stephen-63

I have just seen a pristine print of this film on a large cinema screen and it was a real delight. For English readers, Jesse Matthews is best known as a radio soap star, but in this film she shows she was first a dancer, then a comedienne (her timing is excellent) and then a singer. The radio work came later. Her dancing is superb. Recall the dancing days and looks of Una Stubbs then add the radiant beauty of a young Joan Collins... For American readers, there is a brief on screen appearance by the choreographer, unable to obtain credit for his work in the Busby-Berkeley movies for which he did so much. The big dance numbers are superb. The story somehow works and there is an energy and sense of fun which does much to entertain. No bad language. No nudity- but Matthews dancing is quite sensuous enough. Lovely family film. Try to see it if the new print appears near you. And surely there must be a DVD release soon... (perhaps from the BFI).

Just watched on the big screen Singing Through, with original 1940 U certificate. Only ran for one reel (20 minutes) and apart from an introductory scene in the Golf Club seemed to be just the music hall comedy and singing acts. Good fun though and a rare record of the acts of the mid 1930's. Songs included "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo", "Who Were You With Last Night", "I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside" and others. With the story cut out it is difficult to comment on that, but it appeared to be about a rural man being taken for a ride, firstly caught with small stock profits, then reeled in with a false hole in one at the golf club. Encouraged to go to London where he lost everything but possibly won it all back again. Lots of comedy and singing at London night spots.

I saw this on first release, on the big screen. Released by MGM (Japan).

It has since been shown on UK satellite tv, but a long fight sequence seems to have been cut short. The transformation fight has some similarities to the later transformation fight in Disney's The Sword in the Stone - if you can watch the two back to back, the differences in style and tone are quite interesting.

Magic Boy is relatively primitive compared to modern anime, however you can still see the attention to detail, and the importance of the story telling. The sheer determination of our little hero is quite something to behold.

Worth checking out if you can find it and like modern anime.