"Rio Rita" (1942)

The next film from the team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello is "Rio Rita" from 1942, but it was released by MGM, rather than the usual Universal!

Apparently the success of the boys' movies caught the attention of mega-studio MGM and since Bud and Lou had a clause in their contract with Universal that they could make a picture a year for another studio, they wound up making three at MGM over the next few years

Fair enough, but the only problem is that a glossy studio like MGM had  no idea what to do with a wacky comedy team.

They went the MGM-esque route of having Bud and Lou provide comedy relief in a relatively straight musical, the result of which was this remake (with an updated WWII theme) of "Rio Rita," which had earlier been filmed by RKO in 1929 after a successful stage run.

That 1929 movie was the first to feature the team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, so maybe MGM thought if it worked for one wacky comedy team, why not another?

In any event, although it's not  really a bad movie, it just doesn't gel and is missing the fast-paced zip of the Universal movies and is not well-regarded by A & C fans or MGM musical fans!

There are quite a few songs in the movie, carried over from the original show, but they're kind of light operatic, which is a total contrast from Universal's brassy Don Raye boogie woogie songs.

That being said, new MGM star Kathryn Grayson is very lovely and a fine singer. 

Leading man John  Carroll is pretty good, but he didn't quite have that extra je ne sais quoi needed to break through to stardom.

The sheet music at the top (which proves my "lovely" point) is British and the only tie-in I can find with the movie.

I think the only song to get a contemporary recording was the title song, which Ted Fio Rito recorded for Decca:

The funny thing is that Ted had already been using the song as his band's theme song (I guess because it sounds like his name), but I think this was the only time he recorded it, so I appreciate it as a theme song buff!

Oh, and interesting that we hear band vocalist Bob Carroll twice in a row, but with two different bands!

Next: Back in form at home!

"To-Morrow is Another Day" (1937) - Part 2!

For another version of "To-Morrow is Another Day" from 1937's MGM feature "A Day at the Races," we welcome back Ted Fio Rito and his Orchestra and vocalist Muzzy Marcellino on Decca Records:

Much snappier tempo here!

Of note is that Ted Fio Rito had recorded another song with the same title for Victor Records in 1930:

That song is from the Warner Brothers film "Big Boy," but I won't share the sheet music as it features star Al Jolson in his typical makeup of the period.

I like the band arrangement, but Billy White's vocal sounds awfully dated, even for 1930. I think Muzzy Marcellino's arrival a few years later was an upgrade!

"To-Morrow is Another Day" (1937)

We return to the Marx Brothers with their second movie for MGM, "A Day at the Races" from 1937!

I agree with the prevailing opinion that it's not as good as their previous picture, "A Night at the Opera" although it has some very funny scenes. It drags more than "Opera" when the Brothers aren't onscreen and is just a bit too long.

In any event, Allan Jones is back as the pseudo-Zeppo character and one of the songs he sings is "To-Morrow is Another Day."

Here's a budget label version by Vincent Travers and his Orchestra:

I see a reference on YouTube that vocalist Buddy Blaisdell is actually Jimmy Blair, but I can't find any other confirmation. A comparison definitely indicates they do sound alike!

As for the song, it's interesting that the sheet music uses the now-archaic spelling of "To-Morrow" in the title!

And did Scarlett O'Hara hear the song somewhere?

"I Don't Want Your Kisses" (1929)

Still in 1929, we come across the early all-talkie "So This is College" from MGM!

The first song we'll hear, "I Don't Want Your Kisses," isn't college-themed, but the sheet music (shown at top) is really fun!

Here's Ted Weems and his Orchestra with vocalist Parker Gibbs on Victor Records:

The 1920s Ted Weems band had a lot of pep!

Ted and the boys return with another song from the movie, this one the actual college-themed "Sophomore Prom":

That's Parker Gibbs on the vocal again, with Art Jarrett and Country Washburne completing the trio. No sophomore slump for them!

The flipside of that Victor record is another song from "So This is College," but "Campus Capers" is performed by Charles Dornberger and his Orchestra:

Back in the day, it was more common for either side of a 78 to have a different artist from the other side.

Interestingly, long-legged comedienne Charlotte Greenwood gets co-writer credit on "Campus Capers" with her husband Martine Broones, who also co-wrote "I Don't Want Your Kisses" from the film!

