50 CLASSIC MUSICALS - PAGE E:

MUSICALS - SUNNY(1941)

A pretty bad copy of this with many breaks
and drop-outs!

A man from a rich family falls for a circus
girl and his family is aghast! They try to buy
her off and, well, you need to watch to see how
it all plays out! Kinda disjointed, but enough
fun to make it worth the watch! B

From IMDb.com:

Anna Neagle spots John Carroll, get him to kiss
her, and rushes off, while he goes to a circus
show with Edward Everett Horton, where Miss Neagle
is the star. The two fall madly in love and decide
to get married. First though, he takes her to meet
his wealthy, snobbish family... with the usual
disastrous result.

It's one of the movies that Herbert Wilcox produced
and directed his future wife in for RKO, and it
largely tosses away the original show script.
Miss Neagle dances enchantingly with Ray Bolger,
who also gets a great specialty number at the
end. Helen Westley, as Carroll's much-feared
aunt has the standout role, a hilarious variation
on her usual harridan. However, the chaotic
ending is more frantic than funny.

It's based on Marilyn Miller's smash show,
which played for more than 500 nights in its
original run. The standard that came out of
it is the Jerome Kern-Otto Harbach "Who?"
and that number is used throughout the movie:
not always, alas, to its advantage.

It's not a well constructed movie, but there
were enough bright spots throughout to keep
me thoroughly engaged - boblipton

Anna Neagle ... Sunny O'Sullivan
Ray Bolger ... Bunny Billings
John Carroll ... Larry Warren
Edward Everett Horton ... Henry Bates
Grace Hartman ... Juliet Runnymede
Paul Hartman ... Egghead
Frieda Inescort ... Elizabeth Warren
Helen Westley ... Aunt Barbara
Benny Rubin ... Maj. Montgomery Sloan
Muggins Davies ... Muggins
Richard Lane ... Reporter
Martha Tilton ... Queen of Hearts
Torben Meyer ... Jean (head waiter)

MUSICALS - PRIVATE BUCKAROO(1942)

It's a good thing that the music is great,
'cause the humor isn't!! Not a fan of Shemp!
But the Andrew Sisters & Harry James along
with Donald O'Conner make up for the faults!
Not a class A movie but enjoyable enough!
The kid is pretty fun, but doesn't say much! B-

From IMDb.com:

The cardboard comedy and the pencilled-in plot
scarcely have a moment to bore you before the
next musical number comes along. Some numbers
are better than others-- unfortunately, the
title song has not aged well-- but the Andrews
Sisters make the movie worthwhile. And Harry
James reminds us that he wasn't *only* Betty
Grable's husband... - Nozz

Patty Andrews ... Patty Andrews (as The Andrews Sisters)
Maxene Andrews ... Maxene Andrews (as The Andrews Sisters)
Laverne Andrews ... Laverne Andrews (as The Andrews Sisters)
Dick Foran ... Lon Prentice
Joe E. Lewis ... Lancelot Pringle McBiff
Ernest Truex ... Col. Elias Weatherford
Jennifer Holt ... Joyce Mason
Shemp Howard ... Sgt. 'Muggsy' Shavel
Richard Davies ... Lt. Howard Mason
Mary Wickes ... Bonnie-Belle Schlopkiss
Donald O'Connor ... Donny
Peggy Ryan ... Peggy
Huntz Hall ... Cpl. Anemic
Susan Levine ... Tagalong
Harry James and His Orchestra ... The Music Makers (as Harry James and His Music Makers)
The Jivin' Jacks and Jills ... Vocal Group
Harry James ... Harry James

MUSICALS - HI DIDDLE DIDDLE(1943)

A man who's in the Navy is planning to get married
but of course his ship comes in late so he has to
rush to his own wedding! They get it done, but this
is all abouot the honeymoon!

This is a terrible musical, but it's a great comedy! B

From IMDb.com:

This film is notable for the presence of Miss
Pola Negri, a favorite actress of mine. She was
better known for her early German silent films.
I think this film is great fun and highly amusing.
Good family entertainment - hermes-13

Adolphe Menjou ... Col. Hector Phyffe
Martha Scott ... Janie Prescott Phyffe
Pola Negri ... Genya Smetana
Dennis O'Keefe ... Sonny Phyffe
Billie Burke ... Liza Prescott
June Havoc ... Leslie Quayle
Walter Kingsford ... Senator Jummy Simpson
Barton Hepburn ... Peter Warrington III
Georges Metaxa ... Tony Spinelli
Marek Windheim ... Pianist
Eddie Marr ... Michael Angelo
Paul Porcasi ... Impressario
Lorraine Miller ... Director's Friend
Richard Hageman ... Boughton
Bert Roach ... Husband, Taxi Cab Bit
Chick Chandler ... Saunders
Ellen Lowe ... Flory
Barry Macollum ... Angus (as Barry McCollum)
Joe Devlin ... Dan Hannigan
Hal K. Dawson ... Dr. Agnew
Andrew Tombes ... Mike
Byron Foulger ... Watson
Ann Hunter ... Sandra

MUSICALS - HI-DE-HO(1943)

The plot, as it is, is terrible and the acting
is also very bad! And Cab is a ham and a half!
But the music is pretty good! C+

From IMDb.com:

The plot is thin and the acting is mostly wooden,
but the real point of the movie is Cab Calloway's
wonderful band and some specialty numbers,
especially the finale that is the last third
of the film.

