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Swing Hostess

  • 1944
  • Approved
  • 1h 16m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
231
YOUR RATING
Iris Adrian, Charles Collins, and Martha Tilton in Swing Hostess (1944)
ActionComedyMusicMusicalMysteryRomance

Rags-to-riches-to-rags story features Benny Goodman vocalist Martha Tilton as an unemployed big band singer who takes a job as an operator at a jukebox company. After falling in love with a ... Read allRags-to-riches-to-rags story features Benny Goodman vocalist Martha Tilton as an unemployed big band singer who takes a job as an operator at a jukebox company. After falling in love with a bandleader, she gets a chance to get back in the limelight by singing for his group.Rags-to-riches-to-rags story features Benny Goodman vocalist Martha Tilton as an unemployed big band singer who takes a job as an operator at a jukebox company. After falling in love with a bandleader, she gets a chance to get back in the limelight by singing for his group.

  • Director
    • Sam Newfield
  • Writers
    • Louise Rousseau
    • Gail Davenport
  • Stars
    • Martha Tilton
    • Iris Adrian
    • Charles Collins
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    231
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Sam Newfield
    • Writers
      • Louise Rousseau
      • Gail Davenport
    • Stars
      • Martha Tilton
      • Iris Adrian
      • Charles Collins
    • 15User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos4

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    Top cast18

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    Martha Tilton
    Martha Tilton
    • Judy Alvin
    Iris Adrian
    Iris Adrian
    • Marge O'Day
    Charles Collins
    Charles Collins
    • Benny Jackson
    Cliff Nazarro
    Cliff Nazarro
    • Bobo
    Harry Holman
    Harry Holman
    • Fralick
    Emmett Lynn
    Emmett Lynn
    • Blodgett
    Betty Brodel
    • Phoebe
    Claire Rochelle
    Claire Rochelle
    • Fralick's Secretary
    Paul Porcasi
    Paul Porcasi
    • Spumoni
    Terry Frost
    Terry Frost
    • Hank
    Philip Van Zandt
    Philip Van Zandt
    • Merlini - the Magician
    Earle Bruce
    • Joe Sweeney
    Bob Gooding
    • 1st Butch - Specialty Act
    Walter Pietila
    • 2nd Butch - Specialty Act
    • (as Walt Pietila)
    Gene Windson
    • 3rd Butch - Specialty Act
    Dave White
    • Chick, Chick and Chuck Dance Team
    Joe Evans
    • Chuck, Chick and Chuck Dance Team
    Florence Wix
    Florence Wix
    • Nightclub Patron
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Sam Newfield
    • Writers
      • Louise Rousseau
      • Gail Davenport
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    5.9231
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    Featured reviews

    6boblipton

    Betty Brodel Sixty Years Before Auto-Tune

    Martha Tilton has been auditioning for a position as a band singer for what seems like forever. Finally, she and her friend Iris Adrian take a job as operators in a juke-box center, where customers call in for a particular song at their location. Meanwhile, a test record a friend made for her gets mixed up with one done by Betty Brodel, who's being drooled over by record producer Harry Holman. Because it's actually Miss Tilton's voice -- she had been a vocalist for Benny Goodman, with a hit recording of "And the Angels Sing" -- Miss Brodel gets a contract and a chance to sing for Charles Collins' band.

    It's a plot that's not remarkable in broad, and it's been done many times, well and poorly. This one has several advantages, including songs by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston, a couple of years before they hit it big. There are also some nice moments of gag comedy, and it's a pleasure to watch the professional musicians gawp in horrified astonishment at Miss Brodel's voice.

    It also has a nice example of inadvertent documentary, showing how centralized jukebox systems worked.

    The names in this are not ones to conjure with. Behind the camera was Jack Greenhaigh, a talented cinematographer who never got out of the Bs and frequently used his considerable talents lensing ludicrous films like ROBOT MONSTER and HITLER -- BEAST OF BERLIN. Sam Newfield, a mainstay of the usually dire PRC, directed, and shows that with a good script and eager talent, he can turn out a happy, modest movie.
    6SimonJack

    Fairly good poverty row comedy musical

    "Swing Hostess" is one of the better of the poverty row comedy musicals made during the first couple of decades of sound pictures. The plot is familiar - a singer (or actor) is looking for a chance to break into the music field (or stage, or cinema). The star is Martha Tilton, who plays Judy Alvin. Tilton was a leading singer of the day who sang with various big name swing bands. Of the 21 films in which she appeared, this is her only role of substance. So, for music aficionados it's the best chance to see and hear the lady with the lilting voice sing and act. And, she's quite good.

    The plot has good humor when Judy and her boarding house acquaintance, Phoebe (played by Betty Brodel), make recordings for singing auditions at the United Jukebox and Recording Co. Phoebe's voice is flat, but this snooty, tall gal with a Southern drawl thinks she can sing. When the two recordings get mixed up and Phoebe shows up for a nightclub grand opening to sing with Benny Jackson's swing band, the comedy comes to a head.

    Movie buffs will strain to find any actors of renown in this film. It just doesn't have any. But, among this cast are several of the professional actors who appear in many hundreds of movies - filling out the bit parts and minor roles. And they're all quite good at their profession. An example is Harry Holman, who plays Mr. Fralick, the head of the recording company. He may be the most recognized, with 137 film credits. Iris Adrian, who plays Judy's friend, Marge O'Day, was in 167 films. Emmett Lynn (Bobo) was in 156 films. Paul Porcasi (Spumoni) was in 147, Terry Frost (Hank) was in 241, and Philip Van Zandt, who plays Merlini, the magician, was in 248 films.

