My title includes a quote by Oscar Levant(as Billy Starbuck), expressing his frustration trying to contact Bob Summers(Bing Crosby) and Cherry Lane(Mary Martin), ghost composers(tunes and lyrics, respectively) for his boss, Oliver Courtney(Basil Rathbone), burned out, if still very influential big name composer. Actually, they are 'hiding' at Nobody's Inn, a combo little farm, fishing spot, and obscure little inn on the Hudson,near Tarrytown, site of the legendary 'sleepy hollow'. It's owned by Bob's Uncle Caleb(the charismatic shaky-voiced tottering Charley Grapewin), with whom he has lived most of his life. Sounds like a possible model for 'Holiday Inn", on a smaller scale, in which Bing would acquire additional fame a few years later, again as a supposed song writer, as well as singer.
Caleb's philosophy, absorbed by Bing, is to live as simply as possible, avoiding any unnecessary entanglements with others, especially women, and to avoid any ambitions to be 'a success': hence to be 'a nobody'. Bing is content to be Courtney's ghost composer so that he can continue to spend much time with his uncle. Unfortunately, his life becomes more complicated when Courtney needs a new ghost lyricist for Bob's tunes. She turns out to be a cute single woman who can also sing. But, she can't come up with any lyrics after a Dixieland ensemble moves in next to her. Thus, Courtney suggests she retire to a quite "Nobody's Inn" for spell, (strangely) not realizing that this is Bob's favorite hangout. Bob is going there at the same time and friction breaks out when he seems to be following her. Eventually, they find out they have something in common and compose a couple of songs together, although it takes a while to figure out they are both ghost composers for the same man.
They then decide to try to sell their music under their own names, but, as Courtney predicted, they meet stiff resistance, without his name. So, Bing returns to Courtney, who is in hot water with a big client because he hasn't produced any new songs for his nightclub singer. Meanwhile, Cherry has taken a job as this nightclub singer. She finds out she is to sing "Only Forever", which she and Bob composed and considered 'their song', not to be sold. This causes a fight between various parties as to just who owns the rights to this song, holding up her performance, while the announcer improvises absurd claims for Kelso's Cucumber Cream. Finally, things are worked out and Cherry and Bob sing 'their' song.
I checked out the name Starbuck. Seems it originates as the name of Captain Ahab's first mate in "Moby Dick". Thus, it is appropriate for Levant's character, who is Courtney's first mate, so to speak, Courtney being sort of an Ahab-like persona in his realm. I think this was Rathbone's only role in a musical. This British-raised actor usually most successfully played authority figures, often villainous, in British-oriented films, such as Shakespearian plays, Dickens classics and Errol Flynn swashbucklers. Here, he's not exactly evil, but currently a phony, although his past reputation is helping some unknown songwriters to keep bread on the table.
This was the first of two films Mary Martin did with Bing, with a follow up the next year in "Birth of the Blues". Both films included several Dixieland numbers, only one of which she participated in, plus a number of ballads, some of which she sang, with or without Bing. She was a very different personality from some of the bombshell female costars Bing had, such as Martha Raye, Betty Hutton and Ethel Merman. A
languid persona, on the whole, with big dreamy soul-searching Claudette Colbert-like eyes, but lacking some of her sparkle. Apparently, many in film audiences didn't find her very engaging, in contrast to some of her stage roles. Nonetheless, she would be the first choice for Bing's female lead in "Holiday Inn", forced to decline it, and thus film immortality, because of a pregnancy.
Of the songs, only "Tiger Rag" wasn't composed for this film. None were to become standards, but several were rather engaging. The two weakest, unfortunately, were the first two: "What Would Shakespeare Have Said" sung by Lillian Cornel, as the pretentious soloist for Charlie Goodrich's nightclub, eventually replaced by Mary. The second: "That's for Me" was sung by Mary. Next, we get to "Only Forever", which functioned as the theme song(as opposed to the title song), reprised in the finale. Next, Bing sings the title song, done in Dixieland style in a sizable pawnshop, of all places, with a struggling jazz ensemble. Quite good. This is followed by the engaging idiosyncratic "When the Moon Comes Over Madison Square Garden", part western and part NYC in its lyrics and melody style. Mary then sings the bouncy novelty "Ain't It a Shame About Mame", possibly her best, followed by the blue "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore", appropriate for her temporary breakup with Bing.
