Warning! The corn grows high and the sap flows freely! Overall, this is my least favorite of the 4 B&W musical comedies, from '39 -'43, starring Mickey and Judy. Most of these, including this one, were actually musical extensions of the Andy Hardy series format. Hence, extensive portions deal with the teenagers, usually led by Mickey, with Judy's support, having to beg permission from authority figures, including their parents, to put on a musical or dramatic show, and the practical problems of securing financing and an adequate place to put on the show.
In this one, Mickey, as the bored drummer for the High School band, leads a crusade to form a school-sponsored dance band, providing an opportunity for the other bored band members to play current pop music, and hopefully making some money for the school and themselves. Judy, backed by the rest of the glee club, will do most of the singing. The principal gives his hesitant OK. Thus, we have Busby Berkeley's spectacularly staged , manic, "La Conga" Latin-themed dance production. There would be the roughly equivalent manic production "Hoe Down" at this spot in the subsequent "Babes on Broadway"
Meanwhile, Mickey talks to his 'pal' Judy about the problem of his mother expecting him to become a doctor, like his dad, while he thinks he's cut out to be a musician. Later, we go through the same thing directly with his mother, in quite a sappy scene. She's initially upset, but eventually reluctantly agrees that he can try out his ambition. Later, when the Paul Whiteman band miraculously shows up in town for Barbara's birthday, Mickey is given an opportunity to turn professional when one of Whiteman's sidemen decides to form a new band. Initially ecstatic, Mickey's mother reminds him that he is the leader of the HS dance band and their ambition to win Whiteman's content on his radio show. She suggests that his leadership role in the local community is presently more important than starting a career elsewhere. Reluctantly, he agrees.
Also, meanwhile, Judy is dissatisfied with her status as Mickey's 'pal'. She wants to be his acknowledged girlfriend, expressed in song in "Nobody". Unfortunately, a very aggressive siren rich girl(June Preisser, as Barbara Morgan)has moved into town, and immediately starts working on Mickey(Why? He wasn't handsome, a star athlete, nor wealthy). Of course, Judy is jealous and Mickey very conflicted, but Judy decides an uneasy cooperation with Barbara is the best policy for the present. As things turn out, Barbara's father is the savior of the band's ambition to perform on the Whiteman show. At the last minute, one band member(Willie) needs a quick expensive operation, draining the money raised for the trip to the show(in a sappy scene).. Barbara's influential father is impressed, and he arranges for a quick train trip for the band. Before this episode, her father arranged for Whiteman's band to play at Barbara's birthday party, giving Whiteman a chance to hear the dance band, who play "Drummer Boy" with Whiteman's instruments, Mickey being the manic drummer, of course.
The biggest problem with the film is the long, mostly boring, New Rochelle archaic drama, in the middle. This includes all the stereotypical elements of bygone stage and silent film drama: a villain trying to take advantage of a destitute young woman(Judy), a savior(Mickey), who marries her, then eventually becomes a drunkard and wiles away all their money, the girl being tied to a train track for refusing to give into the villain, the savior tied to a log-cutting machine, about to be cut in half, and a guardian angel, in the form of their deceased son, coming to untie Mickey so he can save Judy. The purpose of putting on this show was to raise money for their trip to Whiteman.
After a sappy speech by Mickey, the big, somewhat flag-waving, finale mostly consists of reprisals of the major songs, with the Gershwin-composed title song the first and last featured. The most popular original song in the film: "Our Love Affair" is redone, with 4 large harps near the relevant Mickey-Judy couple. The first time this was played, Mickey wasn't thinking of Judy in a romantic context. This earlier rendition also included an animated nuts and fruit orchestra: a rather novel gimmick for its day.
This was the second and last time in this film series that dimpled, baby-faced, June Preisser played the obnoxious superrich siren competitor with Judy for Mickey's attention. Besides her looks and personality, she was known for her gymnastic dancing and contortion skill, which she very briefly gives samples of in this film. As in "Babes in Arms", she is directly or indirectly responsible for providing the money for the 'gang's' show biz ambitions. This time, she participates in several productions, including the finale, without the bitter competition with Judy for the lead female show role, as in "Babes in Arms". Her film career ended in the late '40s, when she was no longer wanted to play sexy high school girls.
