Happy New Year's Eve! - Bundle of Joy

RKO, 1956

Starring Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher, Adolphe Menjou, and Tommy Noonan

Directed by Norman Taurog

Music by Josef Myrow; Lyrics by Mack Gordon

Reynolds was a bona-fide star by the time she appeared in Bundle of Joy in 1956. This would be one of the last movies made by perpetually unstable RKO Pictures, who was under new management and were trying to restructure. It was also intended to capitalize on Reynolds' much-publicized marriage to singing idol Fisher and their real-life impending "bundle of joy." How does the story of a shop girl who finds a baby and ends up raising it with her boss' son look now? Let's begin with that shop girl, Polly Parrish (Reynolds), as she's heading to her job at J.B Merlin's and Son's, and find out...

The Story: Polly was just fired from her job for overselling hats and creating too many returns when she finds a baby on the sidewalk. Turns out it's in front of an orphanage. Everyone there is convinced that the child is hers, no matter how much she protests that it isn't. Even after she tells them she lost her job and has to leave the baby there, they call store owner J.B Merlin (Menjou) and his son Dan (Fisher) and tell them. They rehire her at a greatly increased salary and bring the baby back to her.

Polly's not happy with the arrangement, but she eventually becomes fond of the baby, whom she names John. She grows pretty fond of John, too. He even takes her out on New Year's Eve when his original date stands him up. Her co-worker Freddie Miller (Tommy Noonan) who has a crush on her is jealous and tells J.B he's the grandfather. Now Polly finds herself saddled with too many guys thrown at her to be John's father...and she may end up losing John when J.B decides that Dan is the father and he should have his child.

The Song and Dance: Adorable remake of the 1939 RKO screwball comedy Bachelor Mother. Reynolds makes a perky and funny shop girl mom and manages an awesome dance routine at a contest with Noonan. There's a nice cast, too, including Menjou as the senior Merlin who wants his son to settle down, Una Merkel as Polly's understanding land lady, Nita Talbot as Reynolds' delightfully sarcastic best friend, and Melville Cooper as the Merlins' snooty butler. Gorgeous color costumes and sets bring to life a busy department store in New York and New Year's Eve in Times Square. 

Favorite Number: Reynolds begins things as she admonishes Talbot to "Worry About Tomorrow" and sell more hats today on her arrival at the store. Fisher joins a group of musically-inclined employees for a swinging "employee emergency," "All About Love." Reynolds and Fisher perform a "Lullaby In Blue" to lull little John to sleep. Reynolds also gets an incredible swing routine at the dance contest with Noonan as they leap and twirl and he tosses her under him. 

Trivia: Reynolds was pregnant with what would become her daughter Carrie Fisher during the filming of this and Tammy and the Bachelor. 

Despite Reynolds and Fisher's popularity, this wound up being a fair-sized flop at the box office.

What I Don't Like: First of all, it's pretty obvious this was a comedy with added songs. Once again, most of the numbers are there more as padding or to let Fisher sing than to move the plot along. Second, there's Fisher. Even he admitted he didn't do that well. He sings wonderfully, but is otherwise a bit stiff, and doesn't have as much chemistry with Reynolds as you might think. It also sometimes comes off as a bit cutesy, even for something involving a baby. The music isn't terribly good, either. As Fisher pointed out, neither he nor Reynolds could get a single out of it, and it's just not that memorable.

The Big Finale: While no blockbuster, it is a cute way to pass an hour and a half during your own New Year's Eve party if you're a fan of Reynolds, Fisher, or the musicals of the 1950's.

Home Media: Easily found on streaming and DVD, the latter from the Warners Archive.

DVD

Amazon Prime

The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady

Warner Bros, 1950

Starring June Haver, Gordon MacRae, James Barton, and Gene Nelson

Directed by David Butler

Music and Lyrics by various

This week, we look at two musicals of the 1950's featuring Debbie Reynolds. This hit was her first major speaking part in a movie, playing the youngest sister of June Haver's title character. How does the tale of an Irish father whose old-fashioned ideas of love may drive his beloved children away look nowadays? Let's start with those three young women in 1898 New York, just as the Spanish-American War comes to a close, and find out...

The Story: Patricia O'Grady (Haver) wants more than anything to be on the stage, like her mother Rosie was. Her father Dennis (Barton) is worried she'll work herself to death like her mother did and doesn't want her to have anything to do with performing. He's determined to choose his daughters' beaus himself, but his oldest Katie (Marcia Mae Jones) has already married a cop (Sean McClory) who just returned from the war and is pregnant with twins. 

Walking past Tony Pastor's theater, Patricia and her youngest sister Maureen (Debbie Reynolds) encounter Pastor himself (MacRae), who's dressed as a tramp. Patricia can't help being drawn to the footlights, and to Tony and his head dancer Doug (Gene Nelson). She invites them for dinner, telling her father they're college students. Tony insists on telling the truth, which leads a raging angry Dennis to throw them out and lock Patricia in her room. No one will stop Patricia from getting on the stage...but when her father is really in trouble, it'll be even harder to keep her away from home.

The Song and Dance: I've only read about this one in books on musical films, but it wound up being a charming surprise. There's some really lovely performances here, especially from Barton as the patriarch determined to keep his daughters from any kind of harm. He's having so much fun being a grumpy dad - check out the sequence where he dances around a tavern while insanely drunk. There's some really cute numbers, too, and gorgeous color costumes representing New York's working class and vaudeville just before the turn of the 20th century. 

Favorite Number: The first big number is "A Farm Off Old Broadway," sung by MacRae as a dandy singing of the charms of the Great White Way to farm hand Nelson and his column-swinging routine. Haver, as Rosie O'Grady, joins Barton for a charming old-fashioned vaudeville number, "My Own True Love and I," when Dennis talks about his vaudeville days to his daughter. Virginia Lee swirls her skirts to "It Looks Like a Big Night Tonight," then drags in a poor fellow for a hilarious acrobatic routine. The big finale is a medley of winter songs, performed in a Christmas skating scene with Patricia and Tony on a sled and even Dennis getting his own pratfalls in before Katie's husband announces he's a father.

Trivia: James Barton was a real-life vaudevillian in this era who appeared in stage and film musicals.

The role of Maureen was written specifically for 17-year-old Reynolds.

Gene Nelson's film debut. 

According to Wikipedia, the movie was in production for so long, it was originally called A Night at Tony Pastor's in 1942 and George Raft was named as the lead. 

What I Don't Like: The story is as resolutely old-fashioned as Dennis and his ideas about marriage. While Katie's pregnancy does give it a bit of a twist, this is otherwise a comic version of the type of melodrama that's been common since this movie was set. Some of it can come off as almost annoyingly corny or goofy nowadays. Oh, and though Tony Pastor was a real-life vaudeville producer and theater owner, he was born in 1837 and would hardly have been a hunky singer in 1898. 

The Big Finale: If you love the cast or old-fashioned historical musicals, you'll want to go backstage and say hello to the daughter of Rosie O'Grady, too. 

Home Media: Currently DVD-only from the Warner Archives. 

DVD

Musicals On TV - The Point!

ABC, 1971

Voices of Ringo Starr, Mike Lookinland, Paul Frees, and Lennie Weinrib

Directed by Fred Wolf

Music and Lyrics by Harry Nilsson

The Point! began as a studio album by Nilsson that told the story of a little boy from a town filled with pointed people and his trip through the Pointless Forest. It was apparently inspired by an acid trip Nilsson had that lead him to realize everything has a point. The animated movie debuted on the ABC Movie of the Week anthology in 1971 as the first made-for-TV animated film. How does the bizarre tale of Oblio and his dog Arrow look nowadays? Let's start with a more typical dad and son as he insists on reading the kid a story and find out...

The Story: Oblio (Lookinland) is the only child in his point-obsessed village born with a round head. This isn't much of an issue until he and his beloved dog Arrow defeats the spoiled son of the Count (Buddy Foster) in a game of Triangle Toss. When Oblio wins, the boy's livid father (Weinrib) convinces the good-natured king (Frees) to banish Oblio and Arrow to the Pointless Forest. 

As the duo quickly discover, the forest isn't really pointless. It's bursting with things that have lots of points - including a three-headed Pointed Man (Frees and June Foray) who pops up to complain about everything else being pointless. After meeting many strange and wondrous creatures and people, Oblio and Arrow finally learn that everything has a point...whether it's a physical point or a real, meaningful part of life.

The Animation: Extremely limited, as per most animated programs of this time. The characters are scratchy, stiff, and simple, even ones like the Fat Sisters who are supposed to be flowing. The animation does have it's good points. Colors are bright primaries that pop off the screen; the oddball zig-zag designs and watercolor backgrounds gives it the feeling of an especially weird Dr. Seuss special. 

The Song and Dance: I have some very fond memories of this one running frequently on The Disney Channel during the late 80's and early 90's; in fact, my family recorded one of those broadcasts on video and watched it for years. It's as strange as I remember it being as a kid, with some amazingly creative characters and an interesting moral about nothing being truly pointless. I really like the voice acting, too. The dialogu sounds quite natural and normal, especially compared to the crazy images of plump ladies in pink bouncing around and giant rock people waking from their naps.

Favorite Number: "Everything's Got 'Em" introduces the Pointed Village, it's citizens, and their world. "Me and My Arrow," the theme for Oblio and his beloved sharp-sided pooch, was the fairly popular single release. "Think About Your Troubles" takes Oblio into the Pointed Forest with a dreamy number that flows and swirls like the ocean discussed in the song. "Life Line" is another dreamy fantasy, this time as Oblio contemplates the creatures that live at the bottom of a bottomless hole. "Are You Sleeping?" appropriately turns into a romantic rendezvous while Oblio and Arrow rest and dream near the end of the film. (It can also be heard over the opening credits.)

