A Salute to TCM - It Happened In Brooklyn

MGM, 1947

Starring Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante, and Kathryn Grayson

Directed by Richard Whorf

Music by Jules Styne; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn

Our first two reviews this week are in honor of cable channel Turner Classic Movies, who celebrate their 30th anniversary this month. TCM began as a way for Turner Broadcasting to show off its enormous catalog of vintage movies from MGM, Warner Bros, and RKO without commercial interruption. They became known for their unique interstile segments, their use of indie rock and jazz music in their station promotions, and for showing older films uncut and in widescreen before this was common on home media. 

They're also known for returning many lesser-known and neglected films to the public eye, including this small-scale musical from MGM. How does this sweet story of three talented friends in New York who search for fame while helping a teen in need look today? Let's begin in England, as Danny Miller (Sinatra) waits to go home to Brooklyn, and find out...

The Story: Danny does finally make it there, only to run headlong into the post-war housing shortage. Nick Lombardi, the kindly janitor for his old high school, gives him a room in the basement with him. He first meets music teacher Anne Fielding (Grayson) there. She doesn't share his positive outlook or his feelings about New York. She tried to become an opera singer, with no success, and ended up at the school instead. Also turning up at the school is Jamie Shellgrove (Lawford), a shy young Englishman whom Danny met before he left London. His grandfather thought Danny could show Jamie how to really live.

Jamie and Danny are too shy to try for a music career themselves. Danny initially ends up as a shipping clerk in a music shop, until Nick helps him to audition. He then adds words to Jamie's music, turning his funeral march into a lovely ballad. All three argue in favor of a teen in Anne's class (Billy Roy) for a music scholarship, but he's just a half-year too young. They end up getting him to give a concert in the music shop in order to show everyone in Brooklyn what he can do. Meanwhile, Danny is in love with Anne, but she's more interested in Jamie. He loves her, too, but doesn't want to hurt Danny's feelings.

The Song and Dance: I first saw this movie on TCM in college around 2001 and really enjoyed it. It's delightfully sweet and unpretentious for an MGM musical of the 40's and 50's. The black and white cinematography and Whorf's intimate direction gives it the feel of some of the better 50's sitcoms. It also has a surprisingly good score for one of MGM's smaller titles, including the standards "I Believe" and "Time After Time." 

While Sinatra and Lawford are adorable as the shy guys who try to work on breaking out of their shells, it's Durante who dances off with the movie. He's hilarious, whether explaining the post-war housing situation to Sinatra or joining Sinatra to help cheer up one of the kids at the school (Bobby Long). Sinatra even does a credible imitation of him in "Song's Gotta Come From the Heart." Look for Gloria Grahame in the beginning as a mouthy nurse who questions Danny being from Brooklyn. 

Favorite Number: We open with Danny briefly playing "Whose Baby are You?" in England on the piano. Jamie ends up having to encore the number at the music shop in Brooklyn for a group of swing-crazed teenagers. Sinatra sings "The Brooklyn Bridge" on the actual Brooklyn Bridge when he arrives home. He, Grayson, and her students turn a Bach song into "Invention Number 1" during a class. Danny and Nick encourage Johnny with "I Believe," as they remind him that there are many things we can't see, but still have faith in. Likewise, Nick encourages Danny to audition at the music shop by reminding him that "The Song's Got to Come From the Heart." Danny sings "It's the Same Old Dream" as a typical ballad...but teen singers the Starlighters aren't impressed and do their own swing version.

The big hit here was "Time After Time," which is first heard performed by Danny after he adds words to Jamie's music. Anne gets to do her own lovely rendition later when Danny announces that the music shop intends to publish it. Anne and Danny sing the opera duet "La Ci Darem La Mano" from Don Giovanni while out to dinner; Jamie accompanies them on piano. Near the end of the movie, Anne imagines herself performing the difficult "Bell Song" from Lakme in a fully-staged version of the opera. 

Trivia: That's a 17-year-old Andre Previn playing all of the piano solos in the film, including the one in the finale that cements that scholarship. 

