Crooner

"Crooner" is a 1932 film starring David Manners, Ann Dvorak, and Ken Murray.

Manners plays a band leader Teddy Taylor whose singer becomes ill before a performance, so he has to take over. He has a voice the size of a mosquito, so someone hands him a megaphone, and a star is born.

His girlfriend (Ann Dvorak) brings a publicist (Murray) to hear him, and Murray signs him, promising Teddy and the band big money. He actually doesn't like Ted's voice, but when he sees how the women fawn all over him, he decides he can take him to the top.

Ted becomes successful and becomes a major jerk, two-timing his girlfriend, refusing to conduct the music at a tempo people can dance to, and demeaning the band.

It's an okay comedy/drama, but the only really comedic part is when Ted is taking voice lessons. I actually didn't find Ted's voice so awful as some other people on this board is - I've heard worse, except when he goes crazy singing high notes for his teacher.

This film apparently was a big success for Manners, who had played standard leading men up to then. He was attractive (and related to Princess Diana on his mother's side), but he didn't stay in films long, preferring writing and painting.

Ann Dvorak turns in her usual good performance, as a sweet, patient woman who becomes fed up.

This film may be the veiled story of Rudy Vallee or perhaps even Bing Crosby -- an egotistical crooner. I imagine both would fit the profile.

Crooner is the story of a bandleader who when the band singer is AWOL does his vocals and with megaphone that a drunk hands him. He becomes an overnight sensation and then let's it all go to his head.

David Manners plays our Crooner and the story is based quite obviously on Rudy Vallee. In fact Manners was a little too close to the real Vallee who probably considered suing.

I think it was a smart move to not have a singer in the part. You might wonder why he didn't have staying power like a Crosby or a Vallee. There are so many out there that are forgotten today who did have their brief moment of glory.

Manners gets good support from the two women in his life girlfriend Ann Dvorak and society girl Claire Dodd who picks up Manners because he was the flavor of that month. Also featured here are Ken Murray as an agent and J. Carrol Naish as a club owner.

Crooner is a quaint piece of depression era nostalgia.

Ken Murray.... started out in a few film roles and tv roles, but quickly moved into a "behind the scenes" role; he ended up filming many of the stars on the sets and about town with their family, kind of an early paparazzi. This one stars David Manners and the band trying to make a go of it in a nightclub, but when they use a megaphone to project his voice, "Ted" (Manners) really takes off as a singer. Guy Kibbee, Claire Dodd, and Anne Dvorak were hollywood regulars in the 1930s and 1940s. pretty good story line. moves along without problems. love story. hollywood. show biz. good film, if a little uneven. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, who had worked at all the various studios. Didn't win any oscars, but sure made some great films along the way (humphrey bogart, bette davis !) this one is a good one.

Crooner (1932)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

David Manners (DRACULA) gets his first top-billing in this familiar rags to riches back to rags tale. In the film he plays Ted Taylor, a mediocre singer who rises to fame after a gag with a microphone makes him a hot pick. Soon the fame and money goes to Ted's head and he begins to hurt those around him including his girlfriend (Ann Dvorak). If you've ever seen this type of drama before then I'm sure you're not going to find anything original here as it follows the familiar story that we've seen countless times. What does make the film work is some nice music and some good performances by the cast. This is a Warner "B" picture that doesn't have the greatest screenplay but it does its job, which is to keep you entertained for 64-minutes. Manners, an underrated actor in my opinion, turns in a nice performance as the young punk who quickly gets in over his head. I thought Manners did a pretty good job with the more dramatic moments but he also managed to be quite funny when needed to be. Dvorak is also very good in her role and Ken Murray and J. Carrol Naish add fine support as the agent and club owner. The cinematography by Robert Kurrle is also pretty impressive for such a low budget film and he seems to enjoy swooping the camera in on the intended target and this really mixes quite well with the style of music being played. Those who aren't really fans of "B" pictures probably won't find anything here for them but if you like short, to the point films then this one here isn't too bad.

There is nothing really remarkable about the story in this one. David Manners plays Ted Taylor, saxophonist in a band that has been having a hard time finding quality gigs. Anne Dvorak plays Ted's girl, Judy Mason. When Ted's band finally gets a spot in a club of some quality, their singer falls ill. The only band member that remotely has a voice is Ted, but unfortunately he doesn't have much volume. When he gets up to sing, nobody can hear him.As a joke, a passing drunk (Guy Kibbee) gives him a megaphone and he becomes a sensation, particularly with the ladies.

Time passes, and Ted becomes a big star with his ego growing to match. The best parts of the film are the small anecdotes and scenes that accompany the main story, which is actually quite mundane. For example, after Ted's fame increases, he's singing at a club where he runs into the original drunk that gave him the megaphone. Kibbee yells up to Ted that he's the guy who gave him the megaphone that first night where he is promptly rebuffed by a now self-important Ted. Kibbee responds by saying "I'm sorry fella, I would have never have done it if I'd have known that you'd turn out like this". Kibbee seldom had starring vehicles of his own, but his antics sure could spice up a movie.

There's also a humorous scene where Ted stands up to sing and the effect on the nightclub's wash rooms is shown. In the ladies' room the place empties as the girls rush out to see Ted sing, while the mens' room becomes full of the ladies' neglected and ignored dates. At a nearby table a willowish wisp of a man says that he thinks Ted is divine, while his husky female companion barks back that she thinks he's lousy.

There is also the legend that the part of Ted was slated to be Dick Powell's first film role, and it's interesting to think how he might have done the role differently, though I think David Manners does a wonderful job with what was obviously meant to be one of Warners' B film efforts.