A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture. Copyright 15 September 1939 by Loew's Inc. New York opening at the Capitol, 19 October 1939. U.S. release: 13 October 1939. 10 reels. 97 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Young Mickey Rooney and his kiddie pals stage their own musical show.
NOTES: Academy Award to Judy Garland "for her outstanding performance as a screen juvenile in The Wizard of Oz and Babes in Arms".
Also nominated for Best Actor, Mickey Rooney (lost to Robert Donat in Goodbye, Mr Chips); Best Adapted Music Score, Roger Edens and George E. Stoll (defeated by Stagecoach).
Shooting from 12 April 1939 to 18 July 1939 with one day of re-takes on 1 August 1939. Negative cost: $748,000. Initial domestic gross: $3,335,000.
Arthur Freed's first film as "full" producer. Busby Berkeley's first "full" movie for MGM.
COMMENT: Babes In Arms represents some of the best and some of the worst features of the MGM musical. On the one hand, it is played with tremendous zest and the direction of the songs and musical numbers is both lively and engaging.
On the other hand, the plot is a sentimental hand-me-down, the dialogue is riddled with clichés and the characters are the stock types of cornball farce.
As usual, production credits are very smooth and although the film is not in color, the budget is lavish compared to the black-and- white musical efforts of Universal and Columbia.
SYNOPSIS: Young Mickey Rooney and his kiddie pals stage their own musical show.
NOTES: Academy Award to Judy Garland "for her outstanding performance as a screen juvenile in The Wizard of Oz and Babes in Arms".
Also nominated for Best Actor, Mickey Rooney (lost to Robert Donat in Goodbye, Mr Chips); Best Adapted Music Score, Roger Edens and George E. Stoll (defeated by Stagecoach).
Shooting from 12 April 1939 to 18 July 1939 with one day of re-takes on 1 August 1939. Negative cost: $748,000. Initial domestic gross: $3,335,000.
Arthur Freed's first film as "full" producer. Busby Berkeley's first "full" movie for MGM.
COMMENT: Babes In Arms represents some of the best and some of the worst features of the MGM musical. On the one hand, it is played with tremendous zest and the direction of the songs and musical numbers is both lively and engaging.
On the other hand, the plot is a sentimental hand-me-down, the dialogue is riddled with clichés and the characters are the stock types of cornball farce.
As usual, production credits are very smooth and although the film is not in color, the budget is lavish compared to the black-and- white musical efforts of Universal and Columbia.