Dames

Warner Bros, 1934

Starring Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, Joan Blondell, and Hugh Herbert

Directed by Ray Enright

Music by Harry Warren and others; Lyrics by Al Dubin and others

This week, we're diving into Busby Berkeley's signature kaleidoscope numbers in two of his lesser-known Warners films. Dames was a direct result of the massive success of Gold Diggers of 1933, 42nd Street, and Footlight Parade. Warners wanted more of the same and immediately put a lot of the actors from those three films at work on this one. Trouble was on the horizon, however. The new Production Code forbade scanty costumes and sexual ogling...and all of this is reflected in this movie. How does the lavish Berkeley sensibility mix with the story of an eccentric millionaire (Herbert) who is determined to raise morals and eliminate those he doesn't find upright, upstanding citizens...especially show business folk? Let's begin with Ezra Ounce and his principles and find out...

The Story: Ezra visits his cousin Matilda Hemingway (ZaSu Pitts) in New York City, which he considers the center of vice and immorality in the US. None of them are happy when they find out that Matilda's daughter Barbara (Keeler) is actually dancing in a show, or that she's in love with "black sheep" singer and songwriter Jimmy Higgens (Powell). Matilda's husband Horace (Guy Kibbee) ends up in trouble when he gives a showgirl named Mabel (Blondell) a ride home in his private train car. He's so terrified of scandal, he leaves her money and a note saying not to tell anyone...but Mabel uses his connections to her and to Barbara to blackmail him into backing their show.

The Song and Dance: The supporting cast definitely waltzes off with this one. Herbert's a supremely weird and enjoyable eccentric rich uncle, fluttery Pitts is hilarious as his stuffed-shirt sister, and Kibbee is all enjoyably flustered bluster as her husband whose kindness to a showgirl starts the trouble. We're still at the height of Berkeley's initial influence and popularity, too. One of the most famous songs from any of the Warners/Berkeley came from this film, and one of its most unique numbers. Berkeley's famous playing with the camera to turn showgirls into Ruby Keeler for "I Only Had Eyes for You" and girls in black and white frills tapping in formation for the camera in the title song.

The Numbers: "I Only Have Eyes for You" is the standard ballad here, and it gets not one, but two numbers worthy of it. The first, less lavish has Jimmy crooning the hit to Barbara on the ferry to Manhattan with other couples looking on. The second is far more elaborate. Powell dreams of every girl dancing in white frills looking like Keeler, with Keeler's face being held up by chorus girls. "Dames" shows said ladies sleeping, dressing, and showering before going into their ruffle-and-black stocking kaleidoscope tap dance for the camera. 

"The Girl at the Ironing Board" is more whimsical. Early 1900's laundress Mabel dances with laundry after wishing for more romantic love. It's funny and charming, and Blondell looks like she's having fun with it. "Try to See It My Way" is Barbara and Jimmy again, and there's the satirical "When You Were a Smile On Your Mother's Lips and a Twinkle In Your Daddy's Eyes."

What I Don't Like: Not one of the better Berkeley comedies. The story is silly and kind of annoying, even by the standards of 30's musicals. Keeler and Powell are fine, but they're not nearly as much fun as the hilarious supporting cast.The songs don't start until nearly 20 minutes in, and while they are good, there aren't that many of them. 

The Big Finale: The great numbers and supporting cast are fun for fans of Berkeley movies and 30's musicals, but casual viewers will likely want to start with 42nd Street or Gold Diggers of 1933 first. 

Home Media: The solo DVD is pricey, but it can be found on several Berkeley collections and on streaming.

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Back to School Again - Sweetheart of the Campus

Columbia Pictures, 1941

Starring Ruby Keeler, Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Hilliard, and Gordon Oliver

Directed by Edward Dmytryk

Music and Lyrics by various

Ruby Keeler had been one of the biggest musical stars of the early 30's in Warners' Busby Berkeley extravaganzas. By 1941, Berkeley had moved to MGM, and Keeler was dropped by the studio. She did two movies for Columbia before ending her career to focus on her family; this is the only musical. 

At this point, Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hillard had been married and traveling together with his band for six years and were still three years from major stardom in their radio sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Ozzie's band appeared in several short-subjects and B films, including this one. How do these three very unlikely college students do with the story of a big band that joins a college to save it from being closed? Let's begin with Ozzie Norton, his orchestra, and their singer and dancer Betty Blake (Keeler) at the College Club nightclub near Lambeth Technical College and find out...

The Story: The club is closed by Minnie Lambeth Sparr (Kathleen Howard), the wealthy and prim daughter of the college's founder. She thinks the band's presence is detrimental to the student body. The band pickets the school, only to be arrested. They're sprung from jail by Harriet Hale (Hillard), the daughter of the president of the school. She wants them to help her raise applications and keep the school from closing. They encourage Betty and the orchestra members to join up; their music will encourage applicants. It works...until Sparr loads the newcomers with impossible exams, and Betty realizes that Ozzie has fallen for Harriet. 