Ann Shoemaker switched from playing Judy's mother in "Babes in Arms" to being Mickey's mother in this film.
Be sure to see the hilarious musical cartoon "Romeo in Rhythm", accompanying the current DVD.
In this one, Mickey, as the bored drummer for the High School band, leads a crusade to form a school-sponsored dance band, providing an opportunity for the other bored band members to play current pop music, and hopefully making some money for the school and themselves. Judy, backed by the rest of the glee club, will do most of the singing. The principal gives his hesitant OK. Thus, we have Busby Berkeley's spectacularly staged , manic, "La Conga" Latin-themed dance production. There would be the roughly equivalent manic production "Hoe Down" at this spot in the subsequent "Babes on Broadway"
Meanwhile, Mickey talks to his 'pal' Judy about the problem of his mother expecting him to become a doctor, like his dad, while he thinks he's cut out to be a musician. Later, we go through the same thing directly with his mother, in quite a sappy scene. She's initially upset, but eventually reluctantly agrees that he can try out his ambition. Later, when the Paul Whiteman band miraculously shows up in town for Barbara's birthday, Mickey is given an opportunity to turn professional when one of Whiteman's sidemen decides to form a new band. Initially ecstatic, Mickey's mother reminds him that he is the leader of the HS dance band and their ambition to win Whiteman's content on his radio show. She suggests that his leadership role in the local community is presently more important than starting a career elsewhere. Reluctantly, he agrees.
Also, meanwhile, Judy is dissatisfied with her status as Mickey's 'pal'. She wants to be his acknowledged girlfriend, expressed in song in "Nobody". Unfortunately, a very aggressive siren rich girl(June Preisser, as Barbara Morgan)has moved into town, and immediately starts working on Mickey(Why? He wasn't handsome, a star athlete, nor wealthy). Of course, Judy is jealous and Mickey very conflicted, but Judy decides an uneasy cooperation with Barbara is the best policy for the present. As things turn out, Barbara's father is the savior of the band's ambition to perform on the Whiteman show. At the last minute, one band member(Willie) needs a quick expensive operation, draining the money raised for the trip to the show(in a sappy scene).. Barbara's influential father is impressed, and he arranges for a quick train trip for the band. Before this episode, her father arranged for Whiteman's band to play at Barbara's birthday party, giving Whiteman a chance to hear the dance band, who play "Drummer Boy" with Whiteman's instruments, Mickey being the manic drummer, of course.
The biggest problem with the film is the long, mostly boring, New Rochelle archaic drama, in the middle. This includes all the stereotypical elements of bygone stage and silent film drama: a villain trying to take advantage of a destitute young woman(Judy), a savior(Mickey), who marries her, then eventually becomes a drunkard and wiles away all their money, the girl being tied to a train track for refusing to give into the villain, the savior tied to a log-cutting machine, about to be cut in half, and a guardian angel, in the form of their deceased son, coming to untie Mickey so he can save Judy. The purpose of putting on this show was to raise money for their trip to Whiteman.
After a sappy speech by Mickey, the big, somewhat flag-waving, finale mostly consists of reprisals of the major songs, with the Gershwin-composed title song the first and last featured. The most popular original song in the film: "Our Love Affair" is redone, with 4 large harps near the relevant Mickey-Judy couple. The first time this was played, Mickey wasn't thinking of Judy in a romantic context. This earlier rendition also included an animated nuts and fruit orchestra: a rather novel gimmick for its day.
This was the second and last time in this film series that dimpled, baby-faced, June Preisser played the obnoxious superrich siren competitor with Judy for Mickey's attention. Besides her looks and personality, she was known for her gymnastic dancing and contortion skill, which she very briefly gives samples of in this film. As in "Babes in Arms", she is directly or indirectly responsible for providing the money for the 'gang's' show biz ambitions. This time, she participates in several productions, including the finale, without the bitter competition with Judy for the lead female show role, as in "Babes in Arms". Her film career ended in the late '40s, when she was no longer wanted to play sexy high school girls.
Ann Shoemaker switched from playing Judy's mother in "Babes in Arms" to being Mickey's mother in this film.
Be sure to see the hilarious musical cartoon "Romeo in Rhythm", accompanying the current DVD.