And doesn't this movie on the whole have awesome promotional artwork?

"Fair Co-Ed" (1927)

I said we'd meet a lot of co-eds while listening to college-themed songs, and right away we meet a fair co-ed!

It's the theme song (hold the "The") for the silent picture "The Fair Co-Ed" starring Marion Davies from MGM in 1927!

I also said we hear a lot from these guys, so here are Harry Reser and Tom Stacks with The Six Jumping Jacks on Brunswick Records:

They are so fun! 

I like the arrangement on this one a lot. The instrumental part really sounds like it could be from a Spike Jones record for Bluebird - which is a very good thing indeed!

As a contrast to the raucous sounds we just heard, here's "Fair Co-Ed in a more typical treatment for the time, by Frank Farrell and his Greenwich Village Inn Orchestra:

Pleasant enough, but not as evocative of wacky 1920s collegiate hijinks!

Of note is that "The Fair Co-Ed" also featured Johnny Mack Brown in one of his first roles after graduating from Alabama, where he had been an All-American football star, but he's the girls' basketball coach here!

"Alone" (1935) - Part 3!

Let’s sneak in one more 1935 version of “Alone,” this one on Decca Records from string wizard Roy Smeck and his Serenaders with Donald King on the vocal:

 

Roy Smeck’s Hawaiian-ized versions of then-current pop songs are absolutely fascinating to me! 

As for the lobby card at the top, I know it’s hyperbole, but what picture was so funny ten years prior?

"Alone" (1935) - Part 2!

Allan Jones didn’t get the chance to record “Alone” commercially when “A Night at the Opera” was first released, but he did record it for RCA Victor in 1949. 

Here it is on the fancy Red Seal label with Robert Armbruster conducting the orchestra:

 

Sounds great! 

I always found it interesting that although Zeppo left the act when the Marx Brothers moved from Paramount to MGM, their moves still had a Zeppo-ish character in them, with Allan Jones filling that role in “A Night at the Opera” and 1937’s “A Day at the Races.” 

Back in the day, you could say that Allan Jones was the father of singer Jack Jones and that Jack Jones was the singer of “The Love Boat” theme and everybody knew what you were talking about!

 

"Alone" (1935)

We move to 1935 for MGM’s “A Night at the Opera” starring the Marx Brothers! 

The hit song from the movie was “Alone” by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown which was sung by Allan Jones and Kitty Carlisle, as made evident by the sheet music at the top of the page! 

To drive the point home even further, there was this alternate version that doesn’t even include the Marxes:

“A Night at the Opera” was the brothers’ first film for MGM and while it’s extremely entertaining, it does lead the boys into more conventional “movie” territory than their previous films for Paramount did.

In any event, Cliff Weston is back, this time with Tommy Dorsey’s band, to sing “Alone” for Victor Records:

Not typical TD, but a big hit and very evocative of 1935!

 

"All I Do is Dream of You" (1934) - Part 2!

For another version of “All I Do is Dream of You” from the 1936 MGM film “Sadie McKee,” we turn to Gene Austin!

Gene appeared in the movie, although he doesn’t sing “All I Do is Dream of You” (Gene Raymond sings it a few times). He did record it, however, for Victor Records:

Gene Austin was very popular in the late 1920s and this record has more of a 1920s sound to me. Charming today, it must have seem pretty dated in 1934!

"All I Do is Dream of You" (1934)

Let's jump back to 1934 for the song “All I Do is Dream of You” from MGM’s “Sadie McKee” starring Joan Crawford.

I’ve seen this piece of sheet music quite a bit over the years, so I figure it must have been a good seller. I would attribute that to the song itself, which would be a fun number to play on the piano at home, and to the popularity of Miss Crawford!

Gene Raymond sings “All I Do is Dream of You” a few times in the movie, so anyone who sees the movie is well aware of the song, another from Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown!

Let’s listen to this snappy version on Brunswick from Freddy Martin and his Orchestra featuring Vocalist Elmer Feldkamp:

I really like Elmer’s singing a lot. He unfortunately passed away prematurely in 1938, but he did cut a number of records that we can still enjoy today!

"Meet the Beat of My Heart" (1938)

Still in 1938, we come across this nice sheet music spotlighting Judy Garland from MGM’s “Love Finds Andy Hardy.”