The Song and Dance: While no Busby Berkeley spectacular, this is still a nifty little musical. It may be one of the earliest musicals to include a TV production as part of the plot. One of the ways the band spreads the word about the college needing applications is on their own early television show. We briefly see early TV recording and a transmitter; wish they did more with this. Keeler is really the thing here, and she runs with it. She's no sweet ingenue anymore, coming off as funny, tough, and even sexy, and dances up a storm. 

Favorite Number: We start off with the film's strongest assets, Nelson's band and Keeler's dynamic dance to the driving "Beat It Out" during a rehearsal at the Club. "When the Glee Club Swings the Alma Mater" is the picket number when the band marches on the school, demanding better treatment. Keeler gets a brief solo instrumental number tapping away in her jail cell, trying to annoy the sheriff into springing them. Hillard performs the gentle ballad "Where" with the band during the broadcast. 

Keeler's big number is "Tap Happy," and while she was dubbed (for the only time in her career), she still means every word with her fast-paced routine. Zoot Watson, the black janitor, joins the broadcast later with his band for the lively "Tom-Tom." Hillard's second ballad, "Here We Go Again," comes right before the announcement that the students must take those exams.

Trivia: Also released under the title Broadway Ahead.

What I Don't Like: Neither Oliver as Keeler's love interest nor Ozzie and Harriet are terribly interesting. Harriet in particular has little to do other than her two numbers. I really wish they'd gone further into those early TV broadcasts. They were honestly more unique and enjoyable than the cliche "save the college" story. It sounds more like a musical version of the slobs vs snobs comedies in the 1980's. The plot is of such little consequence, the film ends with a random montage of earlier musical numbers. 

The Big Finale: Cute enough time-waster if you're a really big fan of Keeler, the Nelsons, or big band music; unnecessary for anyone else. 

Home Media: Not currently on disc, but easily found online. It's free with ads at Tubi.

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Footlight Parade

Warner Bros, 1933
Starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, and Dick Powell
Directed by Lloyd Bacon; Musical Numbers Directed by Busby Berkeley
Music by Harry Warren and others; Lyrics by Al Dubin and others

This is the last of the three backstage movies Warners put out in 1933 that redefined the film musical. By this point, Warners already typecast Cagney as a gangster. Wishing to show off his other talents, he campaigned hard for the role of Chester Kent, the nervy stage producer in their newest extravaganza. In what other ways does this film differ from the earlier 42nd Street and Gold Diggers of 1933? Let's head to a theater in New York...a movie theater...and find out...

The Story: With Broadway on the rocks during the Great Depression, Chester switches to creating "prologues," live musical numbers that played before films in larger houses. He's under pressure from his partners to come up with ideas for dozens of numbers, so they can sell them to major theater chains and skim off the profits. There's a spy in his company who keeps selling off his ideas to a rival, his choreographer (Frank McHugh) does nothing but whine, and the woman he hires to help him (Vivian Rich) is a gold-digger who is only interested in his money. There's also the secretary (Keeler) who switches to dancing and the singer (Powell) who was initially hired because he's the "protege" of the producer's wife but asks to become an assistant.

Chester's partners manage to get him a contract with the Apolinaris theater circuit, just as they reveal their stealing and Chester's ex-wife Cynthia (Renee Whitney) tries to blackmail him. Fed up with the espionage, Chester sequesters all performers and personnel in the studio for three days while they work on a trio of huge numbers to impress Mr. Apolinaris (Paul Porcasi). Chester's secretary Nan (Blondell) looks for the spy...and wishes her boss would see her as more than a helpmate.

The Song and Dance: The unique setting and great cast makes this my personal favorite of the trio of hit Warners musicals from 1933. Cagney and his rapid-fire rhythm assures that this remains fast-paced and zesty, with racy pre-Code zingers flying fast and furious from just about everyone. Blondell in particular gets some choice snark at the pretentious Dodd. Even Keeler and Powell come off well (and a tad more adult) as the tart office girl who decides she'd rather be back onstage and the juvenile who isn't as "kept" as she thinks.

Favorite Number: "Sittin' On a Backyard Fence" has Keeler and the chorus girls in cat suits to prowl around the neighborhood and chase frisky mouse Billy Barty. As strange as it seems to have women doing dance steps in cat suits, it still looks less creepy than last year's Cats. "Shanghai Lil" brings Cagney in in what starts as the dramatic tale of a sailor looking for the Chinese girl he loves and ends as a patriotic tribute, with soldiers making eagle formations.