Despite singing and dancing so well in "I Believe," Bobby Long apparently dropped out of show business shortly after the film's release and would join the Navy from 1951 to 1955.

What I Don't Like: First and foremost, this is not for those who prefer their musicals on the big, bold, and brassy side. It's small and quiet for a musical from this era. It's not even filmed in color. Grayson's first opera duet with Sinatra is cute, but her big fantasy "Bell Song" sequence late in the film comes totally out of left field and is never mentioned again. It was probably added to give Grayson more to do and show off her soprano. The producer was right that she can come off as a cold fish compared to the guys, even after she's supposedly thawed later in the movie. The story can come off as cutesy and trite, especially in the second half, when they're trying to help the teen get his scholarship. 

The Big Finale: If you're a fan of the four leads or are looking for a smaller-scale MGM musical, this is an underrated charmer that's worth buying the Brooklyn Bridge for. 

Home Media: On streaming and DVD, the latter currently from the Warner Archives.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - Wish

Disney, 2023

Voices of Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Angelique Cabral, and Alan Tudyk

Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veeraunthorn

Music by Julia Michaels, Benjamin Rice, and JP Saxe; Lyrics by Julia Michaels

This was one of the most anticipated movies of 2023. Disney announced it in 2022, intending it to be a celebration of their 100th anniversary. It debuted in November and became one of Disney's biggest flops in a year riddled with them. Critics complained that the story had too much homage and not enough magic. Were they right, or is there more to this unique fantasy? To find out, we begin, as so many classic Disney fairy tales do, with a narrator telling us the story of how Magnifico (Pine) became king of the island of Rosas and protector of their wishes...

The Story: Asha (DeBose) is hoping to become Magnifico's assistant, so he'll grant her grandfather's (Victor Garber) wish on his 100th birthday. To her horror, she learns his real interest is in only granting the wishes he deems "worthy"...or not likely to challenge his rule of Rosas. He never intends to release anyone else's wishes, being too happy with his people worshipping him. 

Frustrated when her family won't listen to her about Magnifico, she makes a wish on a shooting star. That star promptly comes to Earth in the form of a cute little star sprite, whose glittering magic makes everything in the woods and her pet goat Valentino (Tudyk) able to talk. She gets the little creature to help her retrieve her grandfather's wish. When Magnifico arrests her family for stealing, she sends her mother and grandfather away, then enlists her friends at the castle and Magnifico's wife Queen Amaya (Angelique Cabral) to rescue the wishes and return them to the people.

The Animation: Though computer animated, Disney gives this a flat and almost sketchy look, rather like if their movies of the 60's and 70's had been made with a computer. It works with the throwback story, with its dark colors and adorable characters, especially the animals. The characters flow very well; some of the backdrops, in the woods and the castle, are especially well-done and detailed.

The Song and Dance: DeBose and Pine dominate this story of a girl who wants everyone to be able to have their dreams, and the ruler who worries that everyone having their dreams will mean he'll lose their love. I also liked Jennifer Kumiyama as Asha's best friend, a smart baker with a crush on Magnifico whose ability to plan proves useful later. In fact, I love how diverse both Asha's friends and Rosas in general are, with people of all kinds coming there to have their wishes granted.

If nothing else, I give Disney credit for going with an original story, for not shoehorning an unnecessary romance in, and for having a straightforward villain this time. Magnifico is probably their best bad guy since Ms. Bellwether in Zootopia. Pine has a blast playing him as he unravels from a sane, if slightly narcissistic, ruler to a magic-obsessed lunatic who wants total control over everything and everyone, wishes included.

Favorite Number: Our first song after the storybook opening is "Welcome to Rosas," as Asha introduces her seemingly perfect island home. "At All Costs" is her big duet with Magnifico. He insists that he's keeping everyone's wishes for their own good, but Asha thinks people should be able to live their own wishes. "This Wish" is Asha's hoping for help from that wishing star. Everyone in the forest, including Valentino, claim "I'm a Star" after the star comes to Earth and gives them the power of speech. 