Trivia: The father and narrator has been performed by four different men. Dustin Hoffman got 20,000 for the initial 1971 broadcast. He was replaced by Alan Barzman for the second broadcast. Alan Thicke played the role in cable showings (including the version my family recorded). Ringo Starr did it for video and DVD, and it's this version that tends to show up the most often nowadays.

There's at least two stage versions of The Point! One debuted outside of Boston in the mid-70's. The other came out in London in 1977 and featured Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz of The Monkees. Both productions added songs from other Nilsson albums.

What I Don't Like: The story is pretty simple, and even a little silly, with the limited and scratchy animation common in the 60's and 70's. It's pretty obvious this was inspired by an acid trip. Some of the numbers are more weird for weirdness sake than actually moving what story there is along. I also really wish they'd just gone straight into the story. The dad reading the story to the kid pop in occasionally, but their dialogue mainly consists of the kid being bored and the dad fussing that kids don't do anything he did anymore. (And I would love to hear the other three versions of this again, including more of Hoffman's.)

The Big Finale: Bizarre but charming tale is fun for families and fans of classic rock or Nilsson's other work. 

Home Media: This was rereleased on disc this February and can currently be found streaming for free on Tubi.

DVD

Blu-Ray

Tubi

Christmas Eve Double Feature - The Little Drummer Boy & The Little Drummer Boy Book II

We celebrate Christmas Eve with a pair of Rankin-Bass specials on the real meaning of the holiday. The Little Drummer Boy was the first Rankin-Bass special to deal with the more religious side of the holiday and the first to feature a female narrator (Greer Garson). It wound up being one of their bigger hits, enough to warrant a sequel in 1976. How do the stories of the title drummer boy and his encounters with the Baby Jesus and the Three Wise Men look today? Let's start in the desert with Aaron (Teddy Eccles) as he leads his menagerie in a dance and find out...

The Little Drummer Boy 

Rankin-Bass, 1968

Starring Teddy Eccles, Jose Ferrer, Greer Garson, and Paul Frees

Directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr.

Music by Maury Laws; Lyrics by Jules Bass

The Story: Aaron was the son of a shepherd and his wife, who lived on a farm with their livestock. They gave Aaron a drum for his birthday. When he played the drum, he could make the animals dance. After his parents and all but a camel, a donkey, and a lamb are killed by bandits, Aaron vows to hate humankind for what they did to his family. He and his three remaining animals are kidnapped by a rather bad desert show caravan. The owner of the caravan Ben Haramid (Ferrer) thinks Aaron and his dancing friends will be perfect for the performance they plan to put on in Bethlehem for the tax payers.

Aaron does finally perform, but he becomes angry with the crowd for laughing at them and tells them off. The show caravan flees the city, running into three kings bearing expensive gifts following a star. They sell the trio Aaron's camel. Aaron follows them into the city, where his lamb is hurt...and only a miracle from a certain baby born in a manger can save his life.

The Animation: As per the era, this one gets closer to Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, but far less cartoony. Indeed, these figures may be among the most expressive Rankin-Bass ever did, especially little Aaron and wily Ben Haramid. 

The Song and Dance: This musical drama is one of the more interesting Rankin-Bass specials. Greer Garson's sonorous narration adds the right touch of gravity to the proceedings, while Ferrer and Frees have some nice comic relief moments as the members of the rather inept performing caravan. Aaron's change of heart at the end in the title song and moving and beautifully done.

Favorite Number: Ben Haramid sings of why he has to work when "The Goose Is Hanging High." "Why Can't the Animals Smile?" is Aaron's bitter number when he's forced to perform with the desert troupe in Bethlehem. The Vienna Boys Choir provides the backdrop for the moment when Aaron finally plays his drum for the Baby Jesus...and realizes that the hatred in his heart was wrong. 

What I Don't Like: Aaron's kidnapping and the deaths of his parents make this a little bit darker than the average Rankin-Bass special. Ben Haramid and the members of his troupe can come off as Arab stereotypes for some people. 

The Big Finale: One of the absolute best Rankin-Bass specials. If you want to introduce older elementary school-age kids to the story of the birth of Christ, this might not be a bad way to do it. Highly recommended.

Home Media: Out of print on individual DVD, but it can be found on streaming and Blu-Ray, along with several collections of the popular 60's-early 70's Rankin Bass specials.

DVD - The Original Christmas Classics

Blu-Ray

Peacock (Subscription) 

The Little Drummer Boy Book II

Rankin-Bass, 1976

Starring David Jay, Zero Mostel, Greer Garson, and Bob McFadden

Directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr.

Music by Maury Laws; Lyrics by Jules Bass

The Story: After he leaves the Baby Jesus, Aaron (Jay) volunteers to help King Melichor (Ray Owens) bring the beautiful silver bells created by the bell maker Simeon (Allen Swift) to be rung and announce the birth of Christ. The Roman general Brutus (Mostel) and his sniveling toady Plato (McFadden) get there first, taking the bells for taxes. Aaron tells Melichor he'll go after the bells with his animals. He and the others do manage to rescue them and make fools of the soldiers, but the price of his courage is high for him...

The Animation: This is another one that shows Paul Coker Jr's influence, with larger heads and eyes. As in the first, the villains tend to be a bit goofier and more cartoonishly designed than Aaron or the king and bellmaker. 

The Song and Dance: I'm not sure this one really needed a sequel...but that said, this isn't bad. Garson still makes an excellent narrator, and Swift is a wonderful gentle bell-maker. Mostel is the stand-out, throwing himself into the role of the obnoxious Roman officer with gusto. He has some of the most fun of any Rankin-Bass villain, especially in his one number. 

Favorite Number: Mostel, McFadden, and the soldiers have a great time with the chorus number "Money, Money, Money," describing how people went from trading to buying with cash. Aaron sings a reprise in an attempt to distract the soldiers, but they're not having any of it. The Viennese Boys Choir gets to do a lovely "Do You Hear What I Hear?" after Simeon finally rings those bells.

What I Don't Like: As I mentioned, this sequel wasn't really necessary. I suspect it exists mainly because Rankin-Bass loved their franchises and wanted to turn Drummer Boy into one more. The story lacks the simplicity and gravity that made the first one so powerful.

The Big Finale: Nothing you need to go out of your way to see, but it's still an enjoyable enough way to pass a half-hour if you can find it. 

Home Media: Currently available as part of two collections of Warner Brothers-owned holiday specials, including several other lesser-known Rankin-Bass titles.

DVD - Rankin/Bass TV Holiday Favorites

DVD - Classic Christmas Favorites

Musicals On TV - The Mistle-Tones

ABC Family (Freeform), 2012

Starring Tia Mowry, Tori Spelling, Johnathan Patrick Moore, Reginald VelJohnson

Directed by Paul Hoen

Music and Lyrics by various

Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas marathon goes back to 1996, when Freeform was still known as The Family Channel. From the first day of December to the 25th, they ran nothing but Christmas specials, movies, and episodes. (Later on, a few non-holiday family films like the Harry Potter series would sneak in.) This is one of the more popular movies to have aired as part of that marathon, debuting at number 1 in its slot in 2012. What made this one such a hit? Let's start with Holly (Mowry) as she rushes off to audition for the Snow Belles and find out...

The Story: The Snow Belles are a wildly popular local singing group who perform a huge concert at the local mall on Christmas Eve. Holly has always wanted to be a Snow Belle, ever since her mother founded the group 40 years before. However, their current leader Marci (Spelling) refuses to even listen to her audition, even though it goes well, due to Holly being late. Marci ends up hiring her friend Staci (Britani Bateman) instead, even though she's not as good of a singer. 

Frustrated, Holly takes her sister Grace's (Tammy Townsend) advice to start her own group, and even goes to the mall manager (Jason Tatom) and convinces him to hold a Christmas Eve sing-off to let other groups show their stuff. She and her two guy friends at work encourage a shy co-worker with a sensational voice (Megan Kathleen Duffy) to join them. 

They're not bad, but Holly figures they need something extra. When she's stranded at a bar, she discovers their workaholic boss Nick (Moore) is a great dancer and can really rock Elvis hits. He'd rather focus on work, until she blackmails him with the footage she shot at the bar. His choreography and leadership gives them the boost they need, even when Marci tells Holly she now wants her in the Snow Belles. Nick, however, abandons them for a job promotion. Holly's despondent, until her dad (VelJohnson) reminds her that her mother began the Snow Belles to enjoy singing with her friends.

The Song and Dance: Not hard to tell this was directed by the same guy who did the ZOMBIES films. The dance numbers have a lot of the same energy as those movies, with some excellent ensemble numbers for both groups. Mowray has a lot of fun as the talented secretary who wants to prove to everyone that singing means doing something you love, not just performing because you have to. Spelling has a blast as the spoiled head of the Belles, too, and ValJohnson has a nice moment at the end when he reminds his daughter that her mother loved singing right to her.

