Post by lora on Oct 20, 2003 8:28:31 GMT -5
Welcome to my new feature, Music at the Movies. I will be introducing music-related films for discussion. This doesn't necessarily mean musicals, but the first film I am covering is one.
The musical is my favorite movie genre. Most of my favorite films are musicals, and most of them star Judy Garland. I talk about Bette Midler a lot on here, who I'm also a big fan of, but I don't mention Judy (my favorite singer of ALL time) much. So here's my chance to throw her in! I hope some of you have at least heard of this movie, but I doubt it...
Strike Up The Band (1940)
B&W, 120 minutes
Directed By: Busby Berkeley
Screenplay By: John Monks, Jr. and Fred Finklehoffe
Produced By: Arthur Freed
Original Music By: Roger Edens and Arthur Freed
Musical Director: Georgie Stoll
Cinematography By: Ray June
Art Direction By: Cedric Gibbons
Starring:
Mickey Rooney...Jimmy Connors
Judy Garland...Mary Holden
June Preisser...Barbara Frances Morgan
William Tracy...Phil Turner
Larry Nunn...Willie Brewster
Synopsis: Jimmy Connors is a student who plays drums in his high school band. But Jimmy's not content drumming in a "broken down brass band". He wants to start his very own modern dance orchestra with his best pal Mary on lead vocals. There's only one problem: Jimmy's got only three weeks to get his orchestra ready or the group will be disbanded. Of course, the orchestra's debut performance is a smash, giving Jimmy all the more reason to give up his parents' dream of him becoming a doctor and to pursue his career as a drummer.
Soon Jimmy finds out about a contest given by none other than orchestra leader Paul Whiteman. The contest is open for any high school band and the grand prize is an appearance on Mr. Whiteman's radio program - just the break Jimmy's been looking for. BUT - the orchestra has to go to Chicago to audition, and they can't get any financial support from the school. If they're gonna go to Chicago, they have to raise the money themselves. So, as in most Mickey and Judy films, the kids put on a show.
Now, there's a new girl in town named Barbara. She's got her eye on Jimmy, but after a brief flirtation with her Jimmy gives in to what he's known all along - Mary is the only girl for him.
Barbara has a party at her house, complete with a big band orchestra. And guess who the bandleader is? Paul Whiteman! Jimmy and his band are ecstatic. The instruments of Mr. Whiteman's orchestra are just so shiny...so when the orchestra is taking a break, Jimmy and his band decide to "knock out a few" on the bandstand. Mr. Whiteman hears and loves the band. He even offers Jimmy a job with a band in New York, but he declines, saying that his own band needs him even more. Mr. Whiteman tells Jimmy that there have been so many good bands that he's gonna make it a live contest, putting the top four bands on his radio program and letting the audience decide who the winner is. And because of their show, the band has just enough money to get to Chicago for the program. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes...
During their show, one of the kids, young Willie, was suspended high in the air as he played an angel. Being hung like that twisted Willie's arm up and fractured it, without him even realizing. Since the fracture has gone untreated, Willie's broken arm must be operated on as soon as possible or the results could be fatal. In order to have the operation, though, Willie must be flown to Chicago, and his mother just can't afford it. Well, whaddya know? The cost to send Willie to Chicago is the exact same amount of money that the band raised during their show. So Jimmy gives up his dreams of being a musician to save Willie's life.
The next day, Barbara's father reads about Jimmy's generous gesture toward Willie in the newspaper and decides to help out the band. He's going to send them to Chicago himself. They make it just in time for Mr. Whiteman's radio show, taking the competition by storm and winning the grand prize.
My Comments:
In typical MGM fashion, this movie's got several big production numbers. And, as are all Rooney-Garland pairings, the movie is really a showcase for the musical talents of Mickey and Judy. Everyone else is just a player in the band.
I really like this movie. The music is great, and it has just enough "sappiness" in it to bring a tear to your eye, especially during the scenes with Jimmy and his mother, and when Willie is ill. There is one particularly good comedic moment whenever Jimmy's band puts on their show for the community. They do a huge number called "Nell of New Rochelle", a sort of melodramatic spoof. The gestures are very exaggerated and cheesy, and you can't help but laugh. During one scene in "Nell", Judy...er, Mary...does this little shriek and her hair literally raises off of her head. Very funny. I thought that was done quite well too.
The greatest part of the film by far, however, is a dream sequence involving musical fruit. No, not that musical fruit! Real fruit - apples on brass, pears on violin, oranges and strawberries on percussion. There are pineapple cellos, and cake slices sit in as pianos. The fruit is even dressed in tails! These fruit models were designed by Henry Rox, and I just can't get over the fact that this was filmed in 1940. They couldn't even do anything that realistic-looking today. They'd cheat and use computer animation!