Magnifico whines about how ungrateful his people are for wanting to make their wishes come true without his concent. "This Is the Thanks I Get?" he complains. Asha, Amaya, and Asha's friends are ready to do battle "Knowing What I Know Now" about Magnifico and his true intentions. Lyricist Julia Michaels performs the lovely ballad "A Dream Worth Making" over the credits. 

What I Don't Like: I can kind of see where the critics' carping came from. Disney focused so much on making a movie that would respect its history, they forgot to focus on things like character development. Neither Asha nor her friends really have all that much personality, besides being cute teenagers. Apparently, early concept art had the Star come to Rosas in the form of a human and Queen Amaya being evil like her husband. Both ideas would have enhanced the story and made things a lot more interesting. Amaya barely has anything to do besides change sides for barely-discussed reasons. The Star is darling, but not much more than that, and Valentino's ability to speak gets annoying fast.

The Big Finale: This isn't nearly as horrible as people claimed when it came out in November, but it isn't great, either...and for the movie capping Disney's 100th anniversary, I suspect what people wanted was to be blown away, not something that played it safe. It's still worth seeing for some decent performances and lovely music, especially if you're already a fan of Disney's animated films. 

Home Media: As one of the newest movies I've reviewed, this is easily found in all formats. It finally debuted on Disney Plus earlier this month. 

DVD

Blu-Ray

Disney Plus

Cult Flops - Sweet Kitty Bellairs

Warner Bros, 1930

Starring Claudia Dell, Walter Pidgeon, Ernest Torrence, and June Collyer

Directed by Alfred E. Green

Music by Walter O'Keefe; Lyrics by Robert Emmett Dolan

Operetta - historical musicals with more opera-like songs and romantic plots - were wildly popular during the lavish 20's as theatergoers reveled in lavish melodramas far removed from their lives. They were just starting to fall out of favor onstage during the early sound era as their creaky fairy tales were replaced by more modern stories and jazzier music. This extended to films as well. By the time this movie came out in August 1930, the public had seen way too many poorly made movies - operettas especially - and had begun to stay away. Were they right to avoid this one, or should this confection of a movie get a second chance to join the ball? Let's begin in a coach on the way to Bath, England in 1793 and find out...

The Story: Kitty Bellairs (Dell) is notorious in London for her forty affairs, and this situation doesn't seem much different when she goes to Bath. Even during the coach trip, shy nobleman Lord Varney (Walter Pidgeon) and a dashing highwayman who stops the coach and steals their valuables fall for her. Varney tries to defend Kitty when the highwayman offers to exchange their things for a kiss, but she gives it to the man anyway when he easily beats him. Kitty is totally in love with this bandit, especially after he slips a ring on her finger.

Varney still wishes to win Kitty's love. He claims he'll write her a poem, but his friend Colonel Villiers (Lionel Belmore) thinks there's more to winning the lady than pretty words. Kitty, for her part, is having a hard time choosing suitors. She met the dashing Captain O'Hara (Perry Ashkam) at a party and finds him just as attractive as Varney and the highwayman. She does better helping her best friend Lady Julia Standish (Collyer) make her neglectful husband Lord Jasper (Torrence) jealous. Kitty does too well. Standish thinks the lock of red hair and note left behind and suspects Varney of being his wife's lover. Kitty finally decides to step in and resolve matters, before she loses the one man who really does love her.

The Song and Dance: It's too bad more people don't know about this one. It's absolutely charming, with lovely period-appropriate songs and gorgeous costumes. Dell is the stand-out as the coquettish Kitty, who may flirt outrageously, but deep down is willing to help when she realizes all the trouble her teasing caused. And who knew Walter Pidgeon could make such an adorable bashful suitor? We even get some excellent outdoor shooting for the early sound era. Green keeps things moving at a fair pace, and it doesn't suffer from the stiffness and staginess that affected so many movies in the early 30's. 

