(100 min) Released 1937-08-03
Director: Norman Taurog
Stars: Alice Faye, The Ritz Brothers, Don Ameche, Gypsy Rose Lee, Arthur Treacher, Tony Martin, Louis Prima.
Harry Losee ... choreographer
Genres: Comedy | Musical | Romance
Bootleg copy, decent quality. This print is 5 minutes shorter than IMDb says; maybe that's why we get only 1 number from Tip Tap & Toe, instead of the 2 listed in the Soundtracks.
This is the 3rd of 4 movies that AF and TM did together '36-'38. They were married 9'37-3'41.
Too bad Gypsy (1911-70) doesn't perform here; she has a straight comedramatic role. This is her first of 12 films.
The Ritz Brothers have some lines, and make non-comedy faces too. Nothing here is as good as their astronomer production in On the Avenue ('37), but that shines more for the dancing than the comedy.
Director Taurog has directing credits for 9 of Elvis' 31 movies ('60-'68), 79 movies total ('28-'68) and 103 shorts ('20-'31).
We do get onstage production numbers, sometimes in rehearsal, sometimes partial, hence the credit for choreographer.
Musical numbers, to determine the "missing" Tip Tap & Toe dance:
- 5:20 You Can't Have Everything, sung by Alice Faye with David Rubinoff on violin, in restaurant when she can't pay for her spaghetti
- 23:10 Long Underwear, sung and danced by The Ritz Brothers and chorus in half-dress rehearsal
- 29:20 The Loveliness of You, sung by Tony Martin and showgirls in rehearsal
- 37:18 (not in credits) sounds like a brief Sing, Sing, Sing played by Louis Prima as our stars enter the dive bar
- 39:55 Danger, Love at Work, sung and danced (a little) by Alice Faye with Louis Prima and His Band in dive bar
- 46:50 You Can't Have Everything, reprised by The Ritz Brothers with Louis Prima and His Band in the dive bar (what's with the boots?) The boots are distracting, since I worry for the safety of Jimmy/Al having to dance on/around them.
- 57:10 Afraid to Dream, sung by Don Ameche in rehearsal
- 1:02:00 Afraid to Dream, reprised by Alice Faye, Tony Martin and chorus in dress rehearsal
- 1:15:20 Please Pardon Us, We're in Love, sung by Alice Faye back home working in music shop
- 1:20 Tip Tap & Toe dance to something at the beginning of opening night. One of them is dressed as some royalty? The 2 credits are It's a Southern Holiday and Rhythm of the Radio, both mentioning "played by Louis Prima and His Band", and LP is not visible here. No lyrics, so...? Great dancing. Lots of sliding joins the taps.
- 1:24:20 North Pole Sketch, performed by The Ritz Brothers, Tony Martin, Dorothy Christy and others
- and various reprises
Fox, dir. Taurog; 6+