Judy didn’t commercially record “Meet the Beat of My Heart,” but among the recordings is this version by veteran drummer/bandleader Ben Pollack and his Orchestra with Paula Gayle:

Pretty snappy!

"You Are My Lucky Star" (1935) - Part 2!

For another version of "You Are My Lucky Star" from the 1935 MGM picture “Broadway Melody of 1936,” let’s hear from the great Louis Armstrong on Decca Records:

That cat was the goods!

"You Are My Lucky Star" (1935)

Next we turn to a song actually written by the team of Arthur Freed & Nacio Herb Brown: “You Are My Lucky Star” from MGM’s musical “Broadway Melody of 1936” from 1935! Here’s a version by Angelo Ferdinando and his Hotel Great Northern Orchestra with (uncredited) vocalist Dick Robertson:

                                                                                                                                                                     

                                     

I dig those buff Bluebirds! One thing of note is that the back cover of the sheet music features a little piece on songwriters Freed & Brown:

A puff piece to be sure, but fun!

"Everything I Have Is Yours" (1933) - Part 2!

Let’s hear another version on the great standard “Everything I Have is Yours” from MGM’s feature “Dancing Lady” from 1933!

Here’s singer Al Bowlly on the British Decca label:

Al Bowlly recorded with a lot of British bands, most notably that of Ray Noble, and he was a great band vocalist, but it’s nice to hear him get the chance to stretch out on this record issued under his own name!

"Everything I Have Is Yours" (1933)

The rather striking sheet music from 1933’s “Dancing Lady” starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable is for the now-standard “Everything I Have is Yours.”

Art Jarrett sang it in the movie, but I don’t think he commercially recorded it, but here’s a nice version on Bluebird Records from Jerry Freeman and his Orchestra featuring vocalist Frank Sylvano:

Odd that contemporary record labels show Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown as the songwriters, but the actual writers were Harold Adamson and Burton Lane, as shown on the sheet music.

“Dancing Lady” is a fun flick, but it’s most noteworthy as the screen debut of Fred Astaire, appearing as himself while on loan to MGM from RKO! Nelson Eddy also appears as himself in what I believe is his second film appearance. Throw in the Three Stooges (still backing Ted Healey) and you've got some interesting stuff!

Movie Time: "The Stratton Story (1949) - The Spoilers!

                                    

If you haven't had a chance to watch MGM's 1949 "The Stratton Story" starring James Stewart and would like to do so, you should do so before checking out these promo pieces.

It always been tough not to learn too much about a movie before seeing it and it's even harder with the internet, but if it's possible to see a movie like "The Stratton Story" without really knowing what the "story" is, there are some interesting twists and turns.

That being said, June Allyson might give too much away in this trailer:

And Jimmy Stewart spills a lot in this little interview:

Interesting stuff from Mr. Stewart, though!

I have a couple of notes about the cast and crew (naturally)...

This is Jimmy Stewart's fist biographical role, although most people wouldn't have known what Monty Stratton was like, as opposed to Jimmy's later Glenn Miller or Charles Lindbergh roles. He's always convincing, however, even though he looks and talks the same as usual!

It's also Jimmy's first movie co-starring June Allyson. They were in a total of three, but I always thought they were an odd pairing.

I never really grasped why June Allyson was as popular as she was, as I thought she was pleasant, but nothing more, until my mother (who was a frequent movie-goer back then) said that she (and her friends) liked her because she wasn't jealous of her!

Agnes Moorehead does a good job as Monty's mother, even though in real-life she was not nearly old enough to be Jimmy Stewart's other. She never looked or acted young!

I think the standout performance is by Frank Morgan as an old baseball scout who becomes Monty's mentor. Frank was so popular as a befuddled comic type, that he didn't often get a chance to show off his dramatic chops, but he delivers the goods here in one of his last roles.

"The Stratton Story" is also one of the final credits for director Sam Wood, who's not talked about much these days, but has a pretty impressive résumé, including an earlier prestige baseball biopic, 1942's "The Pride of the Yankees," among other classics.

Also noteworthy is that writer Douglas Morrow won an Academy Award for Best Motion Picture Story for the "Stratton Story."

So, we have quite the movie here!