Caleb's philosophy, absorbed by Bing, is to live as simply as possible, avoiding any unnecessary entanglements with others, especially women, and to avoid any ambitions to be 'a success': hence to be 'a nobody'. Bing is content to be Courtney's ghost composer so that he can continue to spend much time with his uncle. Unfortunately, his life becomes more complicated when Courtney needs a new ghost lyricist for Bob's tunes. She turns out to be a cute single woman who can also sing. But, she can't come up with any lyrics after a Dixieland ensemble moves in next to her. Thus, Courtney suggests she retire to a quite "Nobody's Inn" for spell, (strangely) not realizing that this is Bob's favorite hangout. Bob is going there at the same time and friction breaks out when he seems to be following her. Eventually, they find out they have something in common and compose a couple of songs together, although it takes a while to figure out they are both ghost composers for the same man.
They then decide to try to sell their music under their own names, but, as Courtney predicted, they meet stiff resistance, without his name. So, Bing returns to Courtney, who is in hot water with a big client because he hasn't produced any new songs for his nightclub singer. Meanwhile, Cherry has taken a job as this nightclub singer. She finds out she is to sing "Only Forever", which she and Bob composed and considered 'their song', not to be sold. This causes a fight between various parties as to just who owns the rights to this song, holding up her performance, while the announcer improvises absurd claims for Kelso's Cucumber Cream. Finally, things are worked out and Cherry and Bob sing 'their' song.
I checked out the name Starbuck. Seems it originates as the name of Captain Ahab's first mate in "Moby Dick". Thus, it is appropriate for Levant's character, who is Courtney's first mate, so to speak, Courtney being sort of an Ahab-like persona in his realm. I think this was Rathbone's only role in a musical. This British-raised actor usually most successfully played authority figures, often villainous, in British-oriented films, such as Shakespearian plays, Dickens classics and Errol Flynn swashbucklers. Here, he's not exactly evil, but currently a phony, although his past reputation is helping some unknown songwriters to keep bread on the table.
This was the first of two films Mary Martin did with Bing, with a follow up the next year in "Birth of the Blues". Both films included several Dixieland numbers, only one of which she participated in, plus a number of ballads, some of which she sang, with or without Bing. She was a very different personality from some of the bombshell female costars Bing had, such as Martha Raye, Betty Hutton and Ethel Merman. A
languid persona, on the whole, with big dreamy soul-searching Claudette Colbert-like eyes, but lacking some of her sparkle. Apparently, many in film audiences didn't find her very engaging, in contrast to some of her stage roles. Nonetheless, she would be the first choice for Bing's female lead in "Holiday Inn", forced to decline it, and thus film immortality, because of a pregnancy.
Of the songs, only "Tiger Rag" wasn't composed for this film. None were to become standards, but several were rather engaging. The two weakest, unfortunately, were the first two: "What Would Shakespeare Have Said" sung by Lillian Cornel, as the pretentious soloist for Charlie Goodrich's nightclub, eventually replaced by Mary. The second: "That's for Me" was sung by Mary. Next, we get to "Only Forever", which functioned as the theme song(as opposed to the title song), reprised in the finale. Next, Bing sings the title song, done in Dixieland style in a sizable pawnshop, of all places, with a struggling jazz ensemble. Quite good. This is followed by the engaging idiosyncratic "When the Moon Comes Over Madison Square Garden", part western and part NYC in its lyrics and melody style. Mary then sings the bouncy novelty "Ain't It a Shame About Mame", possibly her best, followed by the blue "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore", appropriate for her temporary breakup with Bing.