Coney Island is a 1943 American Technicolor musical film released by Twentieth Century Fox and starring Betty Grable in one of her biggest hits. A "gay nineties" musical (set in that time period), it also featured George Montgomery, Cesar Romero, and Phil Silvers, was choreographed by Hermes Pan, and was directed by Walter Lang. Betty Grable also starred in the 1950 remake, Wabash Avenue.
In 1944, the year after the film was released, it was nominated for an Oscar for Alfred Newman in the category of Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture
The film is also known as: Coney Island in Sweden, L'île aux plaisirs in France, L'isola delle sirene in Italy, San oneiro in Greece, Se necesitan maridos in Spain and Tivolin kaunotar in Finland.
Plot
Cast
Betty Grable as Kate Farley
George Montgomery as Eddie Johnson
Cesar Romero as Joe Rocco
Charles Winninger as Finnegan
Phil Silvers as Frankie
Matt Briggs as William Hammerstein
Paul Hurst as Louie
Frank Orth as the Bartender
Soundtrack
"Take It from There" Music by Ralph Rainger Lyrics by Leo Robin "Beautiful Coney Island" Music by Ralph Rainger Lyrics by Leo Robin "Miss Lulu from Louisville" Music by Ralph Rainger Lyrics by Leo Robin "Get the Money" Music by Ralph Rainger Lyrics by Leo Robin "There's Danger in a Dance" Music by Ralph Rainger Lyrics by Leo Robin "Old Demon Rum" Music by Ralph Rainger Lyrics by Leo Robin "Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey (I Never Knew Any Girl Like You)" Music by Albert von Tilzer Lyrics by Junie McCree "Cuddle Up a Little Closer" Words by Otto A. Harbach (as O.A. Hauerbach) Music by Karl Hoschna (as Karl L. Hoschna) "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" Music by Ernest Ball Lyrics by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff Jr. "Pretty Baby" Music by Egbert Van Alstyne and Tony Jackson Lyrics by Gus Kahn "The Darktown Strutters' Ball" Written by Shelton Brooks
Radio adaptations
Coney Island was twice presented as a one-hour adaptation on Lux Radio Theatre. On April 17, 1944 Dorothy Lamour and Alan Ladd played the leads. Then on September 30, 1946 Grable reprised her screen role, joined by Victor Mature and Barry Sullivan.