Favorite Number: The Snow Belles and the Mistle-Tones do two different versions of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" to rehearse for the contest. The Mistle-Tones dance around a warehouse and have a blast doing so. The Belles try to stay in step, but Marci does nothing but demand they do better. Poor Bernie is so shy, Holly and the guys audition her singing "Deck the Halls" in the bathroom at work so no one sees her perform. Johnathan Patrick Moore tears up "Burnin' Love" at the bar, dancing and flirting with pretty ladies and having such a great time, you understand why Holly recorded him. The Mistle-Tones do a great "Winter Wonderland" in rehearsal, but their performance is superceded by the Snow Belles' perfectly synced "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Nick woos Holly back with the others outside the mall with "Baby Please Come Home."

What I Don't Like: This is cliched as heck...and what on Earth does any of it really have to do with Christmas? You could hear this type of story at any time of the year. Everyone is about as one-dimensional as you can get. It's also something of a Christmas jukebox musical, with all of the songs being either carols or recent holiday hits. 

The Big Finale: Cute enough that I enjoyed seeing it once, but it's too cliched to be something I watch every year. If you love the cast or are a fan of romantic comedies, you may find a lot more in this one than I did.

Home Media: Not currently on disc, but it can be found for streaming in many places, including for free at Freeform's web site, at Disney Plus with a subscription, and at Amazon Prime.

Freeform

Disney Plus

Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - The Stingiest Man In Town (1978)

NBC/Rankin-Bass, 1978

Voices of Walter Matthau, Dennis Day, Tom Bosley, and Robert Morse

Directed by Katshuhisa Yamada, Arthur Rankin Jr., and Jules Bass

Music by Fred Spielman; Lyrics by Janice Torre

Given Rankin-Bass did animated specials for pretty much every other holiday-related property in the 60's and 70's, it was probably inevitable that they'd get to A Christmas Carol sooner or later. The soundtrack for The Stingiest Man In Town remained popular, but the live broadcast was long-gone by 1978. NBC commissioned this special in order to preserve their copywrite on the music. How does it compare to the live-action version I reviewed on Thursday? Let's start at Scrooge's counting house this time and find out...

The Story: B.A.H Humbug (Bosley), an insect who lives in Scrooge's (Matthau) counting house, narrates the story of how he met three ghosts on one cold Christmas Eve. Scrooge was once the most miserable man in London. He cheated his clerk Bob Cratchit (Sonny Melendrez) out of holiday bonus money and refused to spend one cent for the poor. Scrooge learns his lesson from the ghost of his former boss Marley (Theodore Bikel) and the ghosts of past, present, and future, who show him what his life holds if he doesn't change his ways.

The Animation: Like 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, the character designs here were done by Paul Coker Jr., who did illustrations for MAD Magazines for years. While slightly less cartoon-y than the shorter special, it still shows Coker's hand, with large heads and huge, rounded eyes. The colorful backgrounds here, especially during the "Golden Dreams" fantasy number, are also quite nice.

The Song and Dance: Some of the Rankin-Bass specials made after about 1975 can get pretty bizarre, but this is one of the better ones. Already-strong material makes all the difference here. They keep the entire original score (save a few reprises), and even manage to do better by a few of them. Day makes a jolly Nephew Fred, Morse and Shelby Flint are an appealing pair of lovers in the past sequence, Bikel brings gravity to an especially spooky Marley, and Melendrez is a charming Bob Cratchit.

Favorite Number: Bosley joins the stray animals of London to complain about Scrooge's lack of charity as he bilks everyone around him in the title song. Day joins Matthew to bark about how Christmas is a "Humbug" and explain why "An Old-Fashioned Christmas" is worth enjoying. Young Scrooge's "Golden Dreams" has him and Belle waltzing in a fantasy palace, but she prefers the simple comforts and family of "It Might Have Been." "The Christmas Spirit" is still performed by toys under the Ghost of Christmas Present's tree, but this time Humbug and a shrunken Scrooge get to dance along. Scrooge also joins The Ghost of Christmas Present to learn why "One Little Boy" can mean the world to his family and friends. 

Trivia: Charles Matthau, who did the voice of Tiny Tim, is Walter Matthau's son (adding an extra layer of poignancy to "One Little Boy").

This was Dennis Day's last TV appearance.

What I Don't Like: Much of the original story was compressed for time and a younger audience, even from the live-action version. Of the three ballets, only the "Christmas Spirit" toy ballet was even remotely carried over. The Future segment is barely hinted at; we only see a few minutes of the Ghost leading Scrooge to his tomb before he converts. Those who preferred the Four Lads in the original may find Bosley's "Humbug" to be too cutesy and maybe seen a little too much. Day's Nephew Fred might have been used a bit more. The segment with Scrooge's sister Fan is cut, and "The Birthday Party of the King" is now sung by Bosley.

The Big Finale: This is one of the rare times I'm equally happy with the original and its remake. I admit to be a bit biased as I recall occasionally seeing this one on cable as a child. Whether you go for live-action and animation, they're both worth checking out for fans of Christmas Carol, Rankin-Bass, or the casts. 

Home Media: Currently only on DVD as part of two collections of Warner Bros-owned Christmas specials; the second includes How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Year Without a Santa Claus.

DVD - Rankin/Bass TV Holiday Favorites Collection

DVD - Classic Christmas Favorites

Musicals On TV - The Stingiest Man In Town (1956)

NBC, 1956

Starring Basil Rathbone, Robert Weede, Johnny Desmond, and Martyn Green

Directed by Daniel Petrie

Music by Fred Spielman; Lyrics by Janice Torre

Here's a true "lost Dickens treasure." This broadcast from the live show The Alcoa Hour vanished after its initial showing despite being a huge hit. It existed only in a 1978 animated remake (which we'll get to on Saturday) and a rare soundtrack album. The kinetoscope was recovered about a decade ago from the home of a retired executive for Alcoa Aluminum, and it was released on DVD in 2011. How does this version compare to other TV Christmas Carols, including the one from two years earlier with Fredrick March? Let's start, not with Scrooge, but on the street as the Four Lads tell us "A Christmas Carol" and find out...

The Story: Scrooge (Rathbone) is a nasty old miser who refuses to give one cent to the poor, chases children who sing at his door away, and barely pays his clerk Bob Cratchit (Green) enough for him and his family to survive. After the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley (Weede) turns up, showing other spirits who never did any good, he claims Scrooge will be visited by three more spirits. The ghosts of Christmas Past (Ian Martin), Present (Robert Wright), and Yet-to-Come (Keith Harrington) shows Scrooge how he lost the love of his life (Patrice Munsel) to his gradual stinginess...and what will happen in the future if he doesn't change his ways.

The Song and Dance: I've done very well with vintage TV musicals this year, and Stingiest Man In Town is no exception. Rathbone is an excellent Scrooge, especially when he's grumbling and ranting about how Christmas is a "humbug" in the first half. Johnny Desmond has a lot of fun as Nephew Fred, and Green makes such a lovely Cratchit, you wish he had more to do. The special effects are surprisingly well-done for early television, especially when Marley shows Scrooge the wandering spirits. Even The Four Lads and their narration are well-integrated into the story. 

Favorite Number: The Four Lads open the show with "A Christmas Carol," which they reprise several times throughout the story as Scrooge heads out with the ghosts. The waltz "An Old-Fashioned Christmas" is also performed several times, notably by Desmond and the chorus after he talks to Scrooge and as an instrumental chorus number at the Fezziwigs' party. The Four Lads return as beggars who complain about how Scrooge is "The Stingiest Man In Town." Bob Cratchit's daughter Martha assures her brother Tim that "Yes, There Is a Santa Claus," and there is generosity in this world. 

We even get two ballets. The first appears as part of Scrooge and Belle's ballad medley, "Golden Dreams" and "It Might Have Been." Men dance as they help build up Scrooge's business...and build a wall between Belle and Scrooge that can never be torn down. "The Devil Ballet" comes in the future segment, as wraiths glide around Scrooge, bringing him to his doom.

Trivia: This was broadcast in color, but the kinetoscope survives in black and white. 

What I Don't Like: Damone and Munsel sing "Golden Dreams" and "It Might Have Been" beautifully, but they're otherwise a bit wooden as the lovers torn apart by his greed. There's times when this being a live broadcast comes to the fore, especially with the occasionally stagey and cramped production. 

The Big Finale: I'm so glad they finally found this one. Fine music and a mostly wonderful cast really bring this Charles Dickens classic to life.

Home Media: Only on DVD from VCI Entertainment.

DVD

In the Good Old Summertime

MGM, 1949

Starring Judy Garland, Van Johnson, Buster Keaton, and S.Z Sakall

Directed by Robert Z. Leonard and Buster Keaton (uncredited)

Music and Lyrics by various

Despite the title, this mainly takes place during the holiday season. It's the second film version of the Miklos Laszlo play Parfumerie after the 1939 non-musical comedy The Shop Around the Corner. How does this one compare to that and the 1998 retelling You've Got Mail? To find out, we begin in Chicago around the turn of the 20th century, just as music shop salesman Andrew Larkin (Johnson) begins his busy day...

The Story: Andy loves his job working at Otto Oberkugen's (Sakall) music shop, with Otto's nephew Hickey (Keaton), stock man Rudy Hansen (Clinton Sundberg), and secretary Nellie (Spring Byington). He doesn't love Veronica Fisher (Garland), whom he literally ran into on his bike in town. She manages to get a job at the shop after she uses her musical skills to sell a harp to a wealthy woman. Veronica and Andy spend their time at work constantly bickering and trying to one-up each other. What they don't know is that they've been writing each other for months as anonymous pen pals and are really in love with each other. Veronica may think she hates him, but she's really concerned when Andy gets in trouble after accidentally loaning a priceless violin to a hopeful music student (Marcia Van Dyke). 

