Truly Dreadful Film

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

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".

Mickey Rooney (Danny) is a college playboy – God knows how – and is sent to a rural college by his dad where there are no women students enrolled. What a totally stupid college. Anyway, there is one woman there – Judy Garland (Ginger), daughter of Guy Kibbee (the Dean) and she is responsible for the mail that comes into and out of the town via the railway station in the middle of nowhere. Does Mickey Rooney continue his lucky run with the ladies? Guess who he sets his sights on? This story of this film is irrelevant. Basically, Garland and Rooney meet up, sing songs, dance and put on a show. Apparently, this is viewed as the best of their collaborations so I'm glad I watched it. It saves me from what must be total dross in their other offerings. Both Garland and Rooney are larger than life personalities with one difference – Garland is likable whilst Rooney is detestable. I've even read that he plays down his usual energy-bomb character in this film. Good God! If this is him calmed down, I want no further interactions with this ghastly pipsqueak.All the characters are awful – even Judy Garland is particularly unpleasant on first meeting Rooney and leaving him stranded. However, what we do get is the talent of Judy Garland and the music. She is, of course, a great singer and this makes the film almost passable. The best song is "Bidin' My Time" near the beginning of the film. Nothing else is particularly memorable on the song front but Garland delivers them well. By contrast, Rooney's shtick is unbearable and the scene where he just keeps mimicking radio commentaries is agonizing. Not funny. Ever.A film with screen legends but you can skip it. Like I said – "Bidin' My Time" is the only reason to watch this film. Judy's performance during this is classic stuff.

Of the four backyard musicals they shared, the other three being Babes in Arms (1939), Strike up the Band (1940), and Babes on Broadway (1941), this one was definitely the best. Why you may ask? Well, for several different reasons.One: Mickey was more restrained. His acting always involved extreme mugging to the camera that quite frankly got on my nerves, especially in Babes on Broadway. But he's a little more reserved here. His announcer routine was still annoying and far too long, but it's the only glaring example.Two: Judy Garland. Her voice and acting ability had reached a new level of maturity in this movie. I loved her sharp wit and clever facial expressions. And she was more beautiful than ever. The best I've ever seen her. You could tell her popularity was rising as she had more presence in this movie than in the other three, and more solo performances.Three: The plot was better. The other three films had very similar plots, but this one actually took some more liberties and went in a different direction. Instead of putting on a show to form careers, they were trying to save a college. However, the plot is still pretty standard.Four: The music. An almost entire Gershwin soundtrack, what more could you ask for? All of them were great, but "Embraceable You", my god. I've never heard a more perfect performance. It's most definitely my favorite Garland performance ever.It's not perfect. There are many parts in the movie I feel are either rushed or not developed enough, and some of the comedy routines get tiring, but despite it's predictable plot, it's a pretty clever and enjoyable movie. And for Garland, she's definitely a Girl I go Crazy over whenever I see her perform.

