Fifty Million Frenchmen (1929) - 2003 Staged Concert Production

Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Book by Herbert Fields

Directed by Greg MacKellan
Music Direction by Dave Dobrusky
Choreography by Cindy Goldfield

Playbill Notes

Although Cole Porter's song had been heard in four different shows on Broadway by 1929, he was generally regarded as a "society darling," a clever but trifling tunesmith who entertained at parties and could throw a few amusing songs into a revue if needed. The opening of Fifty Million Frenchmen changed all that and set the course for his career as one of the greatest composer lyricists the theatre has ever known.

Herbert Fields' script for Fifty Million Frenchmen was deliberately loose-alomost a revue itself with its series of blackouts and sketches-and the show was billed as "a musical tour of Paris." Porter's songs sparkled with originality and a fidelity to the slender plot. "You Do Something to Me," "You've Got that Thing," and "Find Me a Primitive Man" became immediate hits while "Tale of the Oyster" and "You Don't Know Paree" found later popularity with cabaret and nightclub singers.

Fifty Million Frenchmen was a huge success in New York (no mean feat considering it opened exactly a month following the stock market crash) and toured successful for a year after the Broadway run. The 1931 movie version featured William Gaxton (Forbes) and Helen Broderick (Violet) from the Broadway cast but cut all the songs. Three years later, Bob Hope and Dorothy Stone starred in a remake titled Paree, Paree that reinstated some of the songs but was released as a two-reeler. In 1991, Tommy Krasker and Evans Haile restored Frenchmen for a concert production in New York. The concert and its subsequent CD recording were both big successes and critics again acclaimed the richness of Porter's score. Two yers later 42nd Street Moon presented Fifty Million Frenchmen as part of our inagural season and we are delighted to dust it off and bring it back for another go-round.

-- Greg MacKellan

Plot Summary

Peter Forbes, a young American millionaire, journeys to Paris and bets his friends Billy Baxter and Michael Cummins that he can live without his money for a month and, while doing so, get engaged to Looloo Caroll, a young woman he adores. She is in Paris with her parents and her best friend Joyce. The catch is that Peter has one month, until July 4, to throw their engagement party at the Chateau Madrid. Trying to woo Looloo while penniless, he endures humiliation. His first job is as a tour guide, but much to his dismay, he has caught the eye of Violet Hildegarde, a fur-buyer who sends risqué French postcards to her children ("Where Would You Get Your Coat?"). An aspiring singer, May DeVere, also becomes interested in Peter. Since Peter has no time, Looloo and Billy have begun flirting.

Everyone goes to the racetrack, where Louis Pernasse tells Peter that the race is fixed and Toujours Moi will win, and he takes Peter's and May's money to place a bet. It appears that the horse has lost and Peter tears up his ticket, but the winner is disqualified and he has won. However, Looloo thinks he is being selfish in not sharing his winnings (since she had lent him some money) and leaves him ("You Don't Know Paree").

In another week, Pernasse is preparing a party for Looloo's mother, who plans to match her with a poor but titled Grand Duke ("The Queen of Terre Haute"). Mr. Carroll, distressed at the cost, gets drunk, and Looloo does not attend, as she has no desire to marry the Grand Duke.

On July 4, Peter is a dance-host at the Chateau Madrid. As all arrive, Billy and Michael are still chasing Violet and Joyce. Peter, with the pressure of the time-limit bet, proposes. Just then Pernasse tells him to dance with a customer and Looloo starts to leave, confused and embarrassed. Peter and Pernasse have words about the torn-up ticket and Looloo realizes that he was telling the truth. She trusts him and they become engaged as midnight arrives.

(wikipedia)