COUNTRY MUSIC HOLIDAY

June Carter Cash and Ferlin Husky

COUNTRY MUSIC HOLIDAY (1958). Director: Alvin Ganzer. 

Returning from Japan after a stint in the army, Vern Brand (Ferlin Husky) finds that his pal Clyde Woods (Faron Young) has become a big country music star. Vern's Pappy (Rod Brasfield) is convinced that Vern is more talented and could do even better. Former bookie turned music producer Sonny Moon (Jesse White) wants a singer who can rival Clyde and sends him a bus ticket to Manhattan. There Vern tours the nightclubs for publicity and becomes acquainted with Zsa Zsa Gabor (playing herself), who takes a shine to him. Back in Tennessee, Vern's girlfriend Marietta (June Carter Cash) reads of all this and decides to take off for New York ... 

Zsa Zsa Gabor and Jesse White

Although released by a major studio, Country Music Holiday comes off more like something from Monogram. Although Husky, a genuine country music star, is not Olivier, he can act and has a degree of charm (although I could have done without his putdown of a true genius like Tchaikovsky). Jesse White is as obnoxious as ever. Zsa Zsa Gabor manages to give a decent and amusing performance playing herself. Faron Young was also a country star and is appealing. June Carter (Cash) manages to get across her fear that Vern will forget her once he goes to New York without having to even say it. Another cast member is Rocky Graziano, also playing himself as an assistant to Sonny Moon. Two characters named Al Fisher and Lou Marks also play themselves, former Army buddies of Vern's who become his manager -- they are pretty awful. There are numerous -- far too many -- people playing assorted agents, TV producers, variety show hosts and so on. Patty Duke, in her first movie, plays Vern's sister, but you won't recognize her. 

June Carter Cash and Ferlin Husky

The movie's only justification are the generally memorable musical numbers. Faron Young sings "The Face of Love" and does a swingin' version of "When It Rains It Pours" with Elvis-like gyrations. Ferlin Husky's numbers include the title tune (by David and Bacharach), "My Home Town," "Terrific Together" and "Wide, Wide World," all of which are quite catchy. When Zsa Zsa first meets Vern she refers to country music as "peasant" music! Love that Zsa Zsa! The screenplay for this is pretty bad, which is probably why Husky wound up in even worse crap like Hillbillies in a Haunted House!

Verdict: Husky deserved better. **.