Colleen

Despite the fact that Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler are the stars in their seventh and final screen pairing, the key character here is Hugh Herbert. That unfortunately is Colleen's problem.

There are times when Hugh Herbert can be extremely funny, but a whole film really shouldn't be built around him. You can overdose on Hugh Herbert.

In the Road to Zanzibar one of the gags, but far from the whole film involved Crosby and Hope getting involved with eccentric millionaire Eric Blore. He goes around just giving the family fortune away and sells them a diamond mine for a nominal cost. Like Herbert in Colleen, Blore has his keepers. But the whole film isn't built around him.

In this film the family business is run by Dick Powell for Herbert who is his uncle and Herbert's sister Louise Fazenda. They've hired a keeper in Berton Churchill who breaks away from his usual stuffy banker type and here is the essentially decent, but eternally put upon keeper.

Herbert gets involved with a couple of sharpies, Jack Oakie and Joan Blondell who take advantage of this nut job to rake in some big bucks. Ruby Keeler is the bookkeeper at a dress shop that Herbert buys for Blondell and the Powell/Fazenda/Herbert family are now guarantors of all the debts owed and accruing.

Harry Warren and Al Dubin wrote some nice songs for the film that did not boast any hits at all. Dick Powell never even bothered to commercially record any of them. The finale had dancer Paul Draper cleverly worked in to partner with Ruby while Powell sang. It was always a problem with them as a team, Ruby's flat singing and the fact you'll notice Powell never danced in any of their films.

Colleen is pleasant enough entertainment, but the Powell/Keeler combination was definitely on the wane here.

The happy-go- lucky years between the two big wars. A musical, starring 32 year old crooner dick powell, and 27 ish ruby keeler. Industry and intrigue when eccentric uncle cedric starts to meddle in the family businesses. Some of his actions are successful, but most are total disasters! Hugh herbert and jack oakie are in here for laughs. And don't forget the awesome joan blondell (from desk set, millionaire, and so many early oldies!) she's in here as a candy factory worker. All hell breaks loose when cedric buys a dress shop for her to run. Don is a big shot in the family business, and tries to figure out the books, along with colleen (keeler). The fashion show is just an excuse for a song by powell, and of course, a huge synchronized dance bit, which looks like a busby berkeley bit, but I don't see him anywhere in the credits. The tap dancing goes on WAY TOO long! The trivia section tells us they actually cut eleven minutes, but yeegods, they sure didn't take any time from the tap dancing, or the dance in the chop suey joint. The sound and picture are in such great condition, it seems to have been restored. It's mostly really good! Sadly, powell died young at 58. Some fun connections... ruby keeler was married to al jolson for years. Powell married joan blondell, after working with her on this very film! Directed by al green. Story by robert lord. And probably one of the earliest uses of the term "arrested development".

Cedric Ames (Hugh Herbert) is an absent-minded wealthy businessman playboy. Most of the business is done by other people including his loyal nephew Donald Ames 3rd (Dick Powell). Cedric recklessly hires sneaky assistant Joe Cork (Jack Oakie). He falls for gold-digging chocolate dipper Minnie Hawkins (Joan Blondell). He even buys her a dress shop where Colleen Reilly (Ruby Keeler) is the bookkeeper. Donald works to save Cedric from himself.

This is a rom-com drama musical. I'm not really taken with the drama. The Donald Colleen romance comes and goes. I like the song and dance musical although nothing really stands out. There is one or two bigger production scenes. This is fine for the musical fans.

Sorry to have to disagree with the "disaster" rating in the previous "user comments". Just for the record, Dick Powell/Ruby Keeler musical comedies aren't supposed to have thick plots.

This film is supposed to be a light hearted musical comedy for the depression-era audience, and that is just what it is. I'll grant you that the musical numbers aren't as memorable as other Powell/Keeler films(by the way, they were never married - Powell married Joan Blondell that year). I'd also say that Paul Draper's tap dancing is a cut below the flowing moves of Fred Astaire.

However, the film has some redeeming comedic value. Hugh Herbert is a gem of a bumbling business executive, and Joan Blondell was in her element as Jack Oakie's conniving sidekick.

Overall, I found this film to be quite acceptable.

A fine cast outperforms the material that was given. Two of the dance numbers are worth the price of admission. The major number with Ruby Keeler and Paul Draper leads me to reevaluate Keeler's ability. I have seen a Dick Powell interview in which he stated that Ruby was only an average dancer. She certainly was not an Eleanor Powell or Ann Miller, but "The Stomper" was better than I had thought.

The Joan Blondell/Jack Oakie ballroom type segment was truly enjoyable. In fact, I'll call it delightful. Watched it four times before proceeding with the remainder of the movie.

Two of the reviewers of this movie have each made an incorrect statement. 1.)Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler were not married at the time this movie was made. They never were married to each other. Keeler was married at the time to Al Jolson. The reviewer might have been thinking thinking of Dick's marriage to co-star Joan Blondell. They were wed from September 19,1936 to July 14,1944. 2.)Cast member Hugh Herbert did not co-write the script for "Colleen". F. Hugh Herbert was the co-writer. These were two different persons.