[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Fabulous Dorseys

  • 1947
  • Approved
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
692
YOUR RATING
Janet Blair, Jimmy Dorsey, and Tommy Dorsey in The Fabulous Dorseys (1947)
BiographyMusicMusicalRomance

The Dorsey Brothers bandleaders' lives traced from childhood music insisting father to fame rise eventual split furthering careers propelling with their music.The Dorsey Brothers bandleaders' lives traced from childhood music insisting father to fame rise eventual split furthering careers propelling with their music.The Dorsey Brothers bandleaders' lives traced from childhood music insisting father to fame rise eventual split furthering careers propelling with their music.

  • Director
    • Alfred E. Green
  • Writers
    • Richard English
    • Art Arthur
    • Curtis Kenyon
  • Stars
    • Tommy Dorsey
    • Jimmy Dorsey
    • Janet Blair
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    692
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alfred E. Green
    • Writers
      • Richard English
      • Art Arthur
      • Curtis Kenyon
    • Stars
      • Tommy Dorsey
      • Jimmy Dorsey
      • Janet Blair
    • 26User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos35

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 28
    View Poster

    Top cast35

    Edit
    Tommy Dorsey
    Tommy Dorsey
    • Tommy Dorsey
    Jimmy Dorsey
    Jimmy Dorsey
    • Jimmy Dorsey
    Janet Blair
    Janet Blair
    • Jane Howard
    Paul Whiteman
    Paul Whiteman
    • Paul Whiteman
    William Lundigan
    William Lundigan
    • Bob Burton
    Sara Allgood
    Sara Allgood
    • Mrs. Dorsey
    Arthur Shields
    Arthur Shields
    • Mr. Dorsey
    Dave Willock
    Dave Willock
    • Foggy
    William Bakewell
    William Bakewell
    • Eddie
    James Flavin
    James Flavin
    • Gorman
    Charlie Barnet
    Charlie Barnet
    • Charlie Barnet
    Bob Eberly
    Bob Eberly
    • Bob Eberly
    Henry Busse
    • Henry Busse
    Helen O'Connell
    • Helen O'Connell
    Mike Pingatore
    • Musician
    Art Tatum
    • Art Tatum
    Ziggy Elman
    Ziggy Elman
    • Musician
    Stuart Foster
    • Musician
    • Director
      • Alfred E. Green
    • Writers
      • Richard English
      • Art Arthur
      • Curtis Kenyon
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews26

    5.6692
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    8LeonardKniffel

    Determination and Cockeyed Optimism

    This black-and-white film seems almost like a documentary, with legendary big band leaders Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey playing fictionalized versions of themselves and delivering many of the hits that made them famous, including "Green Eyes," "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," and "Marie." Performances by big band musicians and singers from the 1940s, including Art Tatum, Charlie Barnet, Bob Everly, Paul Whiteman, and Helen O'Connell help convey a sense of why this music is such a perfect expression of the American generation that won World War II with its determination and cockeyed optimism. ---from Musicals on the Silver Screen, American Library Association, 2013
    5AlsExGal

    Lousy biopic barely saved by the music

    The movie tells the story of musician and bandleader brothers Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey (played by themselves), from their upbringing in Pennsylvania coal country to modest musical beginnings in small venues, to eventual radio success. Their fiery temperaments cause them to clash with each other often, eventually leading to a split and them each forming their own orchestras, after which they find even more success. Also starring Janet Blair as a childhood friend, singer, and peacemaker between the brothers, and William Lundigan as a composer and piano player for the band, as well as love interest for Blair.

    Tommy the trombone player and Jimmy the saxophone player are excellent musicians but horrible actors. Thus the script focuses more often on the fictional characters played by Blair and Lundigan, neither of whom are much more compelling than the Dorseys. The viewer also begins to notice that not much of dramatic interest happens in the Dorseys lives other than them bickering like brothers do, so the only saving grace is the music, much of it performed by singers and musicians of the day playing themselves in cameos. I'm not familiar with many of them, but the music they perform is fine, and I'm sure will be appreciated by fans of the style.
    6JoeytheBrit

    The Fabulous Dorseys review

    Engaging enough fictionalised musical biopic which sees the brothers (who play themselves) playing second fiddle to a lukewarm romance between William Lundigan and the rather lovely Janet Blair for much of the running time.
    7BruceUllm

    Terrible Acting, but the music is worth it

    The condition of the print that was transferred to DVD was just awful. This was no bootleg, either. It's the commercially available disc. That is a pity. Worse is the ham-handed acting and Irish accents think enough to cut with a dull knife. Even Barry Fitzgerald never laid it on that thick.

    However... for me, it as all worth it to see Helen O'Connell sing "Green Eyes." Oh yes! So, I hold with many of the others' views: watch this for the music and skip the rest.

    It would be a help if the print could be restored to a decent condition and a disc transfer made from that. However, the overall quality of the movie and, sadly, the lack of general interest in good music of the Swing Era, probably doesn't justify the expense.
    jarod34

    Great music, horrendous acting, beautiful woman.

    I watched this film this afternoon and I am amazed that Janet Blair didn't become one of the great sex symbols of the era. It was only for this beautiful, sexy woman that made me stay with it, (plus the fabulous music). The script was dreadful, the acting (apart from Ms Blair), was embarrasing and the storyline was desperately dull. So in summary if an actress can make me stick like glue to a bomb of a movie like that, she must be something special. Surely we can at least have a headshot!

    More like this

    Le cabaret des étoiles
    6.2
    Le cabaret des étoiles
    The Crowded Day
    6.4
    The Crowded Day
    Le gosse aux millions
    6.6
    Le gosse aux millions
    Swing Parade of 1946
    5.3
    Swing Parade of 1946
    This Is the Army
    5.8
    This Is the Army
    Héros ou salopards
    7.8
    Héros ou salopards
    Les Monstres de l'île en feu
    4.9
    Les Monstres de l'île en feu
    Divorcé malgré lui
    5.7
    Divorcé malgré lui
    La pluie qui chante
    6.3
    La pluie qui chante
    Burt Munro
    7.8
    Burt Munro
    The Runaway Bus
    6.1
    The Runaway Bus
    L'impossible Monsieur Bébé
    7.8
    L'impossible Monsieur Bébé

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Bob's concerto in the film is the "Dorsey Concerto", composed by Leo Shuken for the Dorsey brothers.
    • Goofs
      Although much of the story takes place in the 1920's and 1930's, Jane's fashions, make-up and hair styles are straight out of the late 1940's when this picture was made.
    • Quotes

      Mrs. Dorsey: There is only one thing worse than being Irish, and that's not being Irish.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits appear in the turning pages of a book.
    • Soundtracks
      To Me
      Lyrics by Don George

      Music by Allie Wrubel

      Sung by Janet Blair (uncredited)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 21, 1947 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Fighting Dorseys
    • Filming locations
      • General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Charles R. Rogers Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 28m(88 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.