The Song and Dance: No doubt about it, this was a real charmer. Garland and Johnson are adorable as the two workers who think they hate each other, but don't realize how much they're truly in love. Keaton has some nice gags (several he devised himself) as Otto's deadpan nephew. The costumes and sets are lovely and (mostly) historically accurate, beautifully reflecting the Chicago of over 120 years ago. 

Favorite Number: Garland performs the lovely waltz "Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland," on the harp when she's trying to sell it to a rich customer and land a job. She joins a barbershop quartet for "Wait 'Till the Sun Shines Nellie" and "Play That Barbershop Chord" at the big Christmas party, then launches into an energetic "I Don't Care." The holiday ballad "Merry Christmas" turns up at the end, performed by Garland at the shop.

Trivia: Liza Minelli makes her film debut as Johnson and Garland's little girl in the final shot of the film.

Keaton was a gag writer at MGM when the producers came to him to figure out how one could destroy a violin. They figured out that he was the only one who could really do the gag he came up with and ended up giving him a role in the movie. He wrote and directed the sequence where Veronica and Andrew meet and he destroys her dress and hat, too. 

In the Good Old Summertime wasn't the last time Parfumerie was adapted as a musical. She Loves Me debuted on Broadway in 1963. It ran a little under a year with Barbara Cook in Garland's role and Daniel Massey in Johnson's; unlike Summertime, it's based after the original play, retaining the original characters and 30's setting. She Loves Me has always been a critical darling, enough to have been revived on Broadway and the West End in the mid-90's and 2016. 

What I Don't Like: Why didn't they do what She Loves Me eventually did and actually adapt Parfumerie as a musical? They use the basic idea of the story and some details (like Veronica thinking she's been stood up when Andrew appears at the café where she's supposed to meet her pen pal), but eliminate or revise many characters and move the setting. It probably didn't need to be set at the turn of the century, either. Buster Keaton has so much fun with his bits, I wish we could have seen a little more of him. 

Would have been nice if someone besides Garland and the chorus could have sung some numbers, too. Johnson and Keaton are capable singers, and Sakall could manage. This is really more of a romantic comedy with a couple of vintage tunes shoehorned in than a typical musical.

The Big Finale: Sweet and charming romantic comedy makes adorable background music during December for fans of Garland, Keaton, Johnson, or the MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's. 

Home Media: Easily found on streaming and two DVDs; the solo DVD is currently released by the Warner Archives.

DVD

DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Judy Garland

Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - Cricket On the Hearth

Rankin-Bass, 1967

Voices of Danny Thomas, Marlo Thomas, Ed Ames, and Roddy McDowell

Directed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass

Music by Maury Laws; Lyrics by Jules Bass

We kick off this year's holiday reviews with the first Rankin-Bass 2-D animated special. This debuted as an episode of The Danny Thomas Show in 1967. It promptly disappeared for 30 years until it turned up on video in 1998 and then on The Family Channel as part of their "25 Days of Christmas" marathon. Is it really a "lost Dickens treasure" like the blub on the video claimed, or should it be dumped at sea? Let's start with Danny Thomas introducing the cartoon on his show and find out...

The Story: Cricket Crockett (McDowell) first encounters Caleb Plummer (Danny Thomas) while looking for a hearth to adopt. Plummer and his daughter Bertha (Marlo Thomas) are toy makers with a lovely shop of their own. Crockett moves in just as Bertha's sailor fiancée Edward (Ames) is being shipped out. She's willing to wait for him...until a government official announces he's lost at sea. She goes blind from the shock. Her father spends so much money trying to restore her sight, he loses the shop and is forced to look for work. 

Crockett finds a toy factory in need of workers...but it's run by nasty Mr. Tackleton (Hans Conried) and his crow Uriah (Paul Frees). Tackleton is a miser who who'll let the Plummers live at the factory, but refuses to pay them. Caleb's told Bertha that they're living in a beautiful home and Tackleton is a wonderful man. This backfires when Tackleton asks Bertha to marry him. Crockett tries to keep her from agreeing, but Tackleton orders Uriah to get him out of the way. And who's that gentle old man who suddenly appears in front of the shop?

The Animation: Not as whimsical as the later 2-D Rankin-Bass specials designed by Paul Coker, this one looks more like early anime. The eyes are wide and expressive, even though the characters don't really move much. What I like about this one are the brilliant colors - the psychedelic backgrounds frequently pop against the golds, browns, and corals on the characters and the green of Cricket Crockett.

The Song and Dance: Well, it's one of the more interesting Rankin-Bass specials.. Abbe Lane steals the show with her ribald saloon number, and Conried makes a great Scrooge-esque mean old miser, too. There's an occasional unusual idea or cute gag, like the animals who help Crockett head off Tackleton before Bertha gives him her answer or how Crockett gets back to land.

Favorite Number: The title song opens that opens and closes the special explains the legend of the Cricket on the Hearth and how they're said to bring good luck. Ames performs the lovely ballad "Don't Give Your Love Away" as he imagines Bertha waiting patiently for him. Lane's big number is "Fish and Chips," performed by a cat singing about her boyfriend claiming he has more money than he does in the dive bar where Uriah and the Captain meet. Caleb tells Bertha why they'll be all right if they don't have an extravagant holiday, reminding her that "The First Christmas" wasn't fancy, either.

What I Don't Like: I agree with one review that says this feels more like the bizarre specials Rankin-Bass made a decade later than the ones they put out during the 60's. The melodrama is completely ridiculous and features pretty much every dramatic cliché possible, from his dying at sea to her suddenly becoming blind to the Tackleton's conversion. Danny and Marlo Thomas may be the reason this exists, but they're not exactly believable as a British toymaker in the 1840's and his daughter, and though Ames sings beautifully, he's even more wooden. Most of the songs, especially Lane's saloon routine, have nothing whatsoever to do with the story and are there more as filler or to show off the animation. 

My biggest complaint is, despite being the narrator and title character, Crockett often feels like an afterthought in his own vehicle. He claims to be important to the family, but the special puts more focus on the Plummers' problems than the cricket they taken in. He doesn't even have a song of his own. This is also pretty dark for Rankin-Bass, especially the violent fate of Uriah Caw. It's really not for very young children.

The Big Finale: Too melodramatic for all but the most ardent Rankin-Bass fans, Dickens enthusiasts, or lovers of 60's and 70's holiday specials.

Home Media: Just re-released last year on DVD and Blu-Ray; can also be found on several collections of older Rankin-Bass holiday specials.

DVD 

DVD - The Original Christmas Specials Collection

Blu-Ray

The Devil's Brother (Fra Diavlo)

MGM/Hal Roach, 1933

Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Dennis King, and Thelma Todd

Directed by Hal Roach and Charley Rodgers

Music by Daniel Auber; Lyrics by Eugene Scribe

Laurel and Hardy first appeared in an operetta in 1930's The Rogue Song, which was also the debut of opera star Laurence Tibett. Alas, nothing is left of that Technicolor extravaganza today but a few fragments of gags and dance routines. We go straight into their second operetta, featuring another legendary stage idol, Dennis King. How does this saucy pre-code tale of bandits and petticoats look today? Let's begin at a bandit camp, the home of the infamous Fra Diavlo (King) himself, and find out...

The Story: In early 18th century Italy, Fra Diavlo poses as the Marquis San de Marco to woo the Lady Pamela (Todd), hoping to find the location of her jewels and her husband Lord Rocburg's (James Finlayson) fortune. His men ride to their castle, and while they do get the jewels, they can't find His Lordship's money. Meanwhile, Stanlio (Laurel) and Ollio (Hardy) have also been attacked by bandits. They become bandits themselves in order to earn money, but first try to rob a poor woodsman who gives them a sob story, then run afoul of Fra Diavlo. 

Diavlo not only spares their lives, he takes them as his servants. They arrive at an inn, where Lady Pamela and Lord Rocberg are staying. Also at the inn is the innkeeper's daughter Zerlina (Lucile Browne). She loves a soldier named Lorenzo (Arthur Pierson), but Diavlo plants the jewels on him. While Lorenzo tries to prove he's innocent, Ollio and Stanlio attempt to capture Diavlo for the reward money.

The Song and Dance: Laurel and Hardy have a great deal of fun with their gags here, especially their attempt to rob that unfortunate woodsman and later, when Stanlio's showing off his dexterity with the knees-hands bit and Ollie just can't imitate him. Todd's also having a marvelous time (and shows off an attractive singing voice) as the flirtatious noblewoman who finds the handsome Marquis far more to her liking than her stuffy husband; Finlayson more than matches her as the suspicious lord. King is a surprisingly dark villain for Laurel & Hardy. There's a layer of menace under his veneer of charm and sophistication that makes you understand why the locals fear him. 

Favorite Number: Diavolo's theme song, which he performs throughout the film, becomes a major part of the plot when he hears Stanlio singing it on the road and confronts them. There's a couple of nice chorus numbers, especially towards the end when the town is preparing for Zerlina's wedding at the Inn.

What I Don't Like: First of all, neither this nor The Bohemian Girl are for people who don't like operettas or comic opera, or are expecting something closer to Laurel and Hardy's shorts that focus wholly on them. Zerlina and Lorenzo are barely in the film and really don't add much to it, other than Lorenzo's being set up by Diavolo. The second half that puts the focus on the lovers and the stolen jewels and off the boys does tend to drag a little as well.

The Big Finale: Along with March of the Toy Soldiers, this is my favorite of the Laurel and Hardy operettas. Highly recommended for fans of comic opera or "the boys."

