SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Candida It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

blanche-2 "Everybody Sing" is a delightful 1938 film filled with music but, as these things go, not much plot. That's okay. Judy plays Judy Bellaire, whose mother (Billie Burke) is a busy actress, and her father (Reginald Owen) is a producer. When Judy gets kicked out of school for turning her classical music into jazz, no one will listen to the reason she's home - they're all too busy. Mom is in rehearsal with her leading man (Reginald Owen), her sister Sylvia (Lynne Carter) is taking a voice lesson, and her father is frantically running around. Judy's only pals in the house are the chef, Ricky Saboni (Allan Jones), who is in love with Sylvia, and the maid (Fanny Brice), an ex-Russian performer.Eventually Judy, though underage, gets into a show put on by Ricky, who sings at night in a club. The singing is glorious, Judy singing "Swing Mr. Mendolssohn," "Down to Melody Farm," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and "Ever Since the World Began." Brice does a specialty number, and Jones, in his beautiful tenor, sings "The Show Must Go On," "Cosi-Cosa," and "First Thing in the Morning." Pre-Wizard of Oz, and pretty Judy sings with an incredible maturity of tone.Fun, upbeat movie.

pvideo-2 This is actually a very good film. I gotta wonder what others are complaining about. Okay there is some dated humor. Some pre WWII Russian humor which is prevalent in some 30's films before cold war cast them as the enemies. What's great about this movie, Judy Garland is in her typical personal problem solving mode. Trying to help her own family in distress. Of course playing the part of a young girl she may be making a little more of the problem that what's happening. But apparently the performing family hasn't been putting out real work. So they are in need of a financial rescue. What is great about this movie. Well the script isn't very tight, because at times a song just happens because people are happy. Nothing wrong with that for die hard musical lovers. What makes this film great. Well look at Judy's father, he's such an overblown ham and takes himself too seriously. All the "important" actors in the family who are supposed to be great (in their own eyes) are just hams. And they are in need of rescue. Whereas the "regular" folks who are supposed to be the underclass, Judy and the help are the ones to break into the big time to save the family. It's really great, everyone plays there part really well and if you get to watch these players play other parts, for example watch "THE GOOD FAIRY" before watching this and check out the same actor who plays Judy's father, plays a butler in that movie. It's really a great film. Now later films were a little more tight with their plots and the music may have fit the action more. A little less, "Broadway melody" style of musical. In the 30s movies often did musical themes because they tied into "getting on the stage", etc. A simple plot that was in many early musicals, even Fred Astaire movies. So this is a common theme and one in early musicals. I could watch this again and again, and I have. For those of you lucky enough to have a Laserdisc copy, this like many other 30s musicals is a treat to watch on laser disk.I'm giving it an 8, but in some ways it's almost a 10 for the repeatable enjoyment factor.

fwmurnau Movie fans who think great stars are enough to make a film great should see EVERYBODY SING. MGM threw together this vehicle for an assortment of wonderful performers they had under contract, but bad writing spoils it.The following year the same studio would do everything right in THE WIZARD OF OZ, also with Garland and Burke, but here they do everything wrong. A stupid plot, bad dialog, and a director who doesn't know how to tone down veteran stage performers for the camera make for a shrill and charmless musical. Humor here consists of everybody yelling at each other, belting out third-rate songs and then reprising them. (Oh no! Here comes THAT lousy number again!)Legendary stage and radio comedienne Fanny Brice's inexperience in films is painfully apparent. She gives a performance which would work on stage, but in camera close-up she comes across as hammy and annoying -- bugging her eyes, over-inflecting her lines, and making goofy faces.Billie Burke, so funny and charming in THE WIZARD OF OZ and other films, is overbearing and shrieky here. Allan Jones, a handsome and likable young tenor, is wasted; in 1938, with operetta going out of style, the movie business no longer had a place for singers like him and Deanna Durbin.The one reason to watch this is to witness the beginnings of the girl who the following year would blossom into the greatest musical performer in the history of film: Judy Garland. Even Judy is too loud and frantic here -- she's still Frances Gumm, vaudeville's "Little Miss Leatherlungs", with her mother hissing from the wings, "Louder, Frances! Smile, baby! Bat your eyes!!" But there are a few moments where Judy's musical phrasing or reading of a line take your breath away -- she's not yet the unique genius she would become, but she's getting there.Garland fans should definitely see this, to see her in her "diamond in the rough" stage -- but you'll be in no hurry to see it again.

David-1593 That's right. This movie is for die-hard Judy Garland fans only. Still there is a fascination with it seeing Judy and Billy Burke.What's nice is seeing an age where there were no cell phones and everyone seems to have been polite. Of course, the very poor must have been hidden somewhere in this economic structure...This is a movie which has glimmers of Judy's later (or was it earlier?) successes.It is interesting to watch her career take off.this is line 1 this is line 2 this is line 3 this is line 4 this is line 5 this is line 6 this is line 7 this is line 8 this is line 9 this is line 10