Favorite Number: We open in that coach, with Kitty, her friend, Lord Varney, and Colonel Villiers "On the Road to Bath" as they reveal why they're there and how Varney has already fallen for Kitty. "The Highwayman's Song" brings in the mysterious bandit whose machismo captures Kitty's heart. "Song of the Town of Bath" is the number for the gossipy citizens as the carriage rolls in. The short "Drunk Song" is, as you can guess, the number for the men of the cast after spending time at the local tavern. "Peggy's Leg" is a similar number for the male leads. Varney claims "My Love, I'll Be Waiting For You" to Kitty early on; they duet on it near the end, when she begins to change her mind about him. "Pump Room Song" is Kitty's number with the chorus. "You, I Love But You" is Kitty's big ballad. She sings it three times in the film, the third with Pidgeon. 

Trivia: This was originally filmed in color, but survives in black and white.

What I Don't Like: What audience did Warners intend this for again? This would be a hard sell for a lot of people nowadays, let alone in the hardscrabble early 30's. Pidgeon's name is the only familiar one. The remaining cast is made up of stage actors and barely-remembered Warners character actors. They're not going for realism here. It's supposed to be set in England, but not a single British accent is to be heard. To say the plot is complicated would be like saying the Atlantic is wet. There's so much going on for such a short movie, you may need a notebook to keep track of it all. And obviously, if you don't go in for historical fiction, operetta, opera-style music, or swashbuckling action, this is absolutely not going to be for you. 

The Big Finale: If you're a fan of operetta or historical swashbucklers like me, you'll want to join Kitty on the road to Bath and give this dashing treat a second chance at romance. 

Home Media: DVD only as one of the earliest Warner Archive titles.

DVD

Honey (1930)

Paramount, 1930

Starring Nancy Carroll, Richard "Skeets" Gallagher, Stanley Smith, and Lillian Roth

Directed by Wesley Ruggles

Music by W. Franke Harling; Lyrics by Sam Coslow

Not all musicals from the early sound era were backstage spectacles or soppy melodramas. By 1930, Hollywood had begun to venture into creating musicals made just for the screen, either with original stories or based on non-musical plays, like our first review this week. Come Out of the Kitchen was originally a play in 1916. Having first filmed it in 1919, Paramount dusted it off again for sound and musical treatment and to showcase then-major stars Roth, Gallagher, and Carroll. How well did they do with this farce about impoverished siblings who rent out their home to a wealthy family and find love in the bargain? Let's begin at a southern plantation, where Olivia Dangerfield (Carroll) is preparing to move out of her room so the new renters can move in, and find out...

The Story: Olivia and her brother Charles (Gallagher) are moving downstairs because the cook and butler they hired ended up getting married instead. Desperate, they take over as the cook and butler, while Mayme (ZaSu Pitts) and her obnoxious daughter Doris (Mitzi Green) work upstairs. Mrs. Falkner (Jobyna Howland) arrives with her vivacious daughter Cora (Roth) and Cora's handsome fiancee Burton Crane (Smith) in tow.  Burton quickly falls for Olivia, who tries to hide her situation, while Cora pursues Charles and Mayme falls for Crane's friend J. William Burnstein (Harry Green), who is there to keep an eye on Mrs. Falkner's jewelry. Needless to say, Mrs. Falkner protests all of this, and Olivia is reluctant to tell Burton how far she's fallen.

The Song and Dance: The songs are pretty much the only things carrying this one. notably its sole standard "Sing You Sinners." Carroll is charming and lovely and Roth is adorable and plays well off the goofier Gallagher, but it's Howland who stomps away with the picture as the monstrous snob of a mother. Some of the costumes (that can be seen in the terrible copy currently at YouTube) aren't bad, either, especially during that amazing "Sing You Sinners" revival sequence. 

Favorite Number: We don't get a song until nearly a half-hour into a movie that's a little over an hour...and when we do, it's the slightly sappy ballad "In My Little Hope Chest." Olivia performs it to explain why she keeps up her hopes of finding the right person to Burton. Charles and Cora have more fun encouraging each other "Let's Be Domestic." Mayme and William are even funnier admitting this outside while doing the laundry. Charles claims "I Don't Need Atmosphere" to court Cora right before they head to the revival meeting.

