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.
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Did you know
- TriviaBob's concerto in the film is the "Dorsey Concerto", composed by Leo Shuken for the Dorsey brothers.
- GoofsAlthough 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 creditsOpening credits appear in the turning pages of a book.
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- The Fighting Dorseys
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- Runtime
- 1h 28m(88 min)
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- 1.37 : 1
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