By far the most famous song from this one is "By a Waterfall." What starts as a slightly syrupy romantic rendezvous with Keeler and Powell turns into a massive cascade of hundreds of women in bathing suits following formations and becoming a human waterfall on a giant cake. It likely inspired much of Berkeley's work on Esther Williams' even bigger vehicles in the 1950's.

What I Don't Like: Other than "By a Waterfall," the music isn't quite as memorable as in the previous films. "Honeymoon Hotel" is an imitation "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" and goes on for way too long, and "Shanghai Lil" is marred by Asian stereotypes and the fact that Keeler is neither Asian, nor the temptress type. While not a bad dancer, she's not at Cagney's level and has a hard time keeping up with him during their duet. 

Not to mention, there's so much going on and so many plot lines that turn up in such a short time, many people may have a hard time just trying to figure out who's who and what's going on.

The Big Finale: If you love Cagney or the lavish backstage musicals of the 1930's, this is one parade you'll absolutely want to join.

Home Media: It was just re-released on DVD via the Warner Archives last month and is easy to find on streaming as well.

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Gold Diggers of 1933

Warner Bros, 1933
Starring Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Joan Blondell, and Aline MacMahon
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Al Dubin

This was Warners' second major musical after the tremendous success of 42nd Street and is a remake of their huge (and now mostly lost) blockbuster Gold Diggers of Broadway. It proved to be just as big of a hit as 42nd Street, with an even zestier cast and a more Depression-soaked story. How does the tale of three showgirls who pose as gold diggers to help their friend look now? Let's head to a theater in New York, just as one of the most famous songs from this score, "We're In the Money," is in progress...

The Story: Polly (Keeler), Trixie (MacMahon), and Carol (Blondell) are roommates and chorus girls who just lost a job after the producer, Barney Hopkins (Ned Sparks), couldn't pay his bills. Fellow chorus girl Fay Fortune (Ginger Rogers) announces that Hopkins has gotten his show back together. He has...everything but the money. Turns out the guy across the way that Polly's been flirting with, Brad Roberts (Powell), is not only a great songwriter, but is able to cough up the money in cash to finance the show. Despite being a good singer, he won't appear onstage, at least until the male juvenile can't move and he has to take his place.

That's when we learn that he's really the son of a rich Boston family that threatens to cut him off without a penny. His brother J. Lawrence Bradford (Warren William) and family lawyer Fanuel "Fanny" Peabody (Guy Kibbee) mistake Carol for Polly and try to get her away from Brad. In an attempt to help their friend and teach the snobbish duo a lesson, Trixie and Carol make them think Carol is Polly and vamp them for all they're worth...but their plans backfire when they actually fall in love with them.

The Song and Dance: It's Powell and the ladies who shine here. Powell and Keeler have almost switched roles from 42nd Street; this time, she's the slightly more wordly one, and he's the one who'll come back a star. Powell in particular comes off as a bit less stiff than he did in the earlier movie. Blondell and MacMahon hav a blast as the wisecracking dancers, and Ginger Rogers is a lot of fun as the only real gold-digger to be found. There's also a lot of references to the early Depression era - including "Forgotten Man" - that helps ground it in the era now.

Favorite Number: We kick off the movie in high style with my favorite song from this score, "We're In the Money." Ginger Rogers and the chorus girls romp in costumes made of coins, and Rogers even gets a solo in Pig Latin...until the creditors arrive and take it all away. "Pettin' In the Park" is a catchy little romp that shows girls and their beaus (and randy baby Billy Barty) chasing each other through three seasons. Check out the segment where Barty lifts the screen, revealing their tin costumes! "Shadow Waltz" is more romantic, with its girls in hoop skirts and neon violins forming violin shapes.

"Remember My Forgotten Man" is one of the most dramatic numbers in Busby Berkley's career. The "forgotten men" are the World War I veterans who marched on Washington the year before, trying to get their bonus pay. The gritty sets were inspired by German Expressionism, and they give an almost frighteningly surreal feel to the scenes of poverty and determination. The number was so moving, when studio head Jack L. Warner saw it, he ordered it be swapped to the end in place of "Petting In the Park."

Trivia: There was originally supposed to be a fifth big number performed by Blondell, "I've Got to Sing a Torch Song," but it was cut before release. The song is only heard performed briefly by Powell in the beginning.

An earthquake hit while they filmed "Shadow Waltz" and nearly electrocuted the dancers.

What I Don't Like: While MacMahon is having fun flirting with Kibbee, Blondell is completely mismatched with the erudite William. You'd never believe he'd change his mind about her so quickly, especially after being fooled like that. I also wish they'd focused more on that "putting on the show" in the second half and less on the rather convoluted and silly gold-digging plot.

The Big Finale: I don't like it as much as 42nd Street, but it does have its own charms, including some classic numbers. If you love the musicals of the 30's in general or the Busby Berkley musicals in particular, you'll want to look for this one.