That revival meeting provides the film's big chorus number and sole truly memorable sequence. Louise Beavers starts things off with a powerhouse rendition of "Sing You Sinners" with the black chorus. Mitzi Green takes over briefly, coming off as a lot more enjoyable than she ever was in the rest of the film. Roth gets even more into it with her own solo near the end. She has such a great time, writhing and shaking with abandon, that the song became something of a signature for her. The number is totally extraneous and is never mentioned again, but it's such an awesome moment, you don't mind at all.

Trivia: Lyricist Sam Coslow claimed in his autobiography that a young and unknown Bing Crosby was considered for the Burton Crane role.

"Sing You Sinners" actually was inspired by a real-life revival meeting Coslow attended with friends.

There would be at least two foreign language versions made in 1930 and 1931, the French Cherie and the German Every Woman Has Something. 

What I Don't Like: No wonder Carroll protested getting stuck in this. This is about the most typical piece of musical fluff you can think of. It's also badly dated in its condescending treatment of its black and female characters and silly story. Other than her part in "Let's Be Domestic," Pitts spends most of the movie whining and crying and is really annoying. Bratty Green is even harder to take. I'm surprised no one grabbed that kid and gave her a good, hard shake. 

They really should have used Crosby, who might have been able to make Burton at least slightly interesting. Smith is stiff as a board and about as much fun to watch. Ruggles is normally a good director, as we see in "Sing You Sinners," but most of the movie shows its stage origins too plainly in all the people standing around talking.

The Big Finale: Only for the most ardent fans of early sound film. All others would be advised to skip right to "Sing You Sinners" and pass on the rest of this.

Home Media: At press time, this can only be found - in a washed-out copy that's badly in need of restoration - at YouTube.

YouTube

Family Fun Saturday - Alice In Wonderland (1985)

CBS, 1985

Starring Natalie Gregory, Red Buttons, Jayne Meadows, and Ann Jillian

Directed by Harry Harris

Music and Lyrics by Steve Allen

I'm celebrating my birthday tomorrow with an old favorite of mine. This two-part miniseries used to show up a lot on cable in the 80's and 90's when I was little, and I always enjoyed seeing all of the familiar faces dressed as characters from one of my favorite stories. This would seem to be a bit of an oddity for producer Irwin Allen, who usually specialized in campy disaster dramas and science fiction. All-star programming, however, was up his alley. How does this star-studded version of the beloved children's fantasy novel look today? Let's begin with Alice (Natalie Gregory) and her mother (Sheila Allen) at home as Alice begs to be able to join her parents for tea and find out...

The Story: Alice wishes she were grown-up enough to sit at the tea table with her parents, but they insist she join her older sister (Sharee Gregory) outside instead. While talking to her sister, Alice sees a human-sized White Rabbit (Buttons) hurrying off into the woods. Alice follows him, only to fall down a rabbit hole and into Wonderland, a surreal world where the usual human logic and sense don't usually apply. Among the odd characters she meets are the mouthy Duchess (Martha Raye), the tea party-loving Mad Hatter (Anthony Newley) and March Hare (Roddy McDowell), the grinning Cheshire Cat (Telly Savalas), and the Queen of Hearts (Jayne Meadows), who loves nothing more than to order everyone's heads taken off.

Even after Alice escapes the Queen of Hearts' unfair trial for the Knave (James Joseph Galante), she ends up behind the mirror in Looking Glass Land. Here, everyone's minds work backwards, and things are the opposite of normal. The Red Queen (Ann Jillian) and White Queen (Carol Channing) give unwanted advice, but she has more fun with Tweedledee (Eydie Gorme) and Tweedledum (Steve Lawrence) and the kindly White Knight (Lloyd Bridges). The White Knight is ready to defend her when the Jabberwocky attacks, but thanks to the Owl (Jack Warden) reminding her to face her fears, Alice realizes that growing up means doing things we're afraid to do...like confronting monsters, or our own parents. 

The Song and Dance: The sprawling Alice lends itself well to the all-star treatment. I very much appreciate how close these get to the actual books, especially the first half in Wonderland. This is one of the more accurate TV adaptions of this story I've seen. In fact, maybe Alice should get the miniseries treatment more often. It gives more room for everyone to do their schtick, and for us to get to know Alice and why she's making her journey. Speaking of Alice, Natalie Gregory may be one of my favorite Alices on-screen. She nails the role, from her realistic reactions to all the goofballs around her to her genuine fear when she faces the Jabberwocky later. 

