50 CLASSIC MUSICALS - PAGE H:

MUSICALS - ROAD TO HOLLYWOOD(1946)

Supposedly the story of how Bing got to be a star!
Some decent singing and songs! B

From IMDb.com:

The Road to Hollywood is a compilation of bits
and songs from the Mack Sennett shorts that Bing
Crosby appeared in during the time he was between
the Paul Whiteman band and his first feature film
starring role in The Big Broadcast.

Probably in 1947 Bing Crosby was at the high point
of his career. At that time he was number one in
films, in record sales, and on the radio and no
one has ever duplicated that success, albeit even
with radio's successor television. He was probably
the best known entertainer in the world at that
time, it's first truly international star.

There are some Crosby fans who consider his early
work during the days of his crooning rivalry with
Rudy Vallee and Russ Columbo to be his best and
one can make an argument for it.

If you feel that way, here is a great opportunity
to see some Crosby performances of early solo hits
he had like I Surrender Dear, Just One More Chance,
Out of Nowhere, etc. In fact it was when William
Paley heard Bing's record of I Surrender Dear that
he made up his mind to sign him for a 15 minute
radio show on CBS. The rest is history.

For Crosby fans, a must. - bkoganbing

Bing Crosby ... Character in Sennett Shorts (archiveFootage)
Luis Alberni ... The Marquis, from 'I Surrender Dear' (archiveFootage)
Ann Christy ... Betty Brooks, from 'Dream House' (archiveFootage)
Patsy O'Leary ... Ethel Bangs, from 'One More Chance' / Mrs. McCullough, from 'I Surrender Dear' (archiveFootage)
George C. Pearce ... Mary's Father, from 'Billboard Girl' (archiveFootage)
Arthur Stone ... Ethel's Uncle Joe, from 'One More Chance' / Jerry, Bing's friend from 'I Surrender Dear' (archiveFootage)
Dick Stewart ... Jerry, Bing's Chum from 'Billboard Girl' (archiveFootage)
Lincoln Stedman ... Whitman, Mary's Fiancé, from 'Billboard Girl' (archiveFootage)
Kathrin Clare Ward ... Mother Brooks, from 'Dream House' (archiveFootage)
James Eagles ... Mary's Brother, from 'Billboard Girl' (archiveFootage)
Matty Kemp ... Percy Howard, Bing's Rival, from 'One More Chance' (archiveFootage)
Eddie Phillips ... Reginald Duncan, from 'Dream House' (archiveFootage)
Marion Sayers ... Peggy, Bing's Sweetheart, from 'I Surrender Dear' (archiveFootage)
Julia Griffith ... Ethel's Mother, Bing's Future Mother-in-Law, from 'I Surrender Dear' (archiveFootage)
George Gray ... George Dobbs, from 'I Surrender Dear' (archiveFootage)
Vernon Dent ... A Film Director, from 'Dream House' (archiveFootage)
Alice Adair ... Ethel Dobbs, from 'I Surrender Dear' (archiveFootage)
Marjorie Kane ... Mary Malone, from 'Billboard Girl' (archiveFootage) (as Marjorie Babe Kane)
Bud Pollard ... Bud Pollard (Host / Narrator)
Spencer Bell ... Sign Poster - Harem Scene from 'Dream House' (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
Richard Cramer ... Movie Villain, from 'Dream House' (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
June Gittelson ... Indian Maiden, from 'One More Chance' (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
Si Jenks ... Messenger, from 'Dream House' (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
Blanche Payson ... Ethel Dobbs, from 'I Surrender Dear' (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
Fred 'Snowflake' Toones ... Actor - Harem Scene from 'Dream House' (uncredited) (archiveFootage)

MUSICALS - TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY(1946)

First off, this is an extremely long movie(2 hours
15 minutes!)!

This movie is loosely about the life of Jerome
Kern(mostly known for Showboat and Roberta!).
There are a lot of fictionalizationing going
on in this(such as the Sally Hessler character),
but all in all this is a fast moving movie,
with a ton of top notch stars(Frank Sinatra,
Judy Garland, Angela Lansbury, Lena Horne, Van
Hefflin, Dinah Shore & Robert Walker[as Kern])!

If you like musicals, this is quite good and
probably the best musical in the set!! A-

From IMDb.com:

Well this is an interesting film from the times
when MGM was simply an enormous studio pouring
out more film then, it seems we could ever watch.

I have to say this film is simply boring and
the length is far too long. The idea of the film
is great and there's one more factor that makes
it memorable.

They say MGM had more stars then were in the
galaxy. They have plenty in this film and some
still stand today. Judy (Garland), Angela
(Lansbury) and Frank (Sinatra) all gave the
film zest with their musical numbers. However
the only problem with the film is, it's very
hard to watch in just one showing.