So, any thoughts?
The musical is my favorite movie genre. Most of my favorite films are musicals, and most of them star Judy Garland. I talk about Bette Midler a lot on here, who I'm also a big fan of, but I don't mention Judy (my favorite singer of ALL time) much. So here's my chance to throw her in! I hope some of you have at least heard of this movie, but I doubt it...
Strike Up The Band (1940)
B&W, 120 minutes
Directed By: Busby Berkeley
Screenplay By: John Monks, Jr. and Fred Finklehoffe
Produced By: Arthur Freed
Original Music By: Roger Edens and Arthur Freed
Musical Director: Georgie Stoll
Cinematography By: Ray June
Art Direction By: Cedric Gibbons
Starring:
Mickey Rooney...Jimmy Connors
Judy Garland...Mary Holden
June Preisser...Barbara Frances Morgan
William Tracy...Phil Turner
Larry Nunn...Willie Brewster
Synopsis: Jimmy Connors is a student who plays drums in his high school band. But Jimmy's not content drumming in a "broken down brass band". He wants to start his very own modern dance orchestra with his best pal Mary on lead vocals. There's only one problem: Jimmy's got only three weeks to get his orchestra ready or the group will be disbanded. Of course, the orchestra's debut performance is a smash, giving Jimmy all the more reason to give up his parents' dream of him becoming a doctor and to pursue his career as a drummer.
Soon Jimmy finds out about a contest given by none other than orchestra leader Paul Whiteman. The contest is open for any high school band and the grand prize is an appearance on Mr. Whiteman's radio program - just the break Jimmy's been looking for. BUT - the orchestra has to go to Chicago to audition, and they can't get any financial support from the school. If they're gonna go to Chicago, they have to raise the money themselves. So, as in most Mickey and Judy films, the kids put on a show.
Now, there's a new girl in town named Barbara. She's got her eye on Jimmy, but after a brief flirtation with her Jimmy gives in to what he's known all along - Mary is the only girl for him.
Barbara has a party at her house, complete with a big band orchestra. And guess who the bandleader is? Paul Whiteman! Jimmy and his band are ecstatic. The instruments of Mr. Whiteman's orchestra are just so shiny...so when the orchestra is taking a break, Jimmy and his band decide to "knock out a few" on the bandstand. Mr. Whiteman hears and loves the band. He even offers Jimmy a job with a band in New York, but he declines, saying that his own band needs him even more. Mr. Whiteman tells Jimmy that there have been so many good bands that he's gonna make it a live contest, putting the top four bands on his radio program and letting the audience decide who the winner is. And because of their show, the band has just enough money to get to Chicago for the program. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes...
During their show, one of the kids, young Willie, was suspended high in the air as he played an angel. Being hung like that twisted Willie's arm up and fractured it, without him even realizing. Since the fracture has gone untreated, Willie's broken arm must be operated on as soon as possible or the results could be fatal. In order to have the operation, though, Willie must be flown to Chicago, and his mother just can't afford it. Well, whaddya know? The cost to send Willie to Chicago is the exact same amount of money that the band raised during their show. So Jimmy gives up his dreams of being a musician to save Willie's life.
The next day, Barbara's father reads about Jimmy's generous gesture toward Willie in the newspaper and decides to help out the band. He's going to send them to Chicago himself. They make it just in time for Mr. Whiteman's radio show, taking the competition by storm and winning the grand prize.
My Comments:
In typical MGM fashion, this movie's got several big production numbers. And, as are all Rooney-Garland pairings, the movie is really a showcase for the musical talents of Mickey and Judy. Everyone else is just a player in the band.
I really like this movie. The music is great, and it has just enough "sappiness" in it to bring a tear to your eye, especially during the scenes with Jimmy and his mother, and when Willie is ill. There is one particularly good comedic moment whenever Jimmy's band puts on their show for the community. They do a huge number called "Nell of New Rochelle", a sort of melodramatic spoof. The gestures are very exaggerated and cheesy, and you can't help but laugh. During one scene in "Nell", Judy...er, Mary...does this little shriek and her hair literally raises off of her head. Very funny. I thought that was done quite well too.
The greatest part of the film by far, however, is a dream sequence involving musical fruit. No, not that musical fruit! Real fruit - apples on brass, pears on violin, oranges and strawberries on percussion. There are pineapple cellos, and cake slices sit in as pianos. The fruit is even dressed in tails! These fruit models were designed by Henry Rox, and I just can't get over the fact that this was filmed in 1940. They couldn't even do anything that realistic-looking today. They'd cheat and use computer animation!
So, any thoughts?
I don't think I've ever seen it, though. I know that Judy and Mickey appeared together in about a dozen movies including the Andy Hardy series. 
