Pot o’ Gold (1941)

(On TV, January 2021) James Stewart’s filmography is vast, and not all of his movies are equally good or as well known to modern viewers. By 1941, he was already well known—The Philadelphia Story had earned critical acclaim, and you could see his screen persona coalescing around his specific strengths. These strengths did not necessarily include singing and dancing, making him a curious choice for Pot o’ Gold, a musical comedy teaming him with Paulette Goddard along with feuding families, obscured identities and a radio program distributing cash prizes. There’s singing, dancing, romance and comedy—but the sum of it is less successful than you’d expect. Stewart himself wasn’t a fan of the film, and contemporary reviews were harsh. Nowadays, Pot o’ Gold can be mildly interesting for the incongruous spectacle of Stewart in a musical comedy role, or as another film to feature the beautiful Goddard. Still, it’s not much of a success, and there are plenty of better films to see.