Home Media: Can be found on streaming and on two Laurel & Hardy sets, the newer from the Warner Archives. I have The Laurel & Hardy Collection, which features a second disc of rare material (including the surviving bits of The Rogue Song). 

DVD - The Devil's Brother/Bonnie Scotland (Warner Archives)

DVD - TCM Archives: The Laurel & Hardy Collection

Amazon Prime

The Bohemian Girl

MGM/Hal Roach, 1936

Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Jaqueline Welles, and Mae Busch 

Directed by James W. Horne & Charley Rogers

Music by Michael William Balfe and others; Lyrics by Alfred Bunn and others

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy graduated from shorts to appearing in feature-length films around the time sound films came in, turning up as comic relief in four operettas from 1930 to 1936. This is the fourth and final one, a robust tale of gypsies and stolen babies. How does this comic opera look today? Let's start at the gypsy camp, just outside of the castle of the Count of Arnheim (William P. Carleton), and find out...

The Story: Ollie and Stan live with the gypsies and Ollie's wife (Mae Busch). She's having an affair with the roguish gypsy Devilhoof (Antonio Moreno) while the boys are out picking pockets. Hoping to get revenge on the Count for giving her lover 20 lashes, she steals the Count's little daughter Arline (Darla Hood), then dumps the toddler on Ollie and Stan. The duo raise the child as their own, telling Arline that Ollie is her father.

They return to the Count's woods twelve years later. Once again, the Count mistreats the gypsies, throwing the now-grown Arline (Welles) in jail for trespassing. Now Stan and Ollie have to rescue their adopted daughter, despite Stan being very drunk on home-made wine!

The Song and Dance: Laurel and Hardy and a few good songs are the main attractions here. They get some really cute gags, especially their attempts at pickpocketing three very different gentlemen. Busch has a few good moments early-on haranguing Ollie for laziness and neglecting her, too. 

Favorite Number: Thelma Todd made her final screen appearance performing the opening chorus number at the gypsy camp, "Heart of a Gypsy." Tenor Felix Knight performs "Then You'll Remember Me" to a pretty gypsy lass at the camp a bit later, shortly before Devilhoof is lashed. The most famous song from this opera is "I Dreamt I Dwelled In Marble Halls," sung by Welles to her adopted father and uncle as she relates her fantasies of living in a castle and attending a ball.

Trivia: Todd originally had a far larger role, but it was cut down to her song after her mysterious and untimely death in 1935. Devilhoof was supposed to be her lover. After her death, he was switched to Ollie's wife.

What I Don't Like: I wish they used more of the original opera. Arline's lover and the entire third act were cut. There just isn't much going on here; Stan and Ollie can only prop up the cliched plot for so long. It's also obvious this was a relatively low-budget production. While the gypsies' costumes are appropriately florid, the sets are a bit cramped and stagey.

The Big Finale: Not Laurel & Hardy's most memorable film, but an enjoyable enough way to spend an hour if you're a fan of them or comic opera. 

Home Media: Not currently on DVD, but it can be found on streaming and occasionally on TCM.

Amazon Prime

Family Fun Saturday - Billy Rose's Jumbo

MGM, 1962

Starring Doris Day, Jimmy Durante, Martha Raye, and Stephan Boyd

Directed by Charles Walters

Music by Richard Rodgers and others; Lyrics by Lorenz Hart and others

MGM tried for years to get this one off the ground, ever since the Broadway version debuted in 1935. They were first going to it in the 40's with Stanley Donen or Walters directing and Howard Keel starring, and then in the 50's with Debbie Reynolds, but that fell through. It wasn't until 1960 that Doris Day and her then-husband Martin Melcher thought it would be the perfect musical vehicle for her and for Busby Berkeley, who created the circus routines. How does this old-fashioned tale of "Sawdust, Spangles, and Dreams" look today? Let's head to the Wonder Circus as they set up for a show in Iowa and find out...

The Story: Kitty Wonder (Day) loves the circus life and her father, Anthony "Pop" Wonder (Jimmy Durante), but she's tired of him constantly gambling away their finances. Their performers haven't been paid in weeks, and creditors are breathing down their necks. The only ones who are really faithful are Lulu the palm reader (Raye), who is in love with Pop, and the talented elephant Jumbo who is (literally) their biggest asset. 

Enter Sam Rawlins (Stephan Boyd), a strapping young man and virtuoso tightrope performer who insists on a job. Kitty resists him at first, but Pop sees him perform in place of an aerialist who left and hires him on the spot. Sam and Kitty eventually fall for each other, but Sam has his own agenda. Pop's rival James Noble (Dean Jagger) would do anything to get Jumbo, even use a few dirty tricks up his sleeve. Even when the Warners are down, it'll take Sam to remind them that the show must go on, and there will always be "sawdust, spangles, and dreams."

The Song and Dance: An adorable confection with some decent numbers and wonderful sets and costumes. MGM really threw themselves into recreating the circus world of the early 20th century. You can almost smell the peanuts and sweat and feel the sticky cotton candy on the floor. Durante in particular has a lot of fun recreating his Broadway role, including his infamous "What elephant?" line when he tries to hide Jumbo towards the end. Raye more than matches him as the loud-mouth psychic whose lines more often than not seem to be crossed. Day's spunky as ever playing Pop's strong-willed daughter who loves her father, but wishes he'd spend more time pushing the circus and less throwing dice. And I do give them credit for keeping the majority of the original score and plot, with two additional Rodgers and Hart numbers ("Why Can't I?" and "This Can't Be Love") that fit in pretty well.

Favorite Number: We kick off the movie with the romantic "Over and Over Again," as Kitty rehearses with the circus performers, and everyone gets to show their stuff in a Berkeley big-top extravaganza. Berkeley has even more fun with "Circus On Parade," as Raye plays a roaring lion in a cage and a monkey escapes his cage and ends up in the crowd. "Why Can't I?" lament Kitty and Lulu as they wish their men would just pay attention while traveling to the next town. Sam tells Kitty she's "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" as he works on the merry-go-round, then waltzes gracefully around the sawdust with her. "Sawdust, Spangles, and Dreams" is the big finale, as Kitty, Lulu, Sam, and Pop show off different acts and explain why they love what they do.

Trivia: This was Busby Berkeley's last film, Jimmy Durante's last major role in a movie, and Doris Day's last musical. 

No one seems to know who dubbed Stephan Boyd, or if he was, indeed, dubbed. Studio singer James Joyce was credited, but he has no listing for any other musical, and no one is credited on the soundtrack.

The original Broadway Jumbo debuted at the massive Hippodrome Theater in 1935, the last show to play there before it was demolished in 1939. Despite the success of the Rodgers and Hart score, it only ran six months. To my knowledge, it hasn't been seen since, though "My Romance," "Little Girl Blue," "Over and Over Again," and "The Most Beautiful Girl In the World" remain standards. 

What I Don't Like: Let's start with that plot. If it was old-fashioned in 1962, it's cliched as heck now, and nothing you haven't seen before in dozens of backstage and circus-themed films as late as the live-action Dumbo from last year. Stephan Boyd is basically cardboard, too stiff and dull to make one believe he could ever liven up a real circus (and was dubbed to boot). The finale "Sawdust, Spangles, and Dreams" is a bit odd, as the four leads play every circus role, from clowns to bareback riders. Is it their imagination? Is the Pop Warner Circus back on top? We never find out. Doesn't help that the song isn't up to the rest of the score - it was written by Richard Rodgers with Roger Edens. 

Not to mention, this movie is just plain too long. A lot of the circus routines and the draggy middle section could have been cut with no one the wiser. 

The Big Finale: This was a flop in 1962, and it was really the wrong movie at the wrong time. It was just too old-fashioned for the streamlined early 60's. If you love Day, Raye, or Durante, or are looking for a fun musical for the whole family, I'd grab a ride on Jumbo and head on down to the Warners' tent. 

Home Media: Easy to find on DVD and streaming, the former from the Warner Archives. 

DVD

Amazon Prime

Broadway Hostess

Warner Bros, 1935

Starring Wini Shaw, Lyle Talbot, Allen Jenkins, and Genevieve Tobin

Directed by Frank McDonald

Music by Allie Wrubel; Lyrics by Mort Dixon

In the 30's and 40's, Warners mainly specialized in two types of musicals - backstage extravaganzas like the Busby Berkeley films and small-scale nightclub melodramas with music. This is a typical example of the latter. Wini Shaw, who brightened big numbers in movies like Gold Diggers of 1935, had one of her few starring roles in this tale of a chanteuse who falls for her manager, only to lose him to a socialite. Is this club tale worth the visit? Let's begin as Winnie Wharton (Shaw) arrives at a club in New York in search of her big break and find out...

The Story: Winnie manages to wrangle an audition with the Intime club, thanks to Ted "Lucky" Lorimer (Talbot), who becomes her manager. Thanks to his promotion, she becomes a huge star on the nightclub circuit in New York. She's in love with him, but he claims he's not interested in marriage. He really has his sights set on sophisticated socialite Iris Martin (Tobin), but she's not interested in men without money. Desperate to prove he can make as much money as anyone, Lucky opens a casino. What he didn't realize is Iris' brother Ronnie (Donald Ross) is a major gambler who ends up in hock to him for 30,000. He sells his sister's jewels to pay him back, but cops think Lucky did it. Meanwhile, Winnie's pianist Tommy (Phil Regan) is in love with her, but she regards him as a friend.

