Clayborn and begs him for the rest of the money, but the hearty Texan insists that he must see how Virginia does in the second half of the show before he will fully fund it. The next skit, "Trip of the Month," features Paul Lynde as a bedraggled traveler who won a jungle safari to the Congo, where he was beset by various disasters, including the loss of his wife. The following number, "It's Raining Memories," is performed by Robert, and after Eartha sings the exotic "Uska Dara," Robert sings "I'm in Love with Miss Logan," about a school boy who is infatuated with his teacher. "Of Fathers and Sons," the next skit, features Paul as "Harry the Heel," a down-on-his-luck pickpocket who hopes that his scholarly son Stanley will follow in his larcenous footsteps. Harry's desire seems destined to remain unfulfilled until Stanley turns him into the police for the reward money, and Harry gleefully realizes that his son has a treacherous streak after all. As Robert and Virginia watch backstage, he assures her that everything will be all right, and she accepts his marriage proposal. The company then performs "Lizzie Borden," after which Eartha and Robert duet on "Bal Petit Bal." Pleased with Virginia's performance, Clayborn gives Ronny the rest of the money, but when Virginia tells him that she is engaged, Clayborn mistakes the tall Ronny for her fiance. Clayborn faints upon hearing that tiny Robert is to be his son-in-law, and while Virginia tends to her father, Eartha performs "Monotonous." After carrying Robert onstage to protect him from the enraged Dee, Virginia joins the company in performing their finale. |