In their last "Let's put on a show!" pairing, the team of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney take on Gershwin once again, having "struck up the band" just a few years ago, even though that was the only Gershwin song remaining from a show that movie had nothing to do with. Now, they are out west; He's a spoiled rich kid sent to tame down his obsession with girls, and she's the local postal mistress. Real estate issues make the initial hostile meeting of the two put aside their differences and create a show to raise money, and with the help of Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra and some great songs, they are sure to succeed!
Rooney's looney, and loves for his girls to "treat him rough", but he doesn't expect Judy's tough country girl to want nothing to do with him, so he's got to change his act. She's the toast of the local cowboy set, and dances along side them to a gorgeous "Embraceable You", but is perplexed by her lack of romance, singing the heartbreaking "But Not For Me". At least this time, she's singing a standard rather than a song written for her where she puts herself down. No wonder Judy had so many insecurities, even though the camera proves otherwise in the fact that she was indeed much more beautiful than she thought herself to be.
Documented in the TV movie with Tammy Blanchard taking on Judy as a youngster, this is the film where hideous task master Busby Berkeley openly harassed her, driving her to drop from exhaustion. In spite of that, it doesn't show on screen, and Judy and Mickey are an energetic team, putting on the lavish finale of "Girl Crazy's" most famous song, "I Got Rhythm". While this isn't a full score of that 1930 Broadway hit, many of the songs are there. Rooney courts Judy with "Could You Use Me?", giving his high strung character some vulnerability and bringing him down a notch. Nancy Walker, June Allyson and Guy Kibbee offer some amusing supporting performances, with June messing up Rooney's full head of hair as she "treats him rough".
Rooney's looney, and loves for his girls to "treat him rough", but he doesn't expect Judy's tough country girl to want nothing to do with him, so he's got to change his act. She's the toast of the local cowboy set, and dances along side them to a gorgeous "Embraceable You", but is perplexed by her lack of romance, singing the heartbreaking "But Not For Me". At least this time, she's singing a standard rather than a song written for her where she puts herself down. No wonder Judy had so many insecurities, even though the camera proves otherwise in the fact that she was indeed much more beautiful than she thought herself to be.
Documented in the TV movie with Tammy Blanchard taking on Judy as a youngster, this is the film where hideous task master Busby Berkeley openly harassed her, driving her to drop from exhaustion. In spite of that, it doesn't show on screen, and Judy and Mickey are an energetic team, putting on the lavish finale of "Girl Crazy's" most famous song, "I Got Rhythm". While this isn't a full score of that 1930 Broadway hit, many of the songs are there. Rooney courts Judy with "Could You Use Me?", giving his high strung character some vulnerability and bringing him down a notch. Nancy Walker, June Allyson and Guy Kibbee offer some amusing supporting performances, with June messing up Rooney's full head of hair as she "treats him rough".