"Girl Crazy" is a wonderful Hollywood confection. It's one of the best films ever produced using the music of the Gershwin brothers, and that's reason enough to celebrate. Although some complain about the film deviating from the plot of the original play, I think for the most part the changes are within the acceptable range, especially if you compared it to previous MGM Gershwin films like "Strike Up the Band" and "Lady Be Good." We still have all the primary characters from the play here in spirit – Rags Ragland plays a variation on the original play's "Geeber Goldfarb" character (who really was an ethnic joke poking fun at Jews and therefore probably would have been in poor taste in 1943 anyway) and Judy's character combines significant elements of both the Ginger Rodgers and Ethel Merman characters (as well as their best songs, with the exception of Merman's exquisite "Sam and Delilah"). We've got Mickey Rooney at his best. Yes, he's spastic, but this character is more endearing and a step up from his usual "Andy Hardy" derivatives. He gets some of his best moments early, as he exhorts June Allyson (in a surprisingly deft but brief specialty turn) to "Treat Me Rough" and begs of lady Judy" "Could You Use Me?". Judy responds to the latter inquiry with some of Ira Gershwin's most amusing lyrics, including a personal favorite:"There's a guy I know in Mexico More romantic far than you Eating nails and drinking Texaco He is the type for me….."MGM's previous Gershwin films were "greatest hits" compilations at best (also the later masterpiece "American in Paris") or a title track combined with lame new songs by Roger Edens at worst. But this one preserves many of the gems in the Gershwins' original show, and integrates them into the story in a suitable fashion. The huge finale to "I Got Rhythm" is a visual feast, but the show's more intimate moments shine even more brightly. Judy looks better in this film than I've ever seen her and she is in total command of her craft. She also clearly relishes the material, both musical and comedic. Her character has a quick wit and a sharp tongue, and it's always more interesting and appealing to see her in that type of role instead of the more typical 1930s ingénue (for example her dull character in "Lady Be Good"). We see her sing a surprising counterpoint version of "Bidin' My Time" (the original was an all-male chorus; originally a version of the all-male "Bronco Busters" was planned for the film so perhaps that motivated changes) and thankfully "Embraceable You" has been taken from the male lead and given to Judy, whose version is full of "deco" grace, remarkably restrained for her. Rooney is at his most athletic here in this role and really does some impressive dancing along with Judy, reminding me of Gene Kelly in their films together. His comic dances are the most memorable, but he also make a surprisingly good fill-in for maestro Gershwin himself as he pounds the ivory for a brilliantly arranged Tommy Dorsey band version of "I Got Rhythm (Variations)." It's great to see his band captured on film at or near its peak. It's surely one of Broadway's great ironies that Dorsey actually appeared as a relatively anonymous member of Red Norvo's band in the pit orchestra of the original show in 1930 (whose opening night performance was conducted by the composer himself) and a mere 13 years later was a featured star in the film version! Of course the same orchestra featured Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa and Benny Goodman among its instrumentalists. "Girl Crazy" is like a nexus in American Broadway/Jazz history; it's not a groundbreaking show, but rather the apex of a certain style of escapist but sophisticated adult musical entertainment. It's poised between the early pioneer "Princess Theater" shows of Kern and P.G. Wodehouse (whose frequent collaborator in the late teens was Guy Bolton, the co-author of this show) and the sexy Cole Porter shows of the mid/late 30s (most of which featured star Ethel Merman, who made her auspicious Broadway debut in "Girl Crazy") but long before the onslaught of self-serious post-war musical melodramas and the eventual descent into mediocre family/tourist friendly shows that have ruled virtually unchecked since the mid 1960s. This show, thankfully, preserves enough of the spirit and music of the original show (aided greatly by Garland's performance; she's one of the few movie stars who can sing Merman tunes properly, and she seems to have a special feel for Gershwin material and Ira's lyrics in particular) that some glimpses at least of that joyous golden age of Broadway is still here to be enjoyed. My only complaints would be minor – I thought Rooney's radio spoof was silly in an unfunny way and went on too long, and the direction from Taurog could have been better in the non-music sequences. The scenes with Rooney and the headmaster seem very static; that's partly the screenwriter's fault because Bolton would never have resorted to an almost completely non-humorous scene just to provide narrative information. They way they've adapted the story also de-emphasizes the Western locale and makes this seem like a more generic college comedy in the mold of Kern/Wodehouse's "Leave it to Jane" (and its many derivatives, i.e. Rogers/Hart's "Too Many Girls", which was filmed by MGM around the same time). But those are small quibbles considering the accomplishments of this film, which I feel is the best of the Rooney/Garland films by a mile and the only one to really show off both stars' genius while at the same time not doing so at the expense of the original material. For all these reasons the film is a treasure bearing testimony both to the greatness of Hollywood and Broadway from the bygone and dearly lamented era when comedy and music were not the exclusive province of teenage boys.