Strike Up the Band
(1940)
115 or 120 mins | Musical | 27 September 1940
Director:
Busby BerkeleyWriters:
John Monks, Jr., Fred F. FinklehoffeProducer:
Arthur FreedCinematographer:
Ray JuneEditor:
Ben LewisProduction Designer:
Cedric GibbonsProduction Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.Although onscreen credits list Howard Hickman as the doctor, the Call Bureau Cast Service sheets credit Harlan Briggs with the role. The working title of this film was Babes on Broadway, which was later used as a title for the 1941 M-G-M film starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. It was a follow-up to M-G-M's 1939 picture, Babes in Arms which also starred Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney and was directed by Busby Berkeley and produced by Arthur Freed. The story that Morrie Ryskind and George S. Kaufman wrote for George and Ira Gershwin's musical hit Strike Up the Band (New York 14 Jan 1930) bears no resemblance to this film. A news item in HR notes that Vincente Minnelli staged Garland's dance routines for this film. Modern sources add that Minnelli, whose experience was as a director of Broadway musicals, was invited to Hollywood by Arthur Freed. After studying film technique, he was eased into directing by staging isolated musical numbers in this film and in M-G-M's 1941 musical, Babes on Broadway. This film also marked Phil Silvers' film debut. The picture won an Academy Award for Best Sound Recording. It was nominated for Best Score, and the song "Our Love Affair" was nominated for Best Song. Modern sources add the following song titles to the film: "My Wonderful One, Let's Dance," "The Gay Nineties" and "Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl." In 1940, Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney starred in a Lux Radio Theatre version of the story. ...
Although onscreen credits list Howard Hickman as the doctor, the Call Bureau Cast Service sheets credit Harlan Briggs with the role. The working title of this film was Babes on Broadway, which was later used as a title for the 1941 M-G-M film starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. It was a follow-up to M-G-M's 1939 picture, Babes in Arms which also starred Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney and was directed by Busby Berkeley and produced by Arthur Freed. The story that Morrie Ryskind and George S. Kaufman wrote for George and Ira Gershwin's musical hit Strike Up the Band (New York 14 Jan 1930) bears no resemblance to this film. A news item in HR notes that Vincente Minnelli staged Garland's dance routines for this film. Modern sources add that Minnelli, whose experience was as a director of Broadway musicals, was invited to Hollywood by Arthur Freed. After studying film technique, he was eased into directing by staging isolated musical numbers in this film and in M-G-M's 1941 musical, Babes on Broadway. This film also marked Phil Silvers' film debut. The picture won an Academy Award for Best Sound Recording. It was nominated for Best Score, and the song "Our Love Affair" was nominated for Best Song. Modern sources add the following song titles to the film: "My Wonderful One, Let's Dance," "The Gay Nineties" and "Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl." In 1940, Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney starred in a Lux Radio Theatre version of the story.
High school band drummer Jimmy Connors decides to inject some excitement into the Riverwood High School Band by converting it into a swing orchestra. After convincing Mary Holden to join the band as a vocalist, Jimmy asks Mr. Judd, the school principal, to allow the group to perform at the school dance. As the band rehearses for the dance, Mary becomes frustrated that Jimmy is more interested in her vocal abilities than their courtship. At the dance, the band is a hit, and Jimmy decides to enter Paul Whiteman's school band contest in Chicago. To raise their traveling expenses, the band stages a Gay Nineties melodrama for the Elks Club, but afterward they are still short fifty dollars for the trip. Jimmy's troubles multiply when Barbara Frances Morgan, a precocious blonde, enrolls in Riverwood and decides to pursue him. However, Jimmy's interest in Barbara grows when Mr. Morgan hires Paul Whiteman and his band to play at his daughter's birthday party. At the party, Jimmy and his band stage an impromptu performance, which attracts Whiteman's attention. Whiteman offers Jimmy a job playing drums, but Jimmy refuses, remaining loyal to his band. Whiteman then advances Jimmy the fifty dollars they need to go to Chicago, but on the day of their departure, Willie, one of the band members, falls gravely ill from an injury that he suffered during the Elks show and needs an operation in Chicago to save his life. When Jimmy selflessly offers the band's travel money to charter a plane to fly Willie to Chicago, a sympathetic Mr. Morgan sends the band to Chicago aboard one of his company's trains. ...
High school band drummer Jimmy Connors decides to inject some excitement into the Riverwood High School Band by converting it into a swing orchestra. After convincing Mary Holden to join the band as a vocalist, Jimmy asks Mr. Judd, the school principal, to allow the group to perform at the school dance. As the band rehearses for the dance, Mary becomes frustrated that Jimmy is more interested in her vocal abilities than their courtship. At the dance, the band is a hit, and Jimmy decides to enter Paul Whiteman's school band contest in Chicago. To raise their traveling expenses, the band stages a Gay Nineties melodrama for the Elks Club, but afterward they are still short fifty dollars for the trip. Jimmy's troubles multiply when Barbara Frances Morgan, a precocious blonde, enrolls in Riverwood and decides to pursue him. However, Jimmy's interest in Barbara grows when Mr. Morgan hires Paul Whiteman and his band to play at his daughter's birthday party. At the party, Jimmy and his band stage an impromptu performance, which attracts Whiteman's attention. Whiteman offers Jimmy a job playing drums, but Jimmy refuses, remaining loyal to his band. Whiteman then advances Jimmy the fifty dollars they need to go to Chicago, but on the day of their departure, Willie, one of the band members, falls gravely ill from an injury that he suffered during the Elks show and needs an operation in Chicago to save his life. When Jimmy selflessly offers the band's travel money to charter a plane to fly Willie to Chicago, a sympathetic Mr. Morgan sends the band to Chicago aboard one of his company's trains. At the big broadcast, Jimmy and his band are crowned the winners, thus Jimmy's dreams are realized.
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