Home Media: DVD is currently released by the Warner Archives. It's available with several streaming companies as well.

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42nd Street

Warner Bros, 1933
Starring Ruby Keeler, Warner Baxter, Dick Powell, and Ginger Rogers
Directed by Lloyd Bacon; Musical Numbers Directed by Busby Berkeley
Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Al Dubin

We're going way back tonight to what is not only considered to be the archetypal backstage musical, but the movie that helped revive the genre on the big screen. Musicals - especially backstage musicals - were huge when sound came in, but the studios tossed out too many frivolous pieces of nonsense. Warners got around this by giving 42nd Street a slightly darker story that was more in line with the tastes of Depression audiences and employing an all-star cast. Let's head to a theater in New York to see if it really "goes out there a nobody and comes back a star!"

The Story: In the depths of the Great Depression, almost everyone on Broadway is thrilled when popular producers Jones (Robert McWade) and Barry (Ned Sparks) announce that they're putting on a new musical, Pretty Baby, with popular star Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels). Brock is stringing along a backer, kiddie car magnate Abner Diller (Guy Kibbe) while seeing her former vaudeville partner Pat Denning (George Brent) on the side. They hire notoriously tough Julian Marsh (Baxter) as the director. Marsh has to make this a hit in order to recoup his losses from the Stock Market Crash and have enough to retire on.

Among the ladies who make it through the audition are ditzy Lorraine Fleming (Una Merkel), brassy Ann "Anytime Annie" Lowell (Rogers), and sweet newcomer Peggy Saywer (Keeler). Singer Billy Lawler (Powell) has taken a shine to Peggy...but so has Pat. Marsh continues to berate and push and shove the entire cast through rehearsals and right up through the day before the out-of-town opening in Philadelphia. Brock finally learns about Pat's interest in Peggy during the cast party, where she throws a fit that ends with her breaking her ankle.

The show is about to close when Annie suggests that Peggy, while not the best singer, can certainly dance rings around Brock. Now inexperienced Peggy has to carry an entire show on her poofy-sleeved shoulders. She's not so sure she can do it, but Marsh reminds her that she has to do her best in one of the most famous lines in any musical, "You're going out there a youngster, but you're coming back a star!"

The Song and Dance: Keeler and Powell may have been the ones who became stars, but honestly, my favorite thing about this along with the famous Busby Berkley dance routines are the supporting cast and the snappy script. Merkel and Rogers get some of the movie's funniest lines as New York's sassiest chorus girls, with dour Ned Sparks getting a few good lines in as the more pessimistic of the two producers. Baxter, on the other hand, puts in one of his best dramatic performances as the director desperate to make one last stand on Broadway.

Favorite Number: Although "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me" for Bebe Daniels and the chorus boys early on is pretty fun, most of the movie's most famous numbers turn up in the finale. Merkel and Rogers' wisecracks liven the slightly cutesy "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," while "Young and Healthy" shows off Powell's light tenor and some of Berkley's most famous camera and dance formations (not to mention the "under the legs" shot that has turned up in many other Berkley homages).

They save the best for last here. Keeler may not be a great singer, but her dancing in the title number is pretty darn good, enough to understand why this movie really did make her a star. We also get an attempt at drama far above the norm for a 30's musical, including glimpses of abuse and a murder, along with more Berkley camera-driven formations.

Trivia: This was one of the earliest movie musicals transferred to the stage. The Broadway version debuted in 1980, with Jerry Orbach as Julian Marsh and Tammy Grimes as Dorothy Brock. It was a huge hit, both in its original cast and in a 2001 revival. In fact, an equally popular revival just wound down a few weeks ago on London's West End.

The movie got two Oscar nods for Best Picture and Best Sound.

Warren and Dubin themselves can briefly be seen as the show's songwriters.

What I Don't Like: Keeler's only passable as the nice girl among the wolves when she's not dancing, while Powell comes off as way too coy. I almost kind of wish the film had gone the route of the Broadway version and had her end up with Marsh instead of Billy. (In the original book, Billy actually ended up with Marsh, which definitely wasn't going to happen in the movies in 1933.) Some of the Depression references may fly over the heads of those who don't understand the era.

The Big Finale: A funny, fast-paced, and fairly gritty script, Berkeley's oft-imitated kaleidoscope musical numbers, and some nice performances from the supporting cast make this a landmark musical and a must-see for anyone who loves the genre or wants to check out what made Berkeley and his movies famous.

Home Media: The solo DVD is out of print, but the Warner Archives Blu-Ray is available, and it can be found on several collections of Busby Berkeley musicals of the 1930's. (And I highly recommend both the original and 2001 revival Broadway casts on CD as well - they're both fun.)

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DVD - Busby Berkeley Collection: The 10 Pack