Birth of the Blues 1941  N/R, 80 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Victor Schertzinger
Cast: Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, Brian Donlevy, Carolyn Lee, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Jack Teagarden, J. Carrol Naish, Cecil Kellaway, Warren Hymer, Horace McMahon
The music is great, but the story of New Orleans jazz is told from the white–not the African-American–perspective and loses its true meaning in the process.
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The Fleet's In 1942 N/R, 95 min.
Genre: Musical / Romance
Director: Victor Schertzinger
Cast: Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Eddie Bracken, Betty Hutton, Cass Daley, Leif Erickson, Rod Cameron, Gil Lamb, Jack Norton, Barbara Britton, Jimmy Dorsey, Bob Eberly, Helen O'Connell, Hal K. Dawson, George M. Carleton
A shy sailor, Casey Kirby (William Holden), gets the reputation of being a ladies' man after being kissed backstage as a publicity stunt. Casey's buddy, Barney Waters (Eddie Bracken), reports the story to the sailors on his ship, and they make bets that Casey will get The Countess of Swingland (Dorothy Lamour) to kiss him in public. Meanwhile, The Countess does become attracted to Casey, and her best friend Bessie Dale (Betty Hutton) sets her sights on Barney. The story was remade by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis as "Sailor Beware."
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Rhythm on the River 1940 N/R, 92 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Victor Schertzinger
Cast: Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, Basil Rathbone, Oscar Levant, John Scott Trotter, Charley Grapewin, William Frawley, Jeanne Cagney, Charles(2) Lane, Pierre Watkin
Ghostwriters Bob (Bing Crosby) and Cherry (Mary Martin) have been in the employ of music composer Oliver Courtney (Basil Rathbone). They fall in love and start writing in their own names. Naturally, they come up with a hit, but the story of their efforts is entertaining.
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 Road to Singapore 1940  N/R, 84 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Victor Schertzinger
Cast: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Charles Coburn, Judith Barrett, Anthony Quinn, Jerry Colonna, Miles Mander, Pierre Watkin, Steve Pendleton
This is the first "Road" film; it proved so popular that six more films followed. Josh (Bing Crosby) and Ace (Bob Hope) sail the Pacific Ocean to a tropical island where they meet and vie for the attention of a lovely lady (Dorothy Lamour).
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Road to Zanzibar 1941 N/R, 89 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Victor Schertzinger
Cast: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Una Merkel, Eric Blore, Luis Alberni, Douglass Dumbrille, Iris Adrian, Lionel Royce, Ernest Whitman, Joan Marsh, Norma Varden
Searching for a South African diamond mine becomes the quest of con-men Chuck (Bing Crosby) and Fearless (Bob Hope). Along for the ride are chorus girls Donna Latoor (Dorothy Lamour) and Julia (Una Merkel).
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Something to Sing About 1937 N/R, 90 min.
Genre: Musical / Comedy / Drama
aka: Battling Hoofer
Director: Victor Schertzinger
Cast: James Cagney, Evelyn Daw, William Frawley, Mona Barrie, Gene Lockhart, Philip Ahn, Dwight Frye, William B. Davidson, Richard Tucker, Kathleen Lockhart, Marek Windheim, Johnny Arthur, James Newill, Harry Barris, Cully Richards
The story involves New York bandleader Terry Rooney (James Cagney) who seeks fame and fortune in Hollywood. Rooney marries his band's vocalist Rita Wyatt (Evelyn Daw), and they head for Hollywood. He meets studio head Bennett O. Regan (Gene Lockhart) who wrongly believes that Rooney is arrogant and also wants him to keep his marriage a secret, so he and Rita put on a charade. The movie turns out to be a big success, but Regan hides that fact from Rooney, and Rooney does not discover his fame until he returns home from a South Seas cruise with Rita.
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| 1. Birth of the Blues (1941)
2. The Fleet's In (1942)
3. Friends and Lovers (1931)
4. Rhythm on the River (1940)
5. Road to Singapore (1940)
6. Road to Zanzibar (1941)
7. Something to Sing About (1937)
aka: Battling Hoofer
In The News
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