Cortechba Overrated

MusicChat It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Jim Settle I could never rate this show as "awful." It's got all the typical 1930's elements, and almost all the Busby Berkley elements except the Thousand Tapdancing Toffs. What it doesn't have is the stunning music and the much more human story-line of the Broadway version. What happened to "My Funny Valentine" and "Where or When"? Why did MGM throw out both the score and the book to make the prototype, "Hey kids! Let's put on a show" show? Nobody knows.In this movie, the normally high-energy Mickey Rooney acts like he's on amphetamines, and his near-manic performance is both wearing and wearying. Garland is ... well, Judy Garland, bless her. She's an anchor in Rooney's tempest. It's worth an hour or so of your time on a rainy day, but it's not a true Classic, in my estimation. I was disappointed.

utgard14 The children of struggling vaudeville stars decide to put on a musical show to save their homes. Yes, it's a Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland "let's put on a show" musical. Their first such movie, I think, and probably their most famous. Mickey & Judy are great. Mickey does Lionel Barrymore and Clark Gable impressions that are a hoot. He also has a fight scene in a drug store which is amusing. The supporting cast is made up of fine character actors like Guy Kibbee, Charles Winninger, and Henry Hull. Adorable June Preisser steals every scene she's in. Margaret Hamilton plays the villain, a busybody who tries to get the kids taken away from their parents. Garland & Hamilton filmed this right after Wizard of Oz, by the way. Interestingly, this was actually a bigger hit at the box office than Oz was in 1939.Most of the songs are nice but none wowed me. Several classic Rodgers & Hart tunes from the Broadway musical this was based on are either omitted altogether or featured too briefly to make an impact. An ear-splitting operatic version of "You're My Lucky Star" by Betty Jaynes is probably the worst song in the movie. Judy's "I Cried for You" is best. Salute to minstrel shows with cast members in blackface will upset some so prepare yourself if you're one of them. Directed by Busby Berkeley, as evidenced by his distinct touches on the "God's Country" closing number. Speaking of which, that number has Mickey & Judy satirizing FDR & Eleanor. After FDR's death this part was cut out of future showings and it remained that way until the '90s. It's a lively number and the added historical value is a plus. Good old-fashioned fun. Charming, innocent, and yes, a little corny, but an enjoyable movie overall.

wes-connors With the popularity of "talkies" (talking motion pictures), vaudeville stage performers find themselves increasingly out of work in the early 1930s. Practically born at the Palace Theatre, energetic teenager Mickey Rooney (as Michael "Mickey" Moran) tries to help out his parents and their generation of fading live performers by writing a stage show. His lead singer and potential love interest is spunky Judy Garland (as Patsy "Pat" Barton). However, there is a rival for Mr. Rooney's affections. Their Seaport, Long Island show could be destined for Broadway, but it's not all smooth sailing...MGM "teen idols" Rooney and Garland were more wholesome than those kids at other studios - especially the "Dead End" kids at Warner Bros. "Babes in Arms" entertained teens, parents - and even grandparents - with a cross-generational, albeit flimsy, story. It's a tuneful trip, despite being trimmed of some original stage songs; the medleys and production numbers make it seem bigger and more musical. This is Rooney's film, with director Busby Berkeley and co-star Garland more or less inviting you to join in and share his screen. Everyone does a good job for the star...You get the impression there isn't anything Rooney won't try. He postures throughout. The box office champ impersonates Clark Gable and Lionel Barrymore well but doesn't do Franklin D. Roosevelt justice. Be prepared to cringe at the "minstrel show" wherein Rooney and Garland lead the troupe in a "blackface" barnstormer. This entertainment staple comes across dreadfully; others, most specifically Al Jolson, could get under the colored skin and perform with pathos, dignity and a bit of respect. Here, you have stereotypical exaggeration, with no imagination.***** Babes in Arms (9/15/39) Busby Berkeley ~ Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Douglas McPhail, June Preisser

jotix100 This 1939 musical reflects the tastes of the American public of that era. As such, "Babes in Arms", proved to be a favorite film that made a lot of money for the studio. The young stars of this film proved to be the main attraction for watching it more than sixty years after it was done."Babes in Arms" was a Broadway musical by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers. Like most of those movies of that time, the creative people in the studio took liberties, incorporating material that was not in the original theater work. Busby Berkeley, the genius of those musical films, was at the helm. It's easy to see his imprint all over the movie in the way he stages the big musical numbers and move his players to get a maximum result out of them.Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland were two young actors at the time that were good in whatever they did together. The pair showed an amazing amount of charisma in their musical numbers as well as in the over all chemistry in all their scenes together. Mickey Rooney plays the earnest Mickey Moran, the son of vaudevillians, who wants to make a name for himself. Judy Garland is Patsy Barton, a girl-next-door type that is sweet, wise and patient, even when Mickey is dazzled by the film star that wants to back their show in order to have the lead in it.The other players are excellent, which is not saying much, as MGM and the other studios were blessed with solid talent that went from film to film doing amazing work in whatever picture they appeared. Charles Winninger, Guy Kibee, Betty Jaynes, Douglas McPhail, and the wonderful Margaret Hamilton appear in supporting roles.Enjoy the infectious actors of this movie and the Rodgers and Hart music, as well as the other songs that were added to it. Busby Berkeley did a marvelous job with the film that shows a less stressful time in the country.