Released - November, 1943 

Directed By - Norman Taurog, Busby Berkeley

Starring – Mickey Rooney (Danny Churchill, Jr.), Judy Garland (Ginger Gray), Gil Stratton (Bud Livermore), Robert E. Strickland (Henry Lathrop), Rags Ragland (Rags).

Description – Danny Churchill, Jr. is a spoiled rich kid with little interest in education, but a great deal of interest in wine, women, and song. As you can imagine, this does not please his father one bit.

In an effort to get a proper education for Danny, his father ships him off to a small all-male college in the Southwest. A college where there are no signs of a female for miles. With one very obvious exception, Ginger Gray who just happens to be the granddaughter of the Dean.

On his way West, Danny passes a stalled car with a beautiful pair of legs extending out from beneath the car. Those legs belong to Ginger.

Ginger’s mind is on the financial footing of the college and is on a mission to keep the school open and has little interest in Danny’s flirting nature.

How do they team up to save the college? Why how else would Rooney and Garland solve this problem; let’s put on a show!

NOTABLE: Girl Crazy was the ninth of ten movies pairing Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.

Production began with Busby Berkeley in the director’s chair. However, after a series of problem with Judy Garland, Norman Taurog was brought in to complete the film.

Girl Crazy features some great Gershwin tunes including “I Got Rhythm,” “But Not For Me,” and “Embraceable You,” along with the great Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

Ginger Gray, Garland’s character name, was a tribute to Ginger Rogers who played the role on Broadway.

The Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection (Babes in Arms / Babes on Broadway / Girl Crazy / Strike Up the Band)

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Released – July, 1943 

Directed By - Andrew L. Stone

Starring – Lena Horne (Selina Rogers), Bill Robinson (Bill Williamson), Cab Calloway, Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller, The Nicholas Brothers, and Ada Brown (as themselves).

Description – Loosely based on the life of dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson this film tells the story of an aspiring dancer and his pursuit of a show business career after returning home from World War I.

The character of Selina Rogers who plays the romantic interest of Bill Robinson was created just for this film.

The appeal of this film is not it’s story line, but rather the wonderful collection of legendary performers that appear. There are twenty musical numbers included in the approx. 77 minute motion picture making it almost non-stop, top-quality entertainment.

Lena Horne’s historical rendition of the title song accompanied by the dancing of Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller’s classic composition of  Ain’t Misbehavin’, Cab Calloway’s terrific band, and a dancing number by the Nicholas Brothers that will take your breath away.

NOTABLE: In 2001 this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

This was the final film for Bill “Bojangles” Robinson as he died in 1949. Stormy Weather also turned out to be the final film appearance for Fats Waller who died of pneumonia at the age of 39 just five months after the completion of the movie.

Personal Note: This is an often overlooked 20th Century Fox musical classic featuring many of the greatest song and dance entertainers of our lifetime.

The dance number by the Nicholas Brothers was once described by Fred Astaire as “the greatest dance number ever filmed.”

Stormy Weather

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Released - April, 1943 

Directed By - Vincente Minnelli

Starring – Ethel Waters (Petunia Jackson), Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson (Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Jackson), Lena Horne (Georgia Brown), Louis Armstrong (The Trumpeter).

Description – Compulsive gambler Little Joe Jackson has promised his wife Petunia that he will reform and change his ways. Petunia is a very religious woman who takes Joe to church every Sunday in the hope that the power of good will overcome the bad and help keep Joe away from gambling.

Unfortunately, the opportunity for Joe to sneak away and go to the casino proves too strong. While playing craps at the Paradise Club a shooting takes place and Joe is mortally wounded. Bolstered by Petunia’s prayers, Joe’s soul makes a deal with God’s services and is given a second chance.

He has six months to become a good husband and to quit his gambling or his soul will be condemed. All goes well for some time until Joe wins a large cash prize. Now, temptation again proves too strong as Joe starts living the high-life and hanging around with the sultry Georgia Brown.

The battle for Joe’s soul is back in earnest. It’s good versus evil as Petunia still hopes to find her cabin in the sky with Joe.

NOTABLE: This film received one Oscar nomination; Best Music, Original Song.