The best additional act is high powered tap
dancing by Miller Bros. and Lois. Dusty Fletcher
does his famous "Open the Door Richard" sketch
in blackface. The Peters Sisters are curious
but didn't do anything for me. - psteier

Cab Calloway ... Cab Calloway
Ida James ... Nettie
Jeni Le Gon ... Minnie
William Campbell ... Sparks
Virginia Girvin ... Sparks' Girl Friend
George Wiltshire ... Boss Mason
James Dunmore ... Mo the Mouse
Augustus Smith ... Preacher
Edgar Martin ... Jive Club Owner
Leonard Rogers ... Ralph
David Bethea ... Brass Hat Club Owner
Shepard Roberts ... Police Sergeant
Frederick Johnson ... Headwaiter
Dusty Fletcher ... Dusty Fletcher (uncredited)
'Panama' Francis ... Self - Drummer in Cab Calloway's Small Band (uncredited)
Milt Hinton ... Self - Bassist in Cab Calloway's Small Band (uncredited)
Jonah Jones ... Self - Trumpetist in Cab Calloway's Small Band (uncredited)
Lois ... Dancer (uncredited)
The Miller Brothers ... Dancers (uncredited)
Peters Sisters ... Peters Sisters (uncredited)
Dave Rivera ... Self - Pianist in Cab Calloway's Small Band (uncredited)
Sam 'The Man' Taylor ... Self - Tenor Saxophonist in Cab Calloway's Small Band (uncredited)

MUSICALS - STAGE DOOR CANTEEN(1943)

This is actually pretty serious! It shows how
young some of these boys were when they went
into the service! It also shows how some of
the stars treated these boys with respect!
And a touch of sadness! Anyway, the music is
good and the humor is very jolly indeed!

And one other thing here, this is LOOOOOONNNGGG!! A-

From IMDb.com:

The Stage Door Canteen really existed in New York.
It was the east coast's answer to the Hollywood
Canteen (there is a movie by that name too). If
you want to get a good look at America in 1942
this is it. You can see the stars of the east
and get to see some funny people and hear some
great stars and some of the great bands of the
era. All using their talents for those fighting
for freedom. In WW2 Americans were into supporting
their soldiers. This is a slice of American
life that we don't often get to see. - craig_smith9

Judith Anderson ... Judith Anderson
Kenny Baker ... Kenny Baker
Tallulah Bankhead ... Tallulah Bankhead
Ralph Bellamy ... Ralph Bellamy
Edgar Bergen ... Edgar Berger
Charlie McCarthy ... Charlie McCarthy
Ray Bolger ... Ray Bolger
Ina Claire ... Ina Claire
Katharine Cornell ... Katherine Cornell
Gracie Fields ... Gracie Fields
Lynn Fontanne ... Lynn Fontaine
Helen Hayes ... Helen Hayes
Katharine Hepburn ... Katharine Hepburn
Hugh Herbert ... Hugh Herbert
Jean Hersholt ... Jean Hersholt
George Jessel ... George Jessel
Gypsy Rose Lee ... Gypsy Rose Lee
Alfred Lunt ... Alfred Lunt
Harpo Marx ... Harpo Marx
Elsa Maxwell ... Elsa Maxwell
Yehudi Menuhin ... Yehudi Menuhin
Ethel Merman ... Ethel Merman
Paul Muni ... Paul Muni
Merle Oberon ... Merle Oberon
George Raft ... George Raft
Lanny Ross ... Lanny Ross
Martha Scott ... Martha Scott
Ethel Waters ... Ethel Waters
Johnny Weissmuller ... Johnny Weissmuller
Ed Wynn ... Ed Wynn
Henry Armetta ... Henry Armetta
Benny Baker ... Beny Baker
Helen Broderick ... Helen Broderick
Lloyd Corrigan ... Lloyd Corrigan
Jane Darwell ... Jane Darwell
William Demarest ... William Demarest
Virginia Field ... Virginia Field
Vinton Freedley ... Vinton
Sam Jaffe ... Sam Jaffe
Count Basie ... Conductor of the Count Basie Orchestra
Xavier Cugat ... Conductor of the Xavier Cugat Orchestra
Benny Goodman ... Conductor of the Benny Goodman Orchestra
Kay Kyser ... Conductor of the Kay Kyser Band
Guy Lombardo ... Conductor of the Guy Lombardo Orchestra
Freddy Martin ... Conductor of the Freddy Martin Orchestra
Peggy Lee ... Benny Goodman Orchestra Singer (uncredited)