However if you like the history of MGM, watch
the studio with power, zest and plenty of
stars to pass the time as those clouds roll
by. - greatbritain1989

June Allyson ... Jane (segment: "Leave It to Jane")
Lucille Bremer ... Sally Hessler
Judy Garland ... Marilyn Miller
Kathryn Grayson ... Magnolia Hawks (segment "Show Boat") / Kathryn Grayson
Van Heflin ... James I. Hessler
Lena Horne ... Julie LaVerne (segment "Show Boat") / Lena Horne
Van Johnson ... Bandleader in Elite Club
Tony Martin ... Gaylord Ravenal (segment "Show Boat") / Tony Martin
Dinah Shore ... Julia Sanderson / Dinah Shore
Frank Sinatra ... Frank Sinatra
Robert Walker ... Jerome Kern
Gower Champion ... Dance Specialty (segment "Roberta")
Cyd Charisse ... Dance Specialty (segment 'Roberta')
Harry Hayden ... Charles Frohman
Paul Langton ... Oscar Hammerstein II
Angela Lansbury ... London Specialty
Paul Maxey ... Victor Herbert
Ray McDonald ... Dance Specialty (segment: "Leave It to Jane") / Ray McDonald
Mary Nash ... Mrs. Muller
Virginia O'Brien ... Ellie May Shipley (segment "Show Boat") / Virginia O'Brien
Dorothy Patrick ... Eva Kern
Caleb Peterson ... Joe (segment "Show Boat")
William 'Bill' Phillips ... Joe Hennessey (as Wm. 'Bill' Phillips)
Joan Wells Joan Wells ... Sally Hessler as a Girl

MUSICALS - FABULOUS DORSEYS, THE(1947)

This relies heavily on Tommy and Jimmy carrying
the movie!! There are no other names here! On the
other hand, there doesn't need to be! This is truly
a great movie with a lot of information about two
of the greatest band leaders in the history of music! A+

From IMDb.com:

I watched this film this afternoon and I am amazed
that Janet Blair didn't become one of the great sex
symbols of the era. It was only for this beautiful,
sexy woman that made me stay with it, (plus the
fabulous music). The script was dreadful, the acting
(apart from Ms Blair), was embarrasing and the
storyline was desperately dull. So in summary
if an actress can make me stick like glue to
a bomb of a movie like that, she must be something
special. Surely we can at least have a headshot! - jarod34

Tommy Dorsey ... Tommy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey ... Jimmy Dorsey
Janet Blair ... Jane Howard
Paul Whiteman ... Paul Whiteman
William Lundigan ... Bob Burton
Sara Allgood ... Mrs. Dorsey
Arthur Shields ... Mr. Dorsey
Dave Willock ... Foggy
William Bakewell ... Eddie
James Flavin ... Gorman
Charlie Barnet ... Charlie Barnet
Bob Eberly ... Bob Eberly
Henry Busse ... Henry Busse
Helen O'Connell ... Helen O'Connell
Mike Pingatore ... Musician
Art Tatum ... Art Tatum
Ziggy Elman ... Musician
Stuart Foster ... Musician
Ray Bauduc ... Musician
Bobby Warde ... Young Tommy Dorsey (uncredited)
Buz Buckley ... Young Jimmy Dorsey (uncredited)
Ann Carter ... Young Jane Howard (uncredited)
Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra ... Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (as Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra)
Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra ... Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra (as Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra)

MUSICALS - CALENDAR GIRL(1947)

This is a pretty bad print of this movie! A
pretty light comedy with music thrown in! B

From IMDb.com:

Quick note on the print I viewed: not the best
picture or sound quality, but apart from a view
small cuts, complete. It can be found on Disc 1
of the 50 Movie Pack of Musicals DVD.

The story is so-so, predictable for a musical.
A songwriter and a artist share a flat in an
artists-friendly establishment. One is in love
with the girl next door but the other enjoys
stringing her along.

Someone is wealthy but he doesn't like people
to know. And the girl next door has a father
with a fiery temper.

The songs are rather catchy and pleasant,
and singers such as Kenny Baker and Janet
Martin move them along. Attempts at comedy
come off well as does the (slight) drama
as the story unfolds.

'Calendar Girl' is a cheaply-made B picture
from Poverty Row but, for all that, it isn't
bad, and will keep you entertained. - didi-5

Jane Frazee ... Patricia O'Neill
William Marshall ... Johnny Bennett
Gail Patrick ... Olivia Radford
Kenny Baker ... Byron Jones
Victor McLaglen ... Matthew O'Neill
Irene Rich ... Lulu Varden
James Ellison ... Steve Adams
Janet Martin ... Tessie
Franklin Pangborn ... 'Dilly' Dillingsworth
Gus Schilling ... Ed Gaskin
Charles Arnt ... Capt. Olsen
Lou Nova ... Clancy
Emory Parnell ... The Mayor

MUSICALS - REET, PETITE AND GONE(1947)

Starts out with a couple of swinging tunes then
goes into the story of the leader of the band
(Louis Jordan) and his father who is dying and
has plans for his son! And his son isn't having
any of it! There's also a swarmy lawyer that is
determined to get his hands on the fortune! B

From IMDb.com:

Released in 1947, this is a so-so musical film.
The songs are not bad and the plot about a musician
getting married to a woman that meets certain
requirements is more or less passable. The villains
of this movie are hardly menacing and barely served
their purpose in this movie. Running for a little
over a hour it is not a bad way to pass the time
although it is quite apparent the purpose of the
song that are being sung are nothing more than
padding the movie. I expect that I will eventually
forget about this movie as it is one of these
things that is Gone in a flash in my mind once
I have dealt with it. - jadzia92

Louis Jordan ... Schyler Jarvis / Louis Jarvis
June Richmond ... June
Milton Woods ... Sam Adams
Bea Griffith ... Honey Carter / Lovey Linn
David Bethea ... Dolph the butler
Lorenzo Tucker ... Henry Talbot
Vanita Smythe ... Rusty
Mable Lee ... Mabel (as Mabel Lee)
Dots Johnson ... Michaels
Pat Rainey ... Pat Rains
Rudy Toombs ... Hal
J. Louis Johnson ... Schyler Jarvis Sr. (as J. Lewis Johnson)
Joe Lillard ... Lt. Jerome
Roxie Joynes ... Model (uncredited)