• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Casa Bouquet

let your joy bloom

  • Home
  • About
  • Culture
  • Home-making
  • Education
  • Travel
  • Style
  • Series
You are here: Home / Culture / Lisa’s Home Bijou: Moon Over Miami

Lisa’s Home Bijou: Moon Over Miami

March 15, 2019 by Lisa Grable 1 Comment

Film Festival: Art Deco

Betty Grable is our hostess for a romance-filled tour in Moon Over Miami. When you think about Art Deco, Miami Beach comes to mind. It’s one of the best places in America to see Art Deco buildings and style integrated into the fabric of a city.Moon Over Miami with Betty Grable. Singing, dancing, Florida, and 1940's fashions! Lisa's Home Bijou

 

“We’re going to Miami. That’s right, Miami. Where rich men are as plentiful as grapefruit and millionaires hang from every palm tree.” –Kay

Moon Over Miami (1941) brings us Betty Grable and south Florida in maximum Technicolor glory. It’s the tale of the Latimer family, two sisters and their aunt, golddigging their way from Texas to Miami in a manic husband-hunt.

Kay (Betty Grable) and Barbara Latimer (Carole Landis) work as singing waitresses at Texas Tommy’s (“Service with a Song”) drive-in restaurant. Their Aunt Susan (Charlotte Greenwood) is the short-order cook. The three women are thrilled when they receive news of an inheritance, but after taxes and lawyers’ fees, they’re left with a very meager amount. Rather than give up on their dreams, they quit their jobs and devise a plan.

moon-over-miami-waitress
moon-over-miami-latimers

Our trio checks into a beautiful pink luxury hotel in Miami, the Flamingo. They used what was left of the inheritance to buy Kay a deluxe wardrobe. Barbara poses as Kay’s secretary and Susan plays their personal maid. They immediately meet two rich, eligible young men among the guests wintering at the hotel. The two boys get into a competition for the attentions of “wealthy” Kay.

moon-over-miami-flamingo
moon-over-miami-checkin

“Let’s see what do we want? We want you, the juice of the grape and a good hot dance band.”
“But right now we’ll settle for those potato chips and cheese.”
— Phil and Jeffmoon-over-miami-potato-chips

Kay and Phil McNeal (Don Ameche) get very close. Phil confesses that his family fortune is gone and he is looking for a rich wife. Kay in turn confesses her plot to Phil and he begins to push her at the truly rich Jeff Bolton (Robert Cummings.) Meanwhile, Barbara and Susan enjoy their own romances. Susan flirts with a hotel waiter, played endearingly by Jack Haley. After multiple mix-ups, everyone ends up happy.

moon-over-miami-kay-phil
moon-over-miami-jack-haley
moon-over-miami-barbara-jeff

Travis Banton designed a memorable set of costumes for Betty Grable. We first see her in a short cowgirl skirt with fringe and boots that show off her great legs and a hat that frames her face. When arriving in Miami she wears an aqua fur-trimmed traveling suit with a giant matching muff. Her first party outfit is blue and white georgette, trimmed with stars. For a date she wears a peach halter-topped gown with silver sequined appliques down the front.

moon-over-miami-star-dress
moon-over-miami-pink

A midriff-baring silver lamé halter is the focus of another party gown. The long skirt is made of white chiffon and she wears a row of white-sequined lilies in her hair. When visiting a millionaire’s private off-shore island, Betty wears a royal blue and white pantsuit. Her final party dress is a white crepe gown with an open back, painted with huge, colorful butterflies. If you love 1940s fashion, these outfits will feed your soul!

Moon Over Miami with Betty Grable. Singing, dancing, Florida, and 1940's fashions! Lisa's Home Bijou
moon-over-miami-butterfly

The songs and musical numbers in Moon over Miami are by turns very gay or very romantic: “Mornin’ Friend,” “Oh Me, Oh Miami,” “You Started Something,” “I’ve Got You All to Myself,” “I Don’t Know,” “I’m in a Paradise with You,” “Conga to a Nursery Rhyme,” and “Swing Seminole.”moon-over-miami-susan

Miami and south Florida are also colorful stars of the movie. We visit Miami Beach, Cypress Gardens, Silver Springs, Rainbow Springs, and even get a little glimpse of the Hialeah racecourse.moon-over-miami-cypress-gardens

An energetic, attractive, and musical cast, the beautiful settings of Florida, and Betty Grable’s dancing all make Moon Over Miami a light-hearted package that is hard to resist.

Resource links

  • https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033918/?ref_=nv_sr_1
    • Moon Over Miami (1941) from IMDb
  • http://www.hollywoodsgoldenage.com/actors/betty_grable.html
    • Betty Grable from Hollywood’s Golden Age
  • http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/76277%7C30876/Charlotte-Greenwood/
    • Charlotte Greenwood from Turner Classic Movies
  • https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/things-to-do/history-and-heritage/an-introduction-to-the-art-deco-historic-district
    • The Miami Beach Art Deco Historic District from Miami and the Beaches

plumeria barAffiliate links: if you make a purchase using product links, I’ll receive compensation towards maintaining this blog.

This review appeared originally in RETRO magazine, Nancy Eaton, editor.

Related posts

Just Around the Corner Grand Hotel Top Hat

 

Share this post:
error
fb-share-icon
Tweet
fb-share-icon

Filed Under: Culture, Movies Tagged With: 1941, art deco, Betty Grable, classic films, Lisa's Home Bijou, Miami

Previous Post: « Koko Head Cafe island brunch house with dumplings
Next Post: Hawaii : Oahu overview »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. marilyn1998

    March 20, 2019 at 9:08 pm

    Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared.

    Reply

What are your thoughts? Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hey, I’m Lisa

Lisa Grable, Casa BouquetI’m an educator, grandmother, classic movie fan, sewer and crafter, and I love Hawaii. Read more about me …

Subscribe for email updates

Don't miss a post! Receive an email when new posts are published. Get freebies!

Please follow & like us :)

Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
Instagram
Follow by Email
RSS

Amazon

Zoom hula classes from Kanoe Miller

kanoe miller hula Oct. 2022Kanoe Miller teaches 5 week hula sessions on Zoom. Kanoe dances at the Hale Kulani in Waikiki and began her hula studies with Maiki Aiu Lake. Call or email to register. Times listed are Hawaii Standard.

More in Lisa’s Home Bijou

vintage movie theater sign

Recent Posts

joy of giving giveaway hostesses Nov 2022

Joy of Giving giveaway 11.12.22 – 12.15.22

back to school giveaway 08.27.22 - 09.27.22

Back to school giveaway 08.27.22 – 09.27.22

summer cash giveaway

Summer Cash Giveaway 07.23 – 08.23.2022

College preparation at the end of high school includes planning, tips, and checklists. Entrance tests, applications, financial aid, and more!

6 tips for college preparation – applying, FAFSA

Posts by Category

Casa Bouquet parties

Over the Moon

Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party
Wonderful Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things

Featured series

Casa Bouquet pie recipes series.
College planning posts for middle and high school students. Download free checklist, cost calculation, and career interest worksheets. Resource links!

Copyright © 2022 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework · Design by Stephanie Jones

 

Loading Comments...