Well, here is one of the innumerable six-reelers produced by Universal in the early 1940's. The threadbare story - about a swing band being brought to New York to play on a radio program - serves as the framework for 1. a collection of very nice tunes, none of which, surprisingly, were published; 2. an opportunity for Leon Errol to do his famous drunk pantomime; 3. yet another chance for audiences to smile back at cutie-pie Baby Sandy. Judge for yourself if this last attribute is, indeed, a virtue. Pint-sized Universal stock players Butch and Buddy get off a few laughs, though some of their musical footage was trimmed - at least based on the surviving music tracks. Bob Paige and Anne Gwynne make a great couple and Paige is in very fine voice. But it's the Merry Macs who steal the show with a basket of tunes, most notably "Cariacabu" - a rhythmic ditty that never saw a studio cover. It is doubtful that this one will show up any time soon on cable or DVD. Some of us keep these bupkies alive via our 16mm collections. Are we crazy? Maybe. But our toes are tapping!
2 Reviews
Plenty of music and laughs in a short period of time.
mark.waltz4 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The scene stealing Baby Sandy is probably the cutest toddler ever to appear on stage and screen ever since baby Frances Gumm in the rarely-seen Warner Brothers shorts that show the future Judy Garland. "I'm a bad girl", she says in a way that Lou Costello would envy when caught in a lie. But she's a complete charmer, always happy and never at all cloying. Leon Errol is equally enjoyable to watch as the blithering foolish radio sponsor who loves playing instruments of varying types, somehow ending up with Baby Sandy sending aunt Anne Gwynne and her boyfriend Robert Paige into a frenzy looking for her.
The plot is complete nonsense, but that is inconsequential in a Universal musical. What matters is are the stars, songs and comedy, of which this has plenty, and featuring Universal specialty regulars the Merry Macs. The songs aren't ones you'll remember, although the presence of "Listen to the Mockingbird" does get your head noddin' and your feet a-tappin. I've seen dozens of these hour-long films of varying quality, and while none of them outside of the Andrews Sisters B features are extremely noteworthy. But it's basically a good fast food meal, meaning once you're done, it's forgotten.
The plot is complete nonsense, but that is inconsequential in a Universal musical. What matters is are the stars, songs and comedy, of which this has plenty, and featuring Universal specialty regulars the Merry Macs. The songs aren't ones you'll remember, although the presence of "Listen to the Mockingbird" does get your head noddin' and your feet a-tappin. I've seen dozens of these hour-long films of varying quality, and while none of them outside of the Andrews Sisters B features are extremely noteworthy. But it's basically a good fast food meal, meaning once you're done, it's forgotten.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
