back of the pattern envelope
In most of the film, Ann wears very prim and proper suits and dresses, and in its more famous moments, she wears a bathing suit as a model for Stevens. Her cheesecake image will be reproduced on billboards, causing her character, Katie Standish, no end of embarrassment. Since Ann Blyth, unlike many young starlets, refused to do cheesecake shots to promote her career, the bathing suit scenes and the promotion that got on lobby cards and posters probably is what people remember most about Katie Did It -- unfortunately, many probably do not remember the movie at all, as it has been out of circulation a long time. Except for the odd black market copy, it's not available on DVD, nor has it been shown on Turner Classic Movies. At least for the time being, you can see it here on YouTube.
From my book Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star.:
Katie Did It (1951) is the first of four films to be released in 1951. In the timeline of Ann’s movie career, Katie Did It is sandwiched between two big hits: the drama Our Very Own (1950), and the musical, The Great Caruso (1951). It seems to have been obscured by them both. It’s a shame, because Katie is a pleasant comedy, that, while not a demanding challenge for its talented cast, nevertheless is quite enjoyable, provides Ann with another shot at demonstrating her comedic skills, and most rare—allows her to sing a bit. Also, it allows us to see the star, famed for refusing to do cheesecake photos, posing for a painting in a bathing suit. Thus, intentionally or unintentionally, the film pokes fun at Ann’s own real-life modesty as much as it does her prim New England librarian character.
We also discussed Katie Did It here at my Another Old Movie Blog.
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