The Song and Dance: Decent numbers enliven this familiar tale. I definitely appreciate that Iris isn't the bad guy here. She's a bit of a brat, but she's not really a horrible person, or even someone who would be driven to theft like her brother. It's a nice twist on the usual romantic triangle. Even Winnie realizes this at the end. Allen Jenkins has a few nice moments as Lucky's buddy who falls for the wealthy widow Mrs. Duncan-Griswald-Wembly-Smythe (Spring Byington).  

Favorite Number: "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes" is the bluesy ballad that puts Winnie over with the Intime club owners. "Playboy of Paree" in the revue towards the end is an attempt at an imitation Busby Berkeley number on a lower budget, with chorus girls appearing as bubbles in a glass of champagne. 

Trivia: "Playboy of Paree" was nominated for Best Dance Direction in 1935.

This was director Frank McDonald's first movie.

What I Don't Like: While the clichés are a little bit more interesting than they would be in the somewhat similar B musical Talent Scout two years later, this is still pretty typical stuff. Regan is such a nonentity, you can understand why Shaw wasn't interested until later in the film. Talbot and Shaw do well enough, but they're just not interesting enough to carry even an hour long movie. The complicated plot, especially in the second half, drags and drags, making this short film feel twice as long.

The Big Finale: Only come here if you're a really huge fan of the musicals of the 1930's or if you happen to run into it on TCM during a boring afternoon. 

Home Media: Currently DVD-only from the Warner Archives.

DVD

Lady Be Good

MGM, 1941

Starring Ann Sothern, Robert Young, Eleanor Powell, and Red Skelton

Directed by Norman Z. McLeod

Music and Lyrics by various

MGM hoped to build comedienne Ann Sheridan up as a major musical star with this release. They paired her with smooth leading man Robert Young and their most popular musical performer, Eleanor Powell, along with up-and-comers like Red Skelton and Virginia O'Brian, and brought Busby Berkeley along as choreographer. How does this mix of experience and vitality look today in this story of a pair of songwriters who can't seem to stay together look today? Let's begin in the courtroom, as Judge Murdock (Lionel Barrymore) hears the story of lyricist Dixie Donegan (Sothern) and her up-and-down relationship with composer Eddie Crane (Young) and find out...

The Story: Dixie and Eddie first start writing together when she's with him and his current lyricist Bill Pattison (Dan Dailey) and they can't think of words for his music. When she sings the words she wrote on a handkerchief, Eddie realizes that she and the words are a perfect match. The song is a hit, and they end up getting married. It doesn't last for long. She would prefer to return to work, and he wants to entertain his society friends. The judge decides they're not compatible and grants the divorce.

Dixie's best friend Marilyn Marsh (Powell), singer Buddy Crawford (John Carroll) who has a crush on Marilyn, Eddie's best friend Joe "Red" Willet (Skelton), and his deadpan girlfriend Lull (Virginia O'Brian) all try hard to get them back together. It seems to work for a while, long enough for Dixie and Buddy to write another smash hit, "Oh Lady Be Good" and get remarried. Once again, though, she wants to work and he wants to play - she wants to start in on a show, and he wants to go on a honeymoon. It'll take a ploy playing on Eddie's hot temper and jealousy to make the two of them realize just how much their words and music can't live without each other. 

The Song and Dance: This unique twist on the typical romantic comedy musical is mostly a peg on which to hang some excellent numbers. Powell gets two of her best solo routines and handles the sequence when she and Dixie are using Carroll to make Eddie jealous very well. Skelton and O'Brian have their own fun as the comic relief couple. The Berry Brothers, a black dancing trio, show of some amazing dance moves in several numbers. While not elaborate to the degree of his earlier Warners extravaganzas, Berkeley still puts in some great work, especially on "Fascinating Rhythm." Barrymore makes the most of his brief but memorable role as the judge with some wise words on marriage for Dixie and Eddie in the end. 

Favorite Number: "Your Words and My Music" is the major hit that brings Eddie and Dixie together after they divorce the first time. After they get a cute rendition at the piano, we hear a more operatic version from Carroll and O'Brian's deadpan spin. The Barry Brothers get two amazing, high-splitting dance routines to "You'll Never Know" and "Oh Lady Be Good." "Lady Be Good" turns into a long montage, showing how the song becomes wildly popular across the country. Sothern gives a lovely performance "The Last Time I Saw Paris" at the awards dinner honoring their partnership. 

Powell has the film's two most memorable numbers. She's joined by a lively pup who performs in perfect time to an instrumental "Lady Be Good." Berkeley's touches pop up for "Fascinating Rhythm," including the sets that move as Powell taps away in her white tuxedo, ending with a great finale that has her being tossed to the camera by many hands.

Trivia: When Powell couldn't find a trained dog she liked for the Lady Be Good dog number, she bought one from a prop man and trained it herself. 

"The Last Time I Saw Paris" won an Oscar, despite not being written for the film. Jerome Kern, who intended for it to be a pop song, was one of the major people who pushed for the rule change to only original songs written for the film being eligible. 

The original Broadway Lady Be Good debuted in 1924 and was a hit for the time, running almost a year. There were two film versions. The silent version from 1928 that used the original film has since been lost. This one uses absolutely nothing from the original show but "Lady Be Good" and "Fascinating Rhythm." The Broadway show itself doesn't often turn up nowadays outside of an occasional summer staging. 

What I Don't Like: First of all, as good as the musical numbers are, most of them don't really have much to do with the story and barely move it along. Young's charming and sings well, but he's too laid-back to be a temperamental musician. Southern has the same problem - she's funny, but doesn't seem much like a workaholic, either. The story is a bit of a muddle, especially once they get into the elaborate and rather annoying attempts to make Eddie jealous in the end. 

The Big Finale: The terrific numbers alone make this highly recommended if you're a fan of Powell, Skelton, or the MGM musicals of the 1940's. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD via the Warner Archives and streaming.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Family Fun Saturday - Jack and the Beanstalk (1952)

Warner Bros, 1952

Starring Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Buddy Baer, and Shaye Cogan

Directed by Jean Yarbrough

Music by Lester Lee; Lyrics by Bob Russell

Like Martin and Lewis, popular comics Bud Abbott and Lou Costello also broke from their home studio Universal to make one outside picture a year. In this case, it was due to Universal not wanting to make their movies in color. This would be the first of two color movies the duo made in the early 50's as part of that deal, and one of their several ventures into fantasy and flat-out musicals. How does this Wizard of Oz-esque story of a babysitter who dreams himself into the famous fairy tale look today? To answer this, let's start at a typical home in pale tan Sepia, as handsome suitor Arthur (James Alexander) tries to find a babysitter for the bratty kid brother (David Stollery) of his fiancée Eloise (Cogan)...

The Story: Jack (Costello) and his buddy Mr. Dinkle (Abbott) convince the very tall and pretty receptionist at the employment agency (Dorothy Ford) that they're babysitters and will take the job. Jack likes her, but her towering police officer boyfriend (Baer) doesn't appreciate him flirting with her. Jack tries reading his favorite story "Jack and the Beanstalk" to young Donald, but the precocious boy ends up reading it to him instead...

Which takes us into the color sequence. Here, Jack's the one who plants those famous beans and climbs the beanstalk. Dinkle is Mr. Dinklepuss, who sold him the beans and follows him, hoping to nab the hen that lays the golden eggs. His mother (Barbara Brown) is worried about her goofy son going after the giant (Baer). He's already kidnapped the Prince Arthur (Alexander) and Princess Eloise (Cogan) and stole the cow Jack traded to Mr. Dinklepuss for the beans. Jack has to figure out how to defeat this towering menace and romance his lovely housekeeper (Ford), before they all end up roasting in the Giant's fireplace!

The Song and Dance: While not Abbott and Costello's first or last foray into fantasy, this is their only crack at a genuine fairy tale, and it's pretty cute. Ford works well with Costello and has a lot of fun knocking him around in their solo dance routine, and he and Abbott have a couple of good gags while trading the cow and in the giant's castle. The "Super Cinecolor," the then-most recent version of a cheap color process that had been kicking around since the early 30's, looks darn good in some restored prints like the one shown recently on TCM. 

Favorite Number: The title song is heard three times. We get it over the credits, then as the chorus remarks about Jack's lack of brains as he climbs up the beanstalk, and then in the finale as part of the big dance routine to celebrate the giant's demise, "And He Never Looked Better In His Life." Lou sings "I Fear Nothing" when he's going to capture the giant after climbing the beanstalk...not suspecting that the giant is right behind him the whole time. He and the giant's housekeeper get the previously mentioned comic dance to "Dreamer's Cloth" in the castle after they hear Arthur and Elaine sing it in the garden.

Trivia: Mel Blanc did the voices of the talking animals in the barnyard.

There was apparently more to this when it previewed, including a longer version of Arthur's ballad "Darlene" in the dungeon and a solo section for Eloise in "Dreamer's Cloth." It was cut before the film's general release. Some missing sequences turned up on video, but others remain lost. 

What I Don't Like: Color aside, this is about as obviously cheap as you can get. The sets and costumes look like they were taken from a dime store fairy tale collection. The wrap-arounds with the bratty kid and the employment agency have nothing to do with the Jack and the Beanstalk story and are really kind of just there, the songs are dull, and the two big chorus routines seem a little skimpy with only four dancers. The Giant and his housekeeper are less giants than just very tall people, and there's no perspective or illusions done to make them look like actual giants. It really ruins the effect they're going for with the monstrous giant terrorizing everyone. 

