Down to Earth (1947)

50% of users liked it
(1,143 ratings)

A semi-sequel to Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Columbia's Down to Earth is a camp- and kitsch-lover's delight. More beautiful than ever, Rita Hayworth stars as Terpsichore, the Goddess of Dance. From her perch Up Above, Terpsichore discovers that Broadway producer Danny Miller (Larry Parks) intends to put… More A semi-sequel to Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Columbia's Down to Earth is a camp- and kitsch-lover's delight. More beautiful than ever, Rita Hayworth stars as Terpsichore, the Goddess of Dance. From her perch Up Above, Terpsichore discovers that Broadway producer Danny Miller (Larry Parks) intends to put together a musical satire, lampooning herself and her fellow Greek Gods. Eliciting the aid of Heavenly emissary Mr. Jordan (Roland Culver, taking over from the earlier film's Claude Rains), Terpsichore descends to Earth in human form, landing a role in Miller's play. Through her bewitching influence, Miller agrees to abandon his plans for a satire, transforming his production into a portentiously serious "work of art"-which lays a large and noxious egg with the opening-night crowd. Somehow, our ethereal heroine manages to set things right, but there's still one nagging problem: Will she, a goddess, ever be permitted to fall in love with a mere mortal like Miller? Repeating their Here Comes Mr. Jordan roles, James Gleason and Edward Everett Horton appear respectively as the eternally flustered Max Corkle (formerly a fight promoter, now a theatrical agent) and the pompous, rule-bound Heavenly messenger #7013. Silly but immensely entertaining, Down to Earth was remade as the sillier but decidedly less entertaining Xanadu in 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 41 min.
Directed By: Alexander Hall
Genres: Romance, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 21, 1947 Wide
On DVD: May 11, 2004

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It stars Rita Hayworth, looking as good as she's ever looked.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A semi-sequel to Here Comes Mr. Jordan, but it's a musical comedy. The movie is funny and has some good songs too. Xanadu is a sort of remake of this movie as well. This movie is better, of course.
jay n

Mediocre musical wherein Rita is gorgeous but the music is exceptionally ordinary and leading man Larry Parks lacks star quality. A sequel to the far superior Here Comes Mr. Jordan with James Gleason repeating his role from that film, he's one of this film's bright spots.

Cast

            James Burke as Kelly

            Rita Hayworth as Terpsichore/Kitty Pendleton

            Larry Parks as Danny Miller

            Jean Donahue as Betty

            Roland Culver as Mr. Jordan

            William Frawley as Police Lieutenant

            James Gleason as Max Corkle

            Edward Everett Horton as Messenger 7013

            William Haade as Spike

            Marc Platt as Eddie Marin

            Adele Jergens as Georgia Evans

            George Macready as Joe Mannion

            Kathleen O'Malley as Dolly

            Fred F. Sears as Orchestra Leader

            Eddie Acuff as Stagehand

            Dusty Anderson
            
            Arthur Blake as Mr. Somerset

            Billy Bletcher as Conductor

            Al Bridge as Police Sergeant

            Rudolph Cameron as Stage Manager

            Frank Darien as Janitor

            Jean Del Val as Croupier

            Matty Fain as Henchman

            Mary Forbes as Dowager

            Grayce Hampton
            
            Tom Hanlon as Announcer

            Winifred Harris as Woman

            Dorothy Hart as Muse

            Myron Healey as Sloan

            Ernest Hilliard as Bit

            Frederic Howard
            
            Virginia Hunter as Muse

            Boyd Irwin as Man

            Lucien Littlefield as Escort 3082

            Wilbur Mack as Messenger

            Peggy Maley as Muse

            Lynn Merrick
            
            Forbes Murray
            
            Ottola Nesmith as Bit

            Mary Newton as Bit

            Jack Norton as Sleeping Man

            Nick Stewart [Nicodemus] as Porter

            Cecil Weston as Bit

            Jean Willes as Betty

            Cora Witherspoon as Bit

            Doris Houck as Muse

            Lucille Casey as Muse

            Raoul Freeman as Policeman

            Edward Harvey as Man

            Francine Kennedy as Chorine

            Bob Ryan as Policeman

            Count Stefanelli as Frenchman

            Tom Daly as Reporter
See full cast