December Back Log

Ok...with all the Christmas stuff I've been posting around here, I haven't had time to mention any of the musicals I've watched during the past month. So today I'm going to give my thoughts on a few movies, and share a few highlights.

Love Laughs At Andy Hardy (1946)
I love me some Andy Hardy flicks. Seriously if life ever seems to get too complicated & stresses you out...just watch an Andy Hardy film. Most of the usual cast of characters is back in place for this film. No Polly this time, but Mickey Rooney of course falls in love. Not only that, but he wants to get married! Unfortunately for him, things don't go as planned. In the process of trying to win his girl, he meets 2 other girls. That's where the musical numbers come into play. You can watch the Entire Film on YouTube if you get the notion.

Jitterbug
Dorothy Ford makes an entertaining dance partner for the rather small Mickey Rooney.

Dance A Polka Hand-In-Hand
Lina Romay trying to catch the eye of Mickey.

I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)
Lina Romay finally catching his eye.

All Ashore (1953)
I couldn't find much of anything about this film online, and that's a shame. It's one of the few Mickey Rooney movies I've enjoyed in which he didn't play a kid or college aged student. The movie is about a sailor (Mickey) who is constantly being taken advantage of by 2 of his friends. After getting a weeks leave, he decides to take the dough he's saved up & take a vacation to Catalina. His 2 'friends' are broke due to some unlucky gambling, and end up using Mickey for a fun night out in which he gets his money stolen. His friends try to make it up to Mickey by finding creative ways to get to Catalina & getting room & board. Most of their idea just end up with Mickey taking odd jobs & having a crappy time in general. When one of his friends steals the girl Mickey is interested in, he decides to ditch his friends & go back to the ship. Before he makes it there a fortunate accident has him stranded with a pretty girl in the middle of nowhere. Mickey then saves the day, and finally starts having a good time. It's really a fun little movie, with a few numbers I wish I could share. I recommend you watching this if you're ever lucky enough to catch it on TV.

Call Me Mister (1951)
This film stars Betty Grable & Dan Dailey...unfortunately for them. I spent most of my time hoping this would end or hoping Danny Thomas had a bigger part in it. I normally like Dan Dailey, and I have to admit he plays a good 'wolf'. Normally in this type of role the character redeems himself at the end in some fashion, which helps the audience deal with some of the less ethical choices the character may have made. This movie doesn't really do that, instead the character is given a get out of jail free card without having to DO anything. Forgive the lack of detail, but this film isn't worth the time to lay them out. Just know that Dan Dailey's character annoyed me, and that there wasn't much worth watching anyways. 10 points to anyone who can spot Dick Van Dyke's future neighbor in an unaccredited appearance...

Japanese Girl Like American Boy Too Much
This is the only number I could find worth sharing. Betty Grable does a good job, and it picks up around the 1:25 mark.

Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm (1938)
Shirley Temple tries out for a radio part, and nails the audition. But because of a miscommunication, she ends up walking away from the job thinking she didn't get it. The movie is about Randolph Scott & his assistant Jack Haley trying to find the little star that got away. When they do find her, they find she has went to live with her aunt who HATES showbiz. Nothing too complex, and not the best of her films, but it's worth watching. Bill Robinson does a couple numbers with Shirley & Slim Summerville is entertaining as Randolph's butler. Most of the videos I found had the embeds disabled, but you can watch the Trailer or the Entire Movie (Part 1 of 8) on YouTube. I'll link to all the musical numbers below:

An Old Straw Hat by Shirley Temple & Bill Robinson
Alone With You by Phyllis Brooks & Jack Haley
Come and Get Your Happiness by Shirley Temple
Medley by Shirley Temple

Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
They were famous partners for a reason. Enjoy this Shirley Temple & Bill Robinson routine.

Fun Facts:
- Bill Robinson visited Shirley Temple at an exclusive and restricted hotel to rehearse the "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" number for this film. Temple later recalled, "I asked Bill what cottage he was staying in. He told me, 'I'm staying in the chauffeur quarters above the garage.' It wasn't until years later that I understood why." - IMDB

- The original script calling the sponsor's product "Crackly Corn Flakes", was met with objections by the Quaker Oats Company, with whom Shirley had a tie-in deal for their Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice cereals. They thought that the sponsor's name sounded too close to Kellogg's Corn Flakes, a rival product. In the finished script, the product was re-named "Crackly Grain Flakes". - IMDB

Stowaway (1936)
Another Shirley Temple film, and yet again she's an orphan. This time she's stranded in China, and befriends a rich playboy (played by Robert Young). Most of the movie revolves around Robert Young & Alice Faye falling in love, even though Alice is already engaged to someone else. In the end they get married so they can adopt Shirley, and save her from having to go to an orphanage. You can watch the Entire Movie (Part 1 of 9) on YouTube.

You Gotta S-M-I-L-E To Be H-A-Double-P-Y
I bet you can't not smile while watching...

Goodnight, My Love
Shirley Temple singing herself to sleep.

That's What I Want For Christmas
Happy endings...ALL movies need them.