This film was the Hollywood feature directorial debut of Vincente Minnelli.

A key scene involving a tornado was completed using some footage from the Wizard of Oz.

Look for a dance sequence featuring Bill Bailey, brother of Pearl Bailey, and you will see the first version of the “moon walk.”

Personal Note: While still somewhat racist in its depiction of blacks, this film was one of the first to treat its characters with some dignity. This was rare at the time. With an all black cast, MGM took a chance with this movie as many theaters would not show films with prominent black performers; especially in the south.

Overall, a pretty intelligent and funny script.

Cabin in the Sky

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Released - November, 1942 

Directed By - William A. Seiter

Starring – Fred Astaire (Robert ‘Bob’ Davis), Rita Hayworth (Maria Acuna), Adolphe Menjou (Eduardo Acuna), Isobel Elsom (Mrs. Maria Castro).

Description – American dancer Bob Davis is in Argentina both looking for work and gambling away his money. A bandleader friend invites him to perform at the wedding of a local nightclub owner’s daughter with the hope that this might lead to a job.

At the wedding Bob meets Maria another of the nightclub owner’s daughters. He is immediately attracted to her, but she brushes him off.

Maria then begins to receive a series of flowers and love notes from an unknown suitor who she believes to be Bob. It isn’t, so just who is the mysterious suitor and will Bob ever get a chance with Maria?

NOTABLE: This motion picture was nominated for three Academy Awards; Best Music, Original Song, Best Music, Scoring of a Motion Picture, and Best Sound, Rocording.

The beautiful music in the film was composed by Jerome Kern who was unhappy with the selection of Xavier Cugat and his orchestra. However, after production ended, Kern was so pleased with Cugat’s work that he presented him with a silver baton.

Rita Hayworth’s performance in the movie firmly established her as one of Fred Astaire’s premiere dance partners.

Rita Hayworth has stated that this film was her favorite.

You Were Never Lovelier

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Released – August, 1942 

Directed By - Mark Sandrich

Starring – Bing Crosby (Jim Hardy), Fred Astaire (Ted Hanover), Marjorie Reynolds (Linda Mason), Virginia Dale (Lila Dixon), Walter Abel (Danny Reed), Louise Beavers (Mamie).

Description – A great story, sensational dancing, and the music of Irving Berlin have made this one of the best loved musicals of all time.

The musical act of Hardy, Hanover, and Dixon are preparing for a special Christmas eve show. Jim Hardy intends for this to be his last show as he is planning to marry Lila and retire to a farm in Connecticut.

Lila, however, has other plans. She has fallen in love with Ted and wants to continue in showbusiness as his dance partner. Although brokenhearted, Jim follows through with his retirement and moves to Connecticut.

Within a year, farming has taken its toll on Jim and he spends some time in a sanatorium to calm his nerves. While there he has a brainstorm…he will turn his farm into an inn that will open only on holidays and call it the Holiday Inn.

On Christmas day aspiring entertainer Linda Mason comes to the inn looking for a job. Will Jim find a new romance? Will the idea of a Holiday Inn be successful? Will the return of Ted, who now sets his sights on Jim’s new girlfriend, complicate things again? And what about Lila? To find out, take a little time to enjoy the holiday magic!

NOTABLE: This film won the Oscar for Best Film, Original Song (White Christmas), and was also nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, and Best Writing, Original Story.

In the film, Fred Astaire does a “drunk dance.” The story goes that Astaire had two drinks of bourbon before the first take and another after each additional take. It was the seventh take that was used in the film.

The dancing shoes used in Fred Astaire’s firecracker dance were later auctioned off for $116,000 worth of war bonds.

This was the film debut of the holiday classic White Christmas, which went on to become one of the best selling songs in music history.

The Holiday Inn hotel chain, founded in 1952, took its name from this motion picture.

Personal Note: This is without question one of the most enjoyable of all holiday films. We have several that also include White Christmas (a remake of this film), The Bells of St. Mary’s, A Christmas Story, and a few others that are rotated for our viewing pleasure come holiday season.

Each, in its own way, contributes to a greater enjoyment of the holiday season. This is our favorite.

Holiday Inn (3 Disc Collector’s Set)

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