Let's Make Music

Nathaniel West, author of Day of the Locust and Miss Loneleyhearts, also wrote for the movies. At first blush, a movie featuring Bob Crosby (Bing's brother) and his popular jazz orchestra, would seem unlikely.

But this film is no embarrassment for the screenwriter, as the script is surprisingly subtle, and not full of the usual loud, bad comedy (see any Kay Kaiser film) that you see in movies that feature big bands. Instead, this is the tale of an old maid schoolteacher -- approaching 60 -- who knows painfully well she is boring her students, but is just not ready to hang up th towel. At the advice of her beautiful (but not really very kind) niece, she writes a fight song for her school, which, through a series of old movie devices, becomes a novelty hit for Bob Crosby & His Orchestra. The movie takes on the topic -- how will the schoolmarm deal with the success of her tune, and how will she handle things when the tune falls out of favor? The ending, while sentimental, fits the material.

Bob Crosby plays Bob Crosby, bandleader, just fine. He's no worse than Bing in his early movies. The music, while OK, does not real justice to the Bob Crosby orchestra. The three featured tunes are production numbers, with changes in tone, tempo, and emphasis, that do not feature much of the dixieland-tinged swing that made this band different than all of the others of the 30s-40s. (Big Noise from Winnetka -- the second big number -- was originally a novelty number jammed by the bass player and the drummer for two-and-a half minutes. In the movie, we have a little bit of the drum/bass byplay, full orchestra, the pretty girl trio singing a chorus, Bob Crosby singing a chorus.) If you want to get an idea of how this band sounded on most of its records, catch some of the non-featured songs being played by the band during the night-club scene.

Here's a swing musical with a 65 year old woman as the main character! There are some excellent big band numbers courtesy of Bob Crosby and his Bobcats or Bobalinks (as HE says anyway) and the usual excellent RKO production qualities. Dear Aunt Malvina writes a college fight song which ends up on the radio hit parade in a different tempo with added 1941 style bop and shuffle. It is generally a lovely film If I can say that without sounding twee, because it ultimately has a lot to say about a good and talented woman too long in conservative isolation (and corralled by her drone niece) who really enjoys freeing up her music and her self. Grannies who saw this on first release would have been inspired to do the same! The two main numbers are strong and the first one has a dynamite 60 secs of aerial jitterbug. The main showpiece is the hit parade link "Big Noise From Winnetka" which is really as much a novelty song as the "fight song from Newton High" that Mulvina writes. The film is about the fleeting fame that novelty songs allow and the crash that comes if one is not aware. The scene where Malvina has the curtain dropped on her is especially fascinating as it appears to be filmed on one of either Keith or Orpheum's old theaters (that were wired for sound, dearie) in the amalgamation that came in forming R-K-O with the Radio Corp in 1928 to create this monopoly entertainment giant. Lets Make Music indeed. Malvina did and so did Bob; and if you have the chance to enjoy this gimmick musical you will smile as I did and marvel at the generosity of spirit this simple but honest musical allows. Charming...with groove and swing!

And I don't mean that in a bad way. This slowly-paced story is just the right kind of entertainment to watch as you're going to bed--or on one of those days you choose no to GET out of bed. This was long before every older person in movies had to be either cantankerous or full of spunk. Elisabeth Risdon's ready-to-retire teacher is that rarity of movie characters--one who actually is allowed to act her age. (For an even better film with just such a performance, check out Dame May Witty in "The Lady Vanishes".) The plot concerns a music teacher who writes a corny song for her school, only to have it somehow fall into the hands of a musician who makes a hit novelty recording out of it. What happens to her after that is best left for the viewer to discover, but suffice to say, it is rather amusing, but not all that exciting in the long run. There's some potential romance with the main character's stuffy daughter, but mostly the film hinges on Risdon, and it's nice to see her in a lead role after years of almost anonymous character acting.

I found this movie just flipping channels and enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone curious about checking it out for light--very light--entertainment. (And if you're reading this, that's probably you.)

High school music teacher Malvina Adams (Elisabeth Risdon) is struggling to keep her students interested in her old classical music. The principal tells her to update her course. She writes a new school fight song, but everybody in the school band hates her old style. Bandleader Bob Crosby (Bob Crosby) gets the song from a publisher and spices it up. They are eager to recruit the student songwriter. They are surprised to find the old teacher had written the song, but invites her to sing with the band anyways. Her niece Abby Adams (Jean Rogers) is incensed and throws them out of the house. In the end, Abby reluctantly escorts her elderly aunt to New York City to see the band.

Bandleader Bob Crosby is the younger brother of famous singer Bing Crosby. This is possibly more valuable as a music time capsule. I wouldn't say that Bob is a good actor. I don't know how popular he was. I am not much of a judge for this genre of music. If Bob is a better actor, he could have made a good romance with Abby. There just isn't enough heat when the story tries to generate it. As for the story, it isn't much and rather unreal. I do like Malvina. This movie needs something more.

I stumbled upon this little gem of a movie just as I was about to go to bed late one night. Already a fan of old black and white films I decided to tape it and watch the next day however, my attention was suddenly caught by the very handsome Bob Crosby,which made me even more curious as I didn't even know that Bing had a brother. So, I ditched the tape and sat there for the duration of the film....and I was not disappointed at all. I was completely captivated by this charming little movie with its unusual storyline and great personable characters but mostly for its fantastic music. I was already an old devotee of jazz, swing and big band music but had forgotten how addictive it is. So of course, not only was I now smitten with the cute and adorable Bob Crosby but I fell in love with big band music all over again. This film is not to be dismissed lightly, it has something for everyone in it and is a lovely feel good movie that puts a smile on your face just by the music numbers alone. Personally, I couldn't stop tapping my feet when the band started to play and was itching to get up and dance. Wishing I had taped the movie after all so that I could watch it again and again.