April Showers

This is a charming little musical filled with great old songs. However, the great find of this film, and the real reason to watch it, is the young actor Robert Ellis. He plays a 12 year son of the main characters. He dances and entertains and displays a delightful interaction with Jack Carson. His singing is less than ideal but the whole film is a wonderful example of the carefree style of musicals typical of its day. It is unfortunate that Mr. Ellis never lived up to his potential - for whatever reason - and died at such a young age. I intend to watch this film each time that Turner Classic Movies shows the good sense of airing it.

I am an inveterate movie fan and am astonished that this little gem of a flick managed to escape my attention. I only saw it today (10/26/03) for the first time. Although Warner's Forties period musicals ("Shine On, Harvest Moon," "Daughter of Rosie O'Grady," et alia) couldn't quite match those of 20th Century-Fox's, especially those of Grable and Faye, this was a a valiant effort and totally watchable. The 15-year-old Billy Ellis' portrayal of the 12-year-old Small Tyme was a stretch, but he was such winning presence and so talented that one can forgive the producers for not making the character closer to the actor's true age. Sothern was wonderful. Even Jack Carson, an actor whose screen personality can often be grating, performed winningly in a starring role. Robert Alda rounded out the cast in a not very sympathetic part. This film gets my thumbs up.

Jack Carson and Ann Sothern are such capable professionals that even when they are cast in something like APRIL SHOWERS they are worth watching. Carson rarely got leading roles, except in the "B" film or programmer such as this one and Ann Sotheran was just winding up all of her "Maisie" roles at MGM to do this unpretentious little musical at Warner Bros.

Together they're fun to watch as a married couple, a pair of show biz hoofers who give out with a song and dance patter when they're not having domestic troubles over the legitimacy of using an underage boy (their son) in their vaudeville act.

It's all done in a formula way with no big surprises, no characters that are more than conventional and without the kind of production numbers that studios like Fox and MGM gave their musicals. And yet, with a nice balance between some serious drama and mostly lightweight singing and dancing, it's the kind of musical that's easy to take.

The usual supporting players under contract at Warner Bros. are used to fill out the supporting roles, including Robert Alda and S.Z. Sakall.

Carson and Sothern are both capable enough to make us believe this sort of thing could easily have happened and both of them have a nice way with a song and dance. Little Robert Ellis is very adept as their talented youngster.

Summing up: A nice, unpretentious little film to watch on a rainy day.

When I think of April Showers, I think of my aunt. It was one of the songs she sang to me. I also think of this movie. It's too bad that so many actors in this movie have passed on, even the kid that played Small Tyme. And recently, Ann Sothern. I saw Jack Carson as second banana in other movies, especially as a sidekick, that it is good that Jack could be the leading man for a change (in "April Showers"). It's too bad he had to play such a drunk, but I guess that's real life. I always love to watch The Tymes dance in this movie. I could watch them forever. I hate the part where Billy Shay beats up Small Tyme, although the part about Shay with the glamourous women is nice. I love old time tap dancing, but in today's tap classes I take at university the emphasis is on modern rhythm tap, with a lot of hip-hop added in. Females wear flat oxfords, and emphasis is not on "Broadway tap". That's a shame. I am of the old school, from the days of vaudeville and old movie musicals.

Came across movie by chance on Turner Classics. Joe Tyme takes to drink. Man loses wife, man, etc. etc. etc. Could have been a better story if more focus on Joe Tyme and his inability to cope with his problems. However, entertaining, light musical is really the genre of this picture despite the dark side.