Mother Wore Tights (1947)

Feel Good Movie

Growing up, I used to watch this movie every time it came on Disney. Until 2003 it had never been released for retail purchase. I looked for it for years, and was thrilled when they finally started releasing some of the Grable classics. It's a great musical and the songs will stick with you forever. I've recently heard rumors that it is going to be released on DVD sometime in 2008. January 6, 2008

Corny, simple minded family entertainment

Although this was Betty Grable's most successful film in the forties and broke from the normal backstage conventions of her films, it suffers from a severe attack of the "cutes" in 2006. Dan Dailey partners Betty and their rapport is obvious. They are charming but corny.

The film traces the lives of a vaudeville couple who meet, marry and raise 2 daughters. The song and dance routines are generally undemanding and therefore unimpressive. At least Grable looks great and the opening routine is the liveliest and best of the whole film. It has more energy than the rest of the film put together. The film is very well made with the trademark Fox photography and the production values are high.

The film offers friendly family entertainment but there is no edge so it dates badly. Much of the film is simply boring. March 6, 2006

Fun For the Family

Mother Wore Tights is a story about a vaudeville dancer and her life through the narration of her second daughter. It is a sweet story filled with music, romance, and family.

Betty Grable is excellent in this film. Her character ages from being a teenager to an adult to a mother to and elderly grandmother. Unlike actresses who age so much in other films, Grable is highly believable at each point in her character's life and she is also quite beautiful too.

Dan Dailey plays Grable's husband, a somewhat awkward man with great confidence and nimble dancing ability. He makes a great match with Grable.

The two children, Iris and Mikie, are played by Mona Freeman and Connie Marshall. Each are great in their parts and help to make the story interesting as it goes along. Without them, the film would not have been as good.

This film is filled with songs, none of them randomly sung out of the blue to express emotion, but because the characters are performing in vaudeville or because they feel like singing a song for fun. "Who Knows How Much I Love You?" is sung several times in the film, each time becoming more and more beautiful and meaningful. "Kokomo, Indiana" is sung twice in the film and is a catchy, happy song. The costumes used in the stage numbers are traditional and gorgeous, not too flashy.

This film combines the joviality of music and the sentiment of family. For those who enjoy these two genres of film, see this one! December 15, 2005

Very Sweet, Fun Movie

I read the negative reviews and understand that to some it's a little dull, and the musical/dance numbers arent the greatest of all time, but I just adore this movie! It's one of those lay down and relax with a bowl of popcorn on a rainy day type of flicks. Also very uplifting for those "blue" days. Takes you back to a simpler time, there's not a lot of action or drama and no violence. Great family entertainment - good clean fun. I try to catch it every time it comes on -- I just love this one! June 8, 2005

Family Fare

This movie is an all time favorite for my children and me. Great family "values" with close family trying to stay together despite parents' jobs in show business and adolescent girls not wanting "to be seen" with parents. Much warmth with fabulous, uplifting old vaudeville tunes--great singing and dancing--kids of all ages love it. It is so obvious that there was strong, mutual admiration between Dan Dailey and Betty Grable. October 31, 2003

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