The Big Finale: Fun for kids and families who can overlook the inexpensive and dated production and enjoy the goofy gags and talking animals. 

Home Media: This is in the public domain, so it goes without saying it's easy to find everywhere and on all formats for super cheap. 

DVD

Blu-Ray

Amazon Prime

Happy Thanksgiving! - The Mouse on the Mayflower

Rankin-Bass, 1968 

Voices of Tennessee Ernie Ford, Eddie Albert, Joanie Summers, and John Gray

Directed by Arthur Rankin, Jr and Jules Bass

Music by Maury Laws; Lyrics by Jules Bass

This would be the first Rankin-Bass special that appeared under their new name, changing from Videocraft. It's also their first and only shot at a special revolving around Thanksgiving lore, complete with pilgrims, Native Americans, and their own version of American history. How does a mouse's retelling of the events leading to the first Thanksgiving feast look today? Let's begin in London, just as Willum Mouse (Ford) is joining a small band of settlers heading for the new world on the tiny ship Mayflower, and find out...

The Story: Willum just barely makes the trip. As things turn out, he almost wishes he hadn't. Conditions on board the Mayflower are cramped and dirty. Storms batter the ship, almost forcing them to turn back. Even when the settlers arrive in the New World, they're miles from Virginia, their original destination. Undaunted, they opt to remain at Plymouth and create their own colony. This proves to be more difficult than they hoped. Harsh blizzards, rampant illness, and their own inability to grow crops devastate the settlers. Thanks to Willum and his new native mouse buddy, the local Indians teach them how to grow crops. Thankful for a bountiful harvest, they invite them for a huge feast. Meanwhile, John Alden (Gray) is too shy to speak to pretty Priscilla Mullins (Sommers) for himself and keeps using orders from Captain Miles Standish (Albert) as an excuse to talk to her, and two nasty sailors want to steal the Pilgrims' gold for themselves. 

The Animation: This would be one of the first Rankin-Bass holiday specials done in a more traditional 2-D animation. It's an interesting mix of styles. The pilgrims and travelers on the Mayflower are drawn in a fairly realistic manner, while the Indians and animals, including the two mice, are done in a more cartoony and colorful style.

The Song and Dance: As the only Rankin-Bass special I know of to be based after real-life events, this is definitely one of their more unusual shows. Ford seems to enjoy himself well enough as the inquisitive mouse, and Albert has a fine time playing the blustery captain who has the nearly impossible task of turning the peaceful Puritans into soldiers. The sequences with the storm and the blizzard are especially well-done, with some decent animation and a lot of appropriate tension in both cases.

Favorite Number: The special opens and closes with the stirring "Mayflower" performed by Ford and the chorus, singing of how the Mayflower "became a part of history." The pilgrims and Ford sing about how they badly need "A Little Elbow Room" onboard the Mayflower. Priscilla wistfully wonders what John sees "When He Looks at Me" after his most recent stammering attempt to repeat Standish' orders. 

What I Don't Like: I suspect the reason this has yet to be released on DVD has to do with the rather ridiculous native stereotypes after they reach the New World. Those annoying sailors band together with an even more obnoxious Indian and his bear. Frankly, the sailors' attempts at stealing the gold don't really have much to do with the pilgrims and the New World or Willum and are likely filler at best. The romance between John and Priscilla is only slightly more interesting. They're both stiff as boards, and despite them playing up the triangle, Standish barely seems to notice her. 

The Big Finale: Enjoyable enough time-waster for after Thanksgiving dinner if you can find it. 

Home Media: As mentioned, it's not on DVD, but video copies are fairly easy to come by, and it can be found easily on YouTube. 

VHS

YouTube

Musicals on TV - Once Upon a Brothers Grimm

CBS, 1977

Starring Dean Jones, Paul Sand, Arte Johnson, and Sorrell Brooke

Directed by Norman Campbell

Music by Mitch Leigh; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn

Musicals were far rarer on TV by the late 70's than they had been a decade before. They'd already fallen out of favor with filmgoers, and though they continued to be popular onstage, they were flopping even harder than they hit. They did continue to pop up occasionally on television for special occasions, like this one that debuted on the day before Thanksgiving. How does this family tale of how the Grimms met their own creations look now? Let's begin on the road, as Wilhelm (Sand) and Jacob (Jones) travel through the forest to give a speech on their writing to the King (Brooke) and find out...

The Story: The two men are admonished not to take the path through the forest by a carriage driver, who insists they're haunted. Impatient to give their speech, Jacob buys the carriage and takes it through the woods anyway, despite his brother's misgivings. Shortly after encountering tiny man Selfish and Mean (Johnson), they find themselves off the path and dealing with everything from a talking horse to being transformed into frogs and swans. Wilhelm truly believes that their creations have come to life, but Jacob is a scholar and insists all of this can't be real. It isn't logical. It'll take a night at a magical ball to finally show Jacob that there's a lot more to magic and fantasy than what science and "logic" tell us.

The Song and Dance: An unusual TV precursor to Into the Woods, with no less than eight Grimms fairy tales appearing. As someone who has read fairy tales in various forms and versions since early childhood, I appreciate that two of the stories they use, "The Six Swans" and "The Bremen Town Musicians," are fairly obscure today. Jones and especially Sand anchor things well as the brothers who love each other despite their very differing points of view. The bright, crazy sets and costumes won Emmys in 1978.

Favorite Number: The Brothers begin by singing about their appointment to speak to the king as they head down the road. The first princess they encounter (Terri Garr) trills about how she knows this is the "Day of Days" when she'll meet her frog prince. Jacob tries to explain to his brother that their fairy tales are just illusions in his head in "Life Isn't a Fairy Tale." The Gingerbread Lady (Chita Rivera) is so delighted to be fattening Jacob, she tells him how she loves "Fat Men." 

There's not one, but three ballets. Sleeping Beauty's prince (John Clifford) awakens his prima ballerina beauty (Joanna Kirkland) with the help of the Los Angeles Ballet in "The Sleeping Beauty Ballet." The Twelve (or eight here) Dancing Princesses twirl with their princes in their underground kingdom in "The Mazurka." Cinderella (Stephanie Steele) is equally happy to be at "The Prince's Ball Ballet" with handsome Prince Charming (John McCook). 

What I Don't Like: Despite the all-star cast, this is a pretty bizarre musical. The makeup on the Big Bad Wolf (Cleavon Little), the Six Swans, and Jacob's swan and Wilhelm's frog forms reveals the cheaper TV origins, as do the obvious animated special effects for the swans' flight and whenever the witch does her magic. Not all of the actors are suited to their roles. Rivera was a dancer who doesn't do much dancing; Buzzi was better known for playing oddballs than lovely queens. Jacob's insistence on everything being "science" and some of the stranger casting gives this an almost sour tinge that the occasional meta-references to people's stories being ruined don't help.

The Big Finale: Worth checking out at least once if you have kids who love fairy tales, are a fairy tale fan yourself like me, or are fans of anyone in the cast. 

Home Media: Currently DVD only from VCI Vault Classics.

DVD

Animation Celebration Saturday - Trolls World Tour

Dreamworks/Universal, 2020

Voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, and James Corden

Directed by Walt Dohm

Music and Lyrics by various

Trolls was a huge hit with kids, especially once the show Trolls: The Beat Goes On began on Netflix in 2018. The merchandise was everywhere, and "Can't Fight This Feeling!" was a number 1 hit around the world. With success like that, a sequel was inevitable. How does the story of Queen Poppy (Kendrick) attempting to bring together the various Troll music tribes come together? Let's head back to Troll Village, where Poppy putting together her latest party, and find out...

The Story: Once, all trolls lived in harmony, with six magical strings that gave them their music. Eventually, they all fought over which types of music was best. The trolls finally broke into six tribes, representing six different genres of music - rock, techno, pop, funk, classical, and country - and split into six different lands of the Troll Kingdom. Queen Barb of the Hard Rock tribe (Rachel Bloom) seeks to steal the strings and unite the trolls under rock, and rock alone.

Hoping to make friends and show there's more than one type of music, Queen Poppy accepts her invitation against her father King Peppy's (Walt Dohm) wishes. Hoping to tell Poppy how he feels about her, Branch (Timberlake) follows her. Meanwhile, Cooper (Ron Fuentes), the only four-legged Pop Troll, goes on his own quest to find other trolls who look like him.

The Animation: Just as gorgeous and textured as in the previous film. They really do manage to give each kingdom their own distinctive style. Love the homey quilts and buttons used for the Country Troll Kingdom desert and the glittering sequins and neon onboard the Funk Kingdom's ship, not to mention the surreal fantasy sequence during the Smooth Jazz Troll's number. 

The Song and Dance: And once again, there's lots of it. Bloom is the stand-out among the newcomers as the loud, tough young queen who thinks getting everyone to listen to one music is the answer to bringing them together; listen for Ozzy Osbourne in a couple of brief but funny bits as her father King Thrash. As mentioned, the animation is just gorgeous, colorful and distinctive. Branch's attempts to tell Poppy how he feels are funny, as are how he's constantly interrupted.

Favorite Number: The hit here was "The Other Side," the number performed by pop singer SZA and Timberlake introducing the back story of the strings and the troll kingdoms. "Trolls Just Want to Have Good Times" is the opening montage, with Poppy and the others singing a medley of disco and pop hits as they celebrate Poppy becoming queen. Sheriff Delta Dawn (Kelly Clarkson) introduces us to the bluesy world of Country with the twangy and depressing "Born to Die." Mary J. Bilge and George Clinton as the King and Queen of Funk show their side of history in "It's All Love (History of Funk)." 

