Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

kidboots "Spring is Here" was a modest (not a flop) Rodgers and Hart Broadway musical of 1929 (109 performances) in which the song "With a Song in My Heart" became a standard but the film version of 1930 didn't even rate a Broadway opening - it had it's "gala" world premiere in Toledo, Ohio!!How could it fail? It starred the gorgeous musical team of Bernice Claire and Alexander Gray who had been such a hit in the recent film musical "No, No, Nanette", another Gray, Lawrence, fresh from "Marianne" and "Sunny" had a pleasant tenor and comics Inez Courtney and Louise Fazenda, plus some very hummable early song hits. But by 1930 cinema patrons were starting to rebel against any film with a misplaced song after a steady diet of dizzy films filled with mediocre music. While this movie had wonderful songs, the plot, in which Owen Davis (author of "Whoopee") adapted from his unsuccessful play "Shotgun Wedding" was just too frivolous for the now sombre tone of the depression.It starts with the blustering Peter Braley (Ford Sterling) berating his fun loving daughter Betty (Claire, wearing a very becoming hair style) for staying out till 5 in the morning with mysterious new boyfriend, Steve Alden (Lawrence Grey). There has already been a snappy musical number with Inez Courtney and Frank Albertson bemoaning the fact that by the time Mary Jane is old enough for parties - they will be extinct!! Frank then informs her to cheer up because "Spring is Here - in Person"!! Light hearted the script may be but they still have time to discuss just how female embryos come into being as well as wondering when a "morning after" pill will come into existence!!When Terry, Betty's long suffering boyfriend comes on the scene, it's obvious why she prefers the lively Steve - Terry (Alexander Gray) is as dumb as they make them!!! Her father forces an engagement and Betty is livid. Steve is "up to date and gives a girl a thrill" according to Betty. Terry thinks, given the chance he could be the same. He tries to convey his thoughts in "Yours Sincerely" with Claire putting her melodious stamp on the song! Mary Jane gives him more sensible advice via the song "Bad Baby" - romance another girl, preferably the vampish Miss Carewe (Natalie Moorehead) to make Betty jealous. He tries it out at the party that night, the Brox Sisters being on hand to sing "Crying for the Carolines". The song proved the big hit of the movie probably because of the superior and more soulful version recorded by Ruth Etting. Before the night is over Betty and Steve have tunefully duetted to "With a Song In My Heart", Betty has posed the question to the stars "How Shall I Tell" and Terry has implored her with the plaintively earnest "Have a Little Faith in Me". For all Lawrence Gray's top billing he goes missing from the last half with the focus definitely on Terry's quest to live life with a kick in it!!Steve returns in the morning with a minister but in a very pre-code scene, Betty greets her father at her bedroom door with a disheveled Terry - could they have spent the night together without the benefit of clergy!! No!! as the minister questions why is he needed to marry this girl when he already performed the service the night before!! Stacy (Albertson) returns and he and Mary Jane perform the liveliest song in the film "What's the Big Idea" complete with an eccentric dance. Inez Courtney reprised her role from the original Broadway production.A very fun movie with the plot just a framework to present some songs - but what songs they were!! And Bernice Claire is so adorably ravishing, you will not be able to keep your eyes off her!!Highly Recommended.

