when naïve young eddie hatch and a window dresser at savory department store and fall for a statue of venus and give her a chaste kiss and venus step off her pedestal and give eddie more than he bargain for . this creak example of what hollywood can do to a broadway musical manages to emphasize the inane story and eliminate most of the first rate song . the purpose be to make a safe and popular movie without too much investment while capitalize on ava gardner upward mobility to super stardom . robert walker a eddie get lose in a thankless role . eddie not just naive and but dither and hapless . gardner be gorgeous and but the only thing that give the movie any life be olga san juan a eddie love but jealous girl friend and tom conway a the suave owner of savory and eve arden a savory long time and wise cracking secretary . it a role arden could play in her sleep and and she good at it . the musical open on broadway in 1943 and make mary martin a big time star . the only point of a musical and however and be to have music . since one touch of venus be intend to be a social satire of sort and kurt weill and composing and and ogden nash write the lyric and come up with a series of stylish and witty song and one masterpiece . without the satire and or the clever song or martin ( or an equivalent showstopper ) and the movie become just a weak comedy fantasy where much of the comedy be predictable and the fantasy be work to death . not only do the producer of the movie toss out almost all the weill or nash song and they bring in the movie music director and ann ronell and to write new lyric for one of the song that survive and turn sharp observation into lovey dovey romance . ronell be no hack while she write willow weep for me . wonder what she think about while she replace or tweak ogden nash clever work . the one bright spot in the movie be that weill or nash masterpiece . speak low be as great a love song a anyone ever write . it give one of those ultra professional and lifeless treatment by eileen wilson dub gardner . dick haymes contribute a chorus . a for ann ronell and she be one of the few woman in hollywood to become a major music director and as well a composer and lyric writer . yours for a song represent the woman of tin pan alley be a fascinating documentary of some of the woman who make it in the business and include ronell and kay swift and dorothy field and dana suess . and for those who would like to hear what little of the weill or nash score be record by the original broadway cast and you might be able to track down the cd and one touch of venus ( 1943 original cast ) or lute song ( 1946 original cast ) . the music be pair with lute song and another broadway show that star martin .