Of course, the thing that sticks most in my mind about this film is the long, spectacular, controversial, minstrel show at the end, which most reviewers gloss over as an embarrassing reminder of a best forgotten period in American theater when white folks made up to resemble black folks and to enact accepted stereotypical diction, singing, and behavior of black folks was considered acceptable theater content. Even occasionally into the early '50s, blackface musical and comedic numbers were occasionally included in new films. As a liberal-minded WASP, I find very few of these performances sufficiency offensive on racial grounds to warrant their deletion from present day viewing. However, I have to take exception to portions of the minstrel show in this film. The characterizations of African Americans by Judy, and especially Mickey, at times,is hilarious, and largely based on stock characters in minstrel shows. Mickey's manic banjo playing sequence in black face of "Alabama" is one of my most vivid film memories. However, I can readily sympathize with those who are horrified by his facial expressions during his total banjo-playing performance...a warning to potential viewers! Incidentally, despite appearances, apparently, Mickey didn't play what we hear from the banjo. Apparently, it was dubbed by world famous banjo player Eddie Peabody. Many aspects of this production, I don't find offensive, and exhibit a striking example of Busby Berkeley's instinct for the visually spectacular, combined with either familiar exciting or soothing music, in different phases of the total production. The exuberant last portion, sung and danced to "The Robert E. Lee" is another especially memorable experience....Actually, the first film in this series of 4, from '39 to '43,; "Babes in Arms" included a very similar minstrel show up to the banjo playing portion. I guess B.B. decided he wanted to redo it with an expanded program and with some overhead shots, making it into the finale big production.
..After getting better acquainted in Judy's apartment, Mickey and Judy do their classic soft shoe-like "How About You" alternating solo or duet act, beginning with only singing, graduating to dancing and tumbling on the furniture, much like Don O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds in the much later "I Love Melvin"... After a period of drama about how to get a block party OKed by authorities, as a hopeful springboard to Broadway stardom, we have the unforgettable, long, often superenergetic "Hoe Down" production. Mickey, especially goes manic during portions of this no-doubt BB-inspired production. As with the minstrel show, a Ray MacDonald solo tap dance routine is included in the middle, providing a breather.
In the middle of the film, we have a program that acknowledges that the UK is fighting for its life against the Nazis. Some well-off Brits have sent their children to the U.S. for safe keeping. These are the children of the 'settlement housing'. Newly composed "Chin Up!, Cheerio!, Carry On!" is the rousing highlight of this segment.
Between this segment and the minstrel show , there is a long period of mostly haggling and uncertainty about how to obtain the financing and acquire access to an adequate theater for the minstrel show. During this period, also Mickey and Judy don several theatrical outfits and pretend they are other actors, in the 'ghost' sequence. Mickey also does a terrible impersonation of Carmen Miranda, despite her reported help. He just didn't have the looks to carry this off.
As for the first two films of this series of 4 films, the director was Busby Berkeley and producer Arthur Freed, but future husband Vincent Minnelli directed Judy's solos... The songs were a mixed bag of old and novel ones, with several teams of composers and lyricists involved with the new ones.
As an overall assessment, I have to balance the highlight musical numbers against the often too long and uninteresting periods of background drama.
Who would have thought that Mickey would outlive Judy by 45 years, despite their both eventually developing unstable careers and personal lives. Mickey was still occasionally active in theatrical productions through most of his life, and passed away just recently, 74 years after starring in this film!
..After getting better acquainted in Judy's apartment, Mickey and Judy do their classic soft shoe-like "How About You" alternating solo or duet act, beginning with only singing, graduating to dancing and tumbling on the furniture, much like Don O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds in the much later "I Love Melvin"... After a period of drama about how to get a block party OKed by authorities, as a hopeful springboard to Broadway stardom, we have the unforgettable, long, often superenergetic "Hoe Down" production. Mickey, especially goes manic during portions of this no-doubt BB-inspired production. As with the minstrel show, a Ray MacDonald solo tap dance routine is included in the middle, providing a breather.
In the middle of the film, we have a program that acknowledges that the UK is fighting for its life against the Nazis. Some well-off Brits have sent their children to the U.S. for safe keeping. These are the children of the 'settlement housing'. Newly composed "Chin Up!, Cheerio!, Carry On!" is the rousing highlight of this segment.
Between this segment and the minstrel show , there is a long period of mostly haggling and uncertainty about how to obtain the financing and acquire access to an adequate theater for the minstrel show. During this period, also Mickey and Judy don several theatrical outfits and pretend they are other actors, in the 'ghost' sequence. Mickey also does a terrible impersonation of Carmen Miranda, despite her reported help. He just didn't have the looks to carry this off.
As for the first two films of this series of 4 films, the director was Busby Berkeley and producer Arthur Freed, but future husband Vincent Minnelli directed Judy's solos... The songs were a mixed bag of old and novel ones, with several teams of composers and lyricists involved with the new ones.
As an overall assessment, I have to balance the highlight musical numbers against the often too long and uninteresting periods of background drama.
Who would have thought that Mickey would outlive Judy by 45 years, despite their both eventually developing unstable careers and personal lives. Mickey was still occasionally active in theatrical productions through most of his life, and passed away just recently, 74 years after starring in this film!