There's also Allen's lovely music. I forgot how good the music is in this. It really carries the story along, even when the series is at its most strange. Channing's "Jam Today" is a showstopper, and Jillian gets two gorgeous lullabies late in the second half.

Favorite Number: Sherman Hemsley makes the most of his short role as the Mouse revealing why "I Hate Dogs and Cats" after Alice climbs out of the Pool of Tears. The Caterpillar (Sammy Davis Jr.) and Alice sing "You are Old Father William" dressed as the characters. "There's Something to Be Said for Hatred" claims the Duchess and her cook (Imogene Coca). The Cheshire Cat agrees, and depresses Alice (and the audience) by telling her "There's No Way Home."  

The Mad Hatter perks things up considerably by reminding Alice to "Laugh" about her fears. Alice (dubbed by Lana Beeson) wonders "Why Do People?" behave the way they do after the disastrous tea party. The Queen of Hearts insists "Off With Their Heads!" while the Mock Turtle (Ringo Starr) reminds Alice about the importance of "Nonsense." Their Royal Highnesses are more annoyed than anything when the Hatter and Hare argue "I Didn't, You Did!" when they're called on at the trial.

Our first numbers in Looking Glass Land aren't until nearly 20 minutes in, but it's two from Gorme and Lawrence. They remind Alice to say "How Do You Do and Shake Hands" and tell her the story of "The Walrus and the Carpenter." The White Queen insists that it can only be "Jam Tomorrow," never today. The White King (Harvey Korman), his messenger (John Stamos), and Alice learn why "The Lion and the Unicorn" are fighting for the crown. "We are Dancing," the White Knight sings as he and Alice waltz sweetly together. 

The Red Queen and White Queen get a very funny patter number after Alice becomes queen, asking her "Can You Do Addition?" Jillian is absolutely gorgeous in two lovely lullabies, "Emotions" as she explains to Alice why she feels the way she does, and "Hush-a-Bye Lady" as she puts the White Queen - and herself - to sleep. The White Rabbit welcomes all of Alice's Wonderland friends "To the Looking Glass World" after she becomes queen. In the end, before Alice goes off to tea, her friends from both worlds sing about how they hope "Alice" won't forget them.

What I Don't Like: The music is still lovely, but the costumes and sets haven't dated well at all. They look like cheap rejects from one of Irwin's fantasy movies. Gregory's blonde wig is almost too big for her head. When the Jabberwock shows up, he looks more like the Godzilla-like puppet he is than anything scary, undercutting the second half. 

The attempt at the "face your fears" morals and the finale that replaces Alice finally getting tired of all the nonsense and throwing the table on everyone comes off as too dark for a light-hearted children's fantasy. Davis' "You are Old Father William" number is totally random - even for Wonderland - and seems shoehorned in to give him something to do other than sit there. And honestly, most of these people are unrecognizable in the costumes and many of them, especially those who don't sing, have even less to do than Davis. 

The Big Finale: Maybe it's because I grew up watching this, but for all the TV budget and obvious camp, this is still one of my favorite versions of this story. Attractive songs and Gregory's strong performance help overcome the budget limitations and odd costumes. Highly recommended for families with a spare three hours on hand, or who are able to split the episodes into several days' viewing.

Home Media: The DVD is pretty easily found anywhere, often for under $10. 

DVD

Rhythm on the River

Paramount, 1940

Starring Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, Basil Rathbone, and Oscar Levant

Directed by Victor Schertzinger

Music by James V. Monaco and Victor Schertzinger; Lyrics by Johnny Burke

We move from a western ranch to an upstate New York inn for our next Crosby vehicle. By this point, Crosby was one of the top box office draws in the world. His movies were among Paramount's biggest money-makers, and his concert tours sold out everywhere. He even had his own variety show on the radio, Kraft Music Hall. Martin, then just beginning her career as one of the most popular stars on the Broadway stage, was a frequent performer on Kraft Music Hall. How well do they work together in this story of a composer and lyricist who discover they have a lot more in common than they previously believed? Let's begin at a swank party honoring songwriter Oliver Courtney (Rathbone) and find out...