Trivia: Thanks to the current pandemic, Trolls World Tour was released direct to digital on April 10th, as well as a smattering of theaters. Many theater chains claimed they'd boycott Universal for taking their business. For all that, the movie did do well in streaming, coming in at number one after its release. 

What I Don't Like: I don't think Dreamworks or Universal knew what message they wanted to send. The first half talks about the importance of a group mentality and everyone working together, but the second half emphasizes individualism and culture. There's also the Hard Rock Trolls, whose scary looks may have been the result of critics complaining about the first movie being too cutesy. It can come off as too preachy and trying too hard to be "epic" and "big," especially for a children's franchise. 

The Big Finale: Slightly darker and more action-packed than the first film. The muddled message doesn't get in the way of an enjoyable story with stunning animation and some great music. 

Home Media: As the most recent film I've reviewed on my blog, this is easily available in all formats. It's currently streaming for free with a subscription on Hulu. 

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Blu-Ray

Hulu

Rio Rita (1929)

RKO (Radio), 1929

Starring Bebe Daniels, John Boles, Bert Wheeler, and Robert Woosley

Directed by Luther Reed

Music by Harry Tierney; Lyrics by Joseph McCarthy

Radio-Keith-Orpheum Films, later RKO, formed just as sound arrived in Hollywood. In fact, they were the first major studio formed expressively to make sound films. Rio Rita was their third release, and their first truly high-budget undertaking. This was an adaptation of the 1927 Broadway hit, with Ziegfeld himself co-producing. Comics Wheeler and Woosley came along to the film with most of the music and the opulent production, including elaborate costumes and sets and Technicolor in the last 20 minutes. Was it worth the expense, or should this south-of-the-border romance be sent back up north? To answer that question, let's begin in the little Mexican town of San Lucas, where the search for the Kinkajou is just starting to really heat up...

The Story: Captain Jim Stewart (Boles) of the Texas Rangers arrives at San Lucas with his men in pursuit of the notorious local bandit, who just robbed a bank. He suspects Roberto Ferguson (Don Alvardo) and tries to get information out of his sister Rita (Daniels), but falls for her instead. Wealthy General Ravinoff (Georges Renavent) also loves Rita and convinces her that Jim will arrest her brother if she furthers the relationship. He blackmails her into marrying him on his Pirate Barge, but Jim and his Rangers are on their tail.

Meanwhile, Chick Bean (Wheeler) is also visiting San Lucas with his girlfriend Dolly (Dorothy Lee). He wants to get a divorce so he can marry Dolly, but the US doesn't acknowledge Mexican divorces. He's still technically married to his estranged wife Katie (Helen Kaiser). His lawyer Ned Lovett (Woosley) first advises him to stay away from his new wife...then decides to romance Katie himself when he learns she inherited a ton of money.

The Song and Dance: Goofy, action-packed fluff was one of 1929's biggest hits and still has some magic to spare today. Daniels and Boles are obviously having a great time as the lovers separated by his pursuit of her beloved brother. Their songs together show all the passion that the ones for the lovers in Whoopee! lacked. Rita herself is a little bit more interesting and feisty than Daniels' similar role in Dixiana a year later. Wheeler and Woosley are an acquired taste today, but they do still have some good gags, especially when Lee and Kaiser join in on the barge. 

Outdoor shooting adds authenticity and vitality to the first half. The second half benefits from the lavish production, especially the Technicolor that shows up once everyone hits the Pirate Barge. It's almost as gorgeous as the color in Whoopee!, with stunning costumes (I love Lee's turquoise dress with the peach flowers and fringe skirt) and the nifty pirate ship set.

Favorite Number: Rita and Jim fall in love as she sings the lovely "River of My Dreams" in counterpoint to his version of the title song at the hacienda. He leads his Rangers through "The Rangers Song" when they're rounding up a posse. Lee and Wheeler have a ball with their hilarious acrobatic duet to "Sweetheart, We Need Each Other" on the barge. Wheeler and Woosely pay more attention to each other during the reprise of "Sweetheart" sung on the side of the barge than to either of their actual sweethearts singing along. 

Trivia: Rio Rita opened the brand-new Ziegfeld Theater in 1927 and was a smash, running for almost a year and a half, with Wheeler and Woosley paired specifically for the show. To my knowledge, it's seldom been seen since then, though there was apparently a TV version in 1950.

The version most people see on TCM and DVD (and that I reviewed) is from the cut-down rerelease in 1932. While most of the excised footage has since been lost, Daniels and Boles' second duet "When You're In Love You'll Waltz" and Dorothy Lee leading the chorus through "The Kinkajou" apparently do exist.

What I Don't Like: To start with, the Mexican stereotypes aren't quite as thick on the ground as the Indian ones in Whoopee!, but they're still there. Daniels' idea of a Mexican accident borders on ridiculous, and some of her over-the-top reactions to Boles' heroics at the hacienda party are pure silent movie histronics. 

This more-or-less represents the type of musical that the arrival of more serious and "integrated" works made look out of date in the 1950's. Wheeler and Woosley's divorce story has almost nothing to do with the search for the Kinkajou and Jim and Rita's relationship, and can actually come off as a little distasteful today. Not to mention, this is an early talkie. Reed was no craftsman; basically, we get a lot of dull and arid long takes of whomever happens to be standing there. Pearl Eaton's chorus routines manage to be even less interesting.

The Big Finale: This was a lot more fun than I thought it would be, given its reputation and the time period. If you love westerns, action, or any of the stars, you'll want to head south of the border and meet Rita, too.

Home Media: Currently only on DVD from the Warner Archives. 

DVD

Say It With Songs

Warner Bros, 1929

Starring Al Jolson, Marian Nixon, Davey Lee, and Holmes Herbert

Directed by Lloyd Bacon

Music by Ray Henderson; Lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown

Al Jolson was American cinema's first true musical film star. He appeared in the one often considered to be the first film musical, The Jazz Singer, and it was his vehicle The Singing Fool that codified the success of sound film and musicals. Those films were only part-talkies, silent films with anywhere from a few minutes to an hour of sound added. This was Jolson's first all-sound, all-music film. How does this melodrama with songs look today? Let's head to the radio station where Joe Lane (Jolson) is preparing for his show and find out...

The Story: Lane loves his wife Kathrine (Nixon) and his son Little Pal (Lee), but she's frustrated with his being out all night and gambling. Even so, she avoids the advances of radio station manager Arthur Phillips (Kenneth Thompson), who claims he'll advance Joe's career if she does favors for him. His temper gets the better of him when she tells him, and he beats the man in a parked car. After Phillips dies from his injuries, Joe is sentenced to prison for manslaughter. 

While Joe's in prison, Katherine takes a job as a nurse for Dr. Robert Merrill (Herbert) in order to pay for her son living at school. The moment Joe gets out, he visits his son on the schoolgrounds. The boy is so desperate for him to stay, he follows him into town and gets hit by a car. After the accident leaves the child paralyzed from the waist down and mute, Joe tries to find someone who can save him...someone besides Dr. Merrill, who is in love with his wife. He may have to finally put aside his feelings for his wife when he learns that Merrill, no matter how he feels about his nurse, is the only one who can save his beloved "Little Pal."

The Song and Dance: Jolson takes full advantage of the sound to perform no less than seven songs, including the big ballad to his son "Little Pal." When he does his radio shows, he's in his element, happily performing for all those swell folks out there. This is also one of only two movies where he doesn't appear in blackface; the radio setting thankfully eliminated the need for it. Lee actually isn't bad as the "Little Pal" whose parents adore him - watch him listening to his daddy on the radio early-on. Thompson is also good as the smarmy manager who tries to put the moves on Katherine.

Favorite Number: We open with a medley of radio performers before eventually bringing on Al. He performs the boisterous and fun "I'm In Seventh Heaven" before singing "Little Pal" for his own little boy. "Little Pal" comes up again several times, including a dream sequence where the boy imagines his father singing to him in his arms.

Trivia: Jolson originally had even more to sing. Two numbers, "Back In Your Own Backyard" and "I'm Ka-razy About You" were cut from the movie. They're now considered to be lost, though the Vitaphone sound discs exist.

While not an out-and-out flop, this wasn't nearly the blockbuster hit that Jolson's earlier part-talkie The Singing Fool was. 

What I Don't Like: Hoooo boy. Does this one ladle on the melodrama! Name a cliché from any family drama made in the past 100 years, and it likely turns up here. So many choice bits of soppiness can be found on this overheated buffet! There's the kid accidentally testifying against his father. Or perhaps you'd prefer Jolson singing the soggy cheer-up song "Why Can't You?" to his fellow inmates. Or him singing on the radio, in prison, at Christmas. Not to mention, there's Lee somehow managing to follow his father half-way across town before getting unconvincingly hit by a car. 

The acting manages to be worse than the script. Jolson way overdoes it, even for him. If he's not screaming at Nixon because he thinks she'd be better off without him, he's sobbing and wailing over the kid. By comparison, Nixon is so dull, she melts into the woodwork, too timid to stand up to Jolson's teeth-gnashing histrionics. No wonder this didn't do nearly as well at the box office as his earlier films. Even audiences at the time could tell this was too much. 

The Big Finale: Too melodramatic and silly to be for anyone but the most ardent fans of Jolson or historians of the early talkie era. 

Home Media: Most of Jolson's Warners pictures are pretty easy to find on streaming and on Warner Archives DVD, including this one. 

DVD

Amazon Prime