Going Places

All the pieces are there - great cast, good story. Dick Powell, Allen Jenkins, Ron Reagan, and the amazing Louis Armstrong. Too many musical numbers, maybe ? and that bit where they prance Alan Jenkins around the apartment while they sing "Oh what a horse was Charlie" .... that must have been someone's favorite bit. They should have given more screen time to Cora and Colonel Withering. They don't show this one very often on Turner Classics... either it's not up to snuff, or maybe it's a rights issue. Very similar plot to the Marx Brothers' "Day at the Races", which came out the year before. Dick Powell pretends to be famed sportsman Peter Randall, which backfires later in the film. The horse at the center of all the excitement will only go when he hears L. Armstrong belt out the "Jeepers Creepers", which incidentally was the song from Warren & Mercer nominated for an Oscar, the film's only nomination. Directed by Ray Enright, who had started with Mack Sennett, served in WW I, then returned to the industry to work at Warner Brothers.

Well, since it's Black History Month and I usually review films in chronological order concerning African-Americans in them during this time, this movie was next on my list. First, Louis Armstrong plays a horse trainer who's in charge of a horse named Jeepers Creepers and the only way he can tame that horse is by playing the song of that name on his trumpet. And he not only sings that song but another one called "Mutiny in the Nursery" along with Maxine Sullivan, the Dandridge Sisters consisting of Dorothy, Vivian, and Etta Jones, as well as white leads Dick Powell and Anita Louise. Eddie Anderson appears as a trainer of another horse named Lady Ellen. And someone named George Reed appears as a butler named Sam. Other fine supporting turns came from Walter Catlett and Thurston Hall. And since I always like to cite when players from my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life-appear in something else, here Ward Bond plays a cop who confronts Allen Jenkins when he has a horse walking with him at night on the road. Oh, and this was one of future president Ronald Reagan's early film appearances introing himself with an announcer-like speech not unlike when he was on radio previously. In summary, Going Places was a very funny movie with many entertaining musical numbers.

This pre-war comedy of impersonation and manners at a race course is amusing. Watching Louis Armstrong and hearing him sing the old standard, "Jeepers Creepers," makes the movie. Hollywood's casual acceptance of racial bias and denigration of blacks is cooly reflected by two race track gamblers addressing Armstrong as "Uncle Tom" when they meet him.

It's easy to forgive the inane plot when the music and comedy are so much fun. First, there's the great Louis Armstrong singing and playing his trumpet in two songs, including the Oscar-nominated "Jeepers Creepers." He plays a horse groom, so what is he doing leading an all-black orchestra and a dozen or so black singers and dancers at a party? Never mind the incongruencies - just enjoy the big production number of "Mutiny in the Nursery." Louis is in good form in this early role. The comedy is mostly supplied by two masters of comedy, Allan Jenkins and Harold Huber, as likeable but inept crooks trying to eke out a living betting on horses. I was in stitches when they try to get Dick Powell to be a jockey in a race, and in desperation, Powell says he know nothing about horses (which is true) and writes songs (which is not). They insist he write a song then and there to convince them. While Powell and his boss, Walter Catlett, grope for words, they are the ones who supply most of the lyrics to "Oh, What a Horse Was Charlie." It's one of the funniest scenes you will see in a 1930's movie, all done verbally without slapstick. Then, of course, there is Powell, impersonating a famous jockey as an advertising ploy, falling in love with Anita Louise, and winding up riding a dangerous horse in the Maryland Steeplechase even though his riding experience is practically nil. The horse is called "Jeepers Creepers" and runs well only when he hears the song of the same name. Powell can't possibly win the race after running outside the course for a while and taking a spill on one of the hurdles. Or can he?

Sporting goods salesman Peter Mason (Dick Powell) is tired of getting customers that don't buy anything. He hatches an idea to advertise, and his co-worker thinks it'd be a bright idea for him to pose as Peter Randall, a famous jockey. He does so, but finds himself wrapped up in a scheme to win big by riding Jeepers Creepers, a strong but unruly horse. Anita Louise appears as the love interest, Ronald Reagan as the horse's owner, and Louis Armstrong as a stable hand who tames the horse with song. Nothing in this movie is really important; it is just something fun to watch to pass the time.

The music is fun, especially the big dance number close to the end of the film. It seemingly has no place in the film, but it showcases Armstrong well. Powell carries the film along, but do not expect anything unusual in his performance. This is yet another musical that he was at this time tired of making.