wes-connors On Long Island's fashionable North Shore, beautiful brunette Bernice Claire (as Betty Braley) surprises her parents by returning home at five o'clock in the morning. Furious father Ford Sterling (as Peter Braley) asks ukulele player Lawrence Gray (as Steve Alden), "What do you mean by bringing my daughter home at five o'clock in the morning?" He replies, "Home is the best place for a young girl at that hour, isn't it?" A coloratura soprano, Ms. Claire has been dating handsome baritone Alexander Gray (as Terry Clayton). They make beautiful music together, but Claire thinks her boyfriend has become boring and unromantic. If Alexander Gray doesn't change his tune before the end of the story, he may lose his Claire to Lawrence Gray..."Spring Is Here" is a somewhat creaky-looking, but wildly funny and extremely tuneful early movie musical. The script, by James A. Starr from Owen Davis's original story, is award-worthy; it's chock full of snappy, modern dialogue. The forward-thinking soundtrack, by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, complement characters and story in the best musical-play fashion. The 1929 Broadway play sent "With a Song in My Heart" up the record and sheet-music sales charts, in several versions. The film put more songs on the national hit parade, led by the superior "Have a Little Faith in Me" and the Brox Sisters' "Crying for the Carolines" (not from the original play). Guy and Carmen Lombardo had a doubled-sided top ten hit with both songs...The cast is a well-balanced mixture of "silent" film stars and theater performers. Lawrence Gray and Alexander Gray are not related. Lawrence receives top-billing, but Alexander is the leading man. Lawrence had been favorite young actor during the 1920s, co-starring with several popular actresses. He may receive "star" billing on this recognition and for the fact that he sings the film's big hit "With a Song in My Heart" (very well). The reason Lawrence got the song, and not Alexander, can be traced back to the original Broadway production. Glenn Hunter, a popular young performer on stage and film, signed for the play. His character was to sing the important song, but it was given to his romantic rival as Mr. Hunter was not a singer...The second leads are Claire's parents, flittering Louise Fazenda and stringent Ford Sterling (as Emily and Peter Braley). In particular, Mr. Sterling gets a well-written "talking" picture role. Inez Courtney (reprising her stage role) and Frank Albertson impersonate a juvenile couple successfully. The older couple parallels Bernice and Alexander. It's interesting to watch Alexander's transform - learning to make "violent love" by kissing Gretchen Thomas and Ms. Fazenda. His final scenes are not off-putting due to the surprising balance we see in Fazenda's character...Producer/director John Francis Dillon manages it all exceptionally. Thankfully, he doesn't "correct" an early scene where Alexander jumps a wall and drops his flowers; it fits his character - stumbling to smooth. Photographer Lee Garmes seems out of position once; but, more often, his camera is skillfully capturing background material.******** Spring Is Here (4/13/30) John Francis Dillon ~ Alexander Gray, Bernice Claire, Ford Sterling, Louise Fazenda

drednm Not bad early musical based on a flop Broadway show by Rodgers and Hart.Willful Betty (Bernice Claire) thinks she loves flashy Steve (Lawrence Gray) because Terry (Alexander Gray) is boring and because her father wants her to marry him. But with a little coaching from her dizzy mom (Louise Fazenda), Terry turns into a lover and wins the day.Set among the "Long Island set," this breezy little film is full of smart retorts and good songs. It also features a funny performance by Ford Sterling as the frantic father and good work by Inez Courtney (from the Broadway show) and Frank Albertson as the younger set.Claire has a pleasing soprano and the Grays (not related) also sing well. Best known song here is "With a Song in My Heart." The Brox Sisters show up at the party and sing the hit "Cryin' for the Carolines." Also noted in the cast are Natalie Moorhead as the vamp, Bess Flowers as a guest, Gretchen Thomas as Maude, and Wilbur Mack as the vicar.While Lawrence Gray gets top billing here, it's Bernice Claire and Alexander Gray who are really the stars. They starred together in 3 films in 1930.

tedg Most of the movies from this period are bad, stabs in the eye. But you have to watch your quota in order to register the form.These early ones are pretty fascinating because with the onset of sound, filmmakers veered away from story for a while and accommodated the stage show. This is an early musical following the pattern used on Broadway, set by opera centuries before and still somewhat followed. Its song stitched together in the slightest of ways.The songs here seemed dreadful to me, absolutely dreadful. Just changing tastes on which drek we tolerate, I suppose.The story is about a girl, and someone who loves her, and her confusion over him and another boy. Which is less boring is the question. She and all the supposed sexy girls here have that mannish, short hairdo that was popular for only a couple years, invented by film.There's a blustery father whose job it is to keep things moving. The origin of his role is belied in the middle of the movie when in the midst of his patter he says of a joke: "I just tell em, I don't explain em." Everything else about this is from the stage as well, a strange deviation for cinema as it tried to discover what it would be. Its precode, so while there is nothing overtly sexy is shown, its clear that there are sex acts all around the story.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.