The Story: Despite everyone praising his work on a big Broadway show, Courtney is really a fraud. He hasn't written a song in years. He hires songwriters to do the work for him, including laid-back composer Bob Sommers (Bing Crosby). After his lyricist dies, he convinces Cherry Lane (Martin) to take over. Annoyed with the band that moved to the room next to hers, she goes to find somewhere quiet to work. She's not happy at first that she keeps running into Bob everywhere, including the old inn she ends up taking a room at. 

Turns out the inn belongs to his uncle and he's there for the same reason, to work on new songs. The duo discover they have a lot in common, including being songwriters. They go back to LA, only to learn that they both work for Courtney, and he's not about to let his walking moneybags go. They try to sell their own music, but everyone thinks their songs are Courtney's. 

Bob brings together the band that had made such a racket next-door to Cherry as a way to promote their music. They audition for a big nightclub, but the manager Mr. Westlake (William Frawley) is only interested in Cherry. Bob insists that she sing for him...but all she really wants is Bob and for them to be recognized for the talented songwriters they are.

The Song and Dance: Martin and Bing are definitely the thing here. They play off each other surprisingly well as the songwriters who don't know they're helping the same man. This is also a rare and enjoyable comedy performance from Rathbone, who usually plays villains in dramas and swashbucklers. Here he's also a villain, but one who ultimately learns his lesson. Levant gets his usual digs as Courtney's best friend and voice of reason Billy Starbuck, and crusty William Goodwin has fun as Bob's woman-and-work-hating uncle.

Favorite Number: We open with "What Would Shakespeare Have Said," a comedy number that Bob originally sings when he brings it to Courtney for his show. It's then performed by the show's leading lady Millie Starling (Lillian Cornell), during the party. Cherry initially sings the jaunty "That's for Me" for Courtney at his apartment, accompanied by Starbuck. She's shocked when Bob performs it for her at the inn, believing he stole it. 

The band joins Bob for "Tiger Rag" to show what they can do. "Ain't It a Shame About Mame" is her comedy number with the band later, when they're trying to write their own material. Bing sings "When the Moon Comes Over Madison Square" for producers, but they think they're imitating Courtney. "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore" is Cherry's heartbroken ballad when she's singing with the band, but would rather be writing. 

The hit here was the ballad "Only Forever." Bob initially sings it for Cherry at the inn as they discuss their music. It's reprised as a duet in the finale, when Courtney reveals who really wrote his songs.

Trivia: "Only Forever" was originally intended for If I Had My Way, but was cut from that film.  

What I Don't Like: First of all, while Martin and Crosby work well enough together, she could be given more to do than sing a few numbers and pine over him later at the club. I don't think Paramount ever really figured out what to do with her. Though the plot is slightly more interesting than Rhythm on the Range, it's still pretty goofy. It lacks Range's more colorful supporting cast and genuine location shooting. Other than "Only Forever," the songs aren't all that interesting, either. It's also not for those who like their musicals big and bold; Bing jamming with the band on "Tiger Rag" is big as it gets. 

The Big Finale: If you love Crosby or Martin, or are looking for a smaller-scale romance from the 40's, jump on the catfish boat and enjoy this jaunt down river. 

Home Media: Same deal as Rhythm on the Range. DVD only from the Universal Vault, as a double feature with Range, and as part of a larger Crosby collection. 

DVD - Universal Vault

DVD - Rhythm on the Range/Rhythm on the River

DVD - Bing Crosby: The Silver Screen Collection

Rhythm on the Range

Paramount, 1936

Starring Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer, Bob Burns, and Martha Raye

Directed by Norman Taurog

Music and Lyrics by various

We return to the laid-back world of crooner Bing Crosby with our first two reviews this week. It's not well-remembered nowadays, but Crosby had a strong influence on country music. Though this would be his only musical western, he frequently incorporated western music and country songs into his act, introducing it to audiences outside its usual rural demographics. He became one of the earliest singing cowboys in this entry, just as more authentic cowboy Gene Autry was becoming popular. How does this story of a runaway heiress who falls for a rodeo rider while fleeing out west look now? Let's start not on the range, but at a modern penthouse prepared for a wedding, and find out...