    Interestingly, the two actors of the bigger roles of Phoebe and Benny Jackson, didn't have long careers in films. Phoebe's Betty Brodel was in just eight films and Charles Collins, who plays the band leader, was in just 15 films. But they and all the rest do very well and contribute to the comedy in this film.

    Sigmund Neufeld productions made 126 B-level movies from 1940 to 1948 when it was bought out by J. Arthur Rank and merged into his new Eagle-Lion International. Eagle-Lion was a British-American enterprise that began in 1946 and went out of business in 1951.

    An interesting historical aspect of this film is its plot that includes a good portrayal of the Juke Box automat. That was a system that was used in some of the larger cities, as in Los Angeles in this film. Instead of having physical jukebox machines in bars, cafes and drugstores, patrons could insert coins in a smaller wall-mounted fixture that would have a huge printed list of songs. They would insert coins and tell a person on the other end of a live phone line the number of the record they want to hear. That person, in a central record location, would pick the record off a large movable rack with rows and rows of records, and then play it for the customer. This system lasted but a short time until the real juke boxes took over.

    The funniest lines occur in the popular eatery that the would-be star entertainers frequent. Marge O'Day, "What's good?" Waitress, "T-bone steak, pork chops, hamburger, friend chicken and rabbit." Marge, "T-bone steak. T-bone steak." Waitress, "I just said that's good, but we don't have any. Uh, maybe you better have a salami sandwich." Marge, "Oh, well. That's what we had in mind."
    4planktonrules

    A rags to riches tale told by Sig Neufeld and PRC.

    Sig Neufeld made a ton of cheapo movies during the 1930s-50s. Some (such as some of his Tim McCoy westerns) were pretty good but some were pretty bad....and all were made quickly above all else. In the case of "Swing Hostess" he not only made the film but released it through PRC...one of the cheapest and worst outfits of their day. So, it's not particularly surprising that "Swing Hostess" isn't particularly good.

    When the film begins, Judy (Martha Tilton) is a poor aspiring band singer. She's out of work and cannot seem to get anywhere when she tries out for various producers. However, her break seems assured when she makes a lovely recording at a local studio...but it's lost when the record is accidentally mixed up and a no-talent gets credit for the single. Can they manage to straighten all this out and Judy get a chance to sing for the Benny Jackson band?

    This film, not surprisingly, has a lot of singing. After all, Martha Tilton was a famous big band singer and so she croons repeatedly....and it's rather pleasant. However, despite decent music, the film also suffers from sloppy writing and some obnoxious characters. Overall, a passable time-passer but not exactly a film you should rush to see. And, actually, for PRC this is all very glowing praise!
    dougdoepke

    Entertaining Despite The Crowded Plot

    Plot- a talented songstress tries to break into the business, but is hampered by mishaps and a connaiving rival.

    Okay, I'm a sucker for low-budget quickies, hoping for the occasional over-achiever. Happily, this is one of them. The flick's really more a comedy with a complex plot than a musical. But the pacing's snappy, the acting's colorful, and Tilton's such a sweetheart. Sure, it's the sassy Adrian and the scheming Brodel who get the acting and screentime, still, songstress Tilton's lovely voice carried me away. I just wish she had more numbers uncrowded by the screenplay. On the other hand, I'd never seen the feisty Brodel before. Too bad she didn't opt for a longer career since her talent for villianry is darkly clear. At the same time, I was hoping for some swing dancing with the flaring skirts so popular at the time, but maybe the budget didn't allow it. Anyway, the pacing never drags, while the sticky plot's happily softened by a supporting cast of humorous oldsters. So give it a look-see, especially for the "liltin' Martha Tilton".
    tfwms1

    An absolute JOY to watch ! Martha and the entire cast

    This WONDERFUL film from 1944 is a pure joy ! Not to mention the music throughout... Martha is a beauty as well as a pretty hot singer from her day.. She really shows the evil Phobe (Betty Brodel) a thing or two about singing. One of the better films from PRC during the war years. Sure to please ! That is if you can find it. The film is Public Domain and nobody, I mean nobody runs it, and thats ashame. Some great music from JAY LIVINGSTON & RAY EVANS who ARE credited boldly in the print I own...If you get a chance to catch this lost gem then sit back and enjoy ! JUKEBOX FANS will die over this film featuring ROCKOLA JUKES !

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The earliest documented telecasts of this film took place in Washington DC Monday 14 August 1947 on WTTG (Channel 5), in New York City Thursday 2 October 1947 on WCBS (Channel 2) and in Los Angeles Saturday 29 January 1949 on KTTV (Channel 11).
    • Quotes

      Marge O'Day: What's good?

      Waitress: T-bone steak, pork chops, hamburger, friend chicken and rabbit.

      Marge O'Day: T-bone steak. T-bone steak.

      Waitress: I just said that's good, but we don't have any. Uh, maybe you better have a salami sandwich.

      Marge O'Day: Oh, well. That's what we had in mind.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits and ending are viewed with background of spinning vinyl record being played on a turntable.
    • Soundtracks
      Let's Capture That Moment
      Written by Jay Livingston, Ray Evans and Lewis Bellin

      Sung by Martha Tilton

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 8, 1944 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Production company
      • Sigmund Neufeld Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 16 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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