The Story: Doris Halliday (Farmer) is tired of settling for dull but wealthy men. Her Aunt Penelope (Lucile Gleason) wonders why she's marrying someone she doesn't love. Hoping to find a tougher breed of man, Doris stows away on a boxcar with cowboy Jeff Larrabee (Crosby) and his just-bought steer Cuddles. 

Neither Cuddles nor Jeff take to Doris at first, especially after Cuddles chases her in a red scarf and they end up stranded. Doris makes up for it by snaring a car and trailer to take them west. When they arrive, they learn that Jeff's partner Buck (Burns) is now engaged to the very aggressive Emma Mazda (Raye), whom he met on the train. He thinks Jeff should do the same with Doris, but Aunt Penelope worries that Jeff is a gold-digger. Doris knows what real gold-digging is like, and she's ready to tell Jeff she loves him for real.

The Song and Dance: This is really more of a musical than a western, but as such, it has a lot of good moments. Bing's not the most believable cowboy in the world. He does much better crooning "I'm an Old Cowhand" than dealing with the cows. Bob Burns looks and sounds more like a country sidekick. He's especially funny early-on in New York, putting one over on the city slickers. Raye makes a very funny debut as the noisy city gal who falls for Burns while looking for her brother out west. She has some of the best moments in the second half, including jumping around Burns near a freshly-dug well and her exuberant performance of "Mr. Paganini." We also get some rare outdoor shooting for the time at the Alabama Hills in the Sierra Nevada and in New York.

Favorite Number: Our first number is Jeff singing the ballad "Empty Saddles" during the Madison Square Garden rodeo, one of two standards to come from this film. We get many reactions from the touched cowboys around the arena as they remember their own friends they lost. He sings "Roundup Lullaby" to Doris in the boxcar and laments "I Can't Escape From You" after that car she stole busts a tire. He admonishes Cuddles to "Settle Down You Cattle."

The majority of the songs are performed after they've all arrived at the ranch during an engagement party for Buck and Emma. "Mr. Paganini" is Emma's energetic satire of opera, noisily comparing it to swing music. She also briefly gets "Love In Bloom." Jeff joins Russian cowboy Mischa (Leonard Kinsky) for the Russian drinking song "Drink It Down." Look for Louis Prima and Roy Rogers with the Sons of the Pioneers in this number, "One More Ride," and the other big hit from this movie, "I'm an Old Cowhand." 

Trivia: Film debut of Martha Raye; first major role for Bob Burns. We even get to see his famous "bazooka" home-made musical instrument when he's fleecing the cowboys at Madison Square Garden.

Though the arena sequences were filmed at Madison Square Garden in New York City, it's not the current Garden that hosts concerts, the Knicks, and the Rangers. This one was the third version, which was demolished in 1968 after the current arena was built. 

What I Don't Like: Even Rogers' 40's and 50's vehicles have more west in them than this. This is less a western than a cross between a Bing Crosby movie and the runaway heiress screwball comedies that were popular in the 30's. Troubled Farmer is at least a little bit more interesting than most of the women Bing crooned to in his movies, but other than stealing the car, she doesn't have that much to do. As is common for Bing's vehicles in the 30s, the film stops cold so Raye, Burns, Crosby, and the Sons of the Pioneers can do unrelated numbers. 

The Big Finale: Fun for fans of Bing, country music, or those wondering where all those singing cowboy films of the 30's, 40's, and 50's got their start. 

Home Media: Not officially online, but it can be easily found on DVD, on its own and as part of two Bing Crosby sets.

DVD - Universal Vault

DVD - Rhythm on the Range/Rhythm On the River

DVD - Bing Crosby: The Silver Screen Collection - The 30's