Micro folies

The head of a big Hollywood studio is tired of making movies which are artistic successes but commercial flops, so he comes up with the idea of filming the nation's hottest live act - Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge. One of his producers just happens to have 2 writers working on a script about a bandleader, so Kay Kyser and band are brought to Hollywood to become movie stars. Unfortunately, the script calls for the bandleader to be a romantic lead, which Kay Kyser obviously isn't. After a few humorous twists and turns, Kyser and band are back on the radio where they belong.

The movie within the movie which never gets made is actually the movie you're watching, and it is obviously little more than an excuse to get Kay Kyser's act on film. The highlight, however, is Kyser's screen test in which he's a romantic gondolier playing opposite studio star Sandra Sand (Lucille Ball). You have to be familiar with his stage personality to appreciate the absurdity of it, and you will be by the time this comic gem of a scene appears. There are some other good comic moments, but the production is otherwise pretty weak. The musical act itself is dated and not likely to appeal to a modern audience unless they happen to have nostalgic yearnings for pre-television radio shows. Nevertheless, Kay Kyser and his movie have a good-natured attitude and whimsical touch which can certainly lift your spirits if you give them the chance.

This is Kyser's first film and it sparkles with bounce and personality. Credit director Butler for keeping things moving, and band members for showing that making music is not their only talent. Kyser himself is a delight with real comedic skill. I like the way he allows his plain looks to blend into the story-line; at the same time, it's rather refreshing to see a less-than-handsome face in the starring role. And, of course, there's the lovely and toothsome Ginny Simms, singing her way into my heart, at least. I gather Kyser's band were not concert performers like Goodman's, Dorsey's or Miller's, but were more for fun and sheer entertainment. They certainly succeed here.

The story itself amounts to a clever spoof on movie-making, with Menjou as the studio schemer, and includes assorted real-life gossipers of the day like Hedda Hopper. And, oh yes, mustn't forget the hilarious screen test, where Lucille Ball matches Kyser pratfall for pratfall. Knowing how her career will eventually turn out, this is a tasty glimpse of things to come. Then there's the old gal who plays Grandma (May Robson) who is a real hoot with genuine sass and sparkle. We also get about 20 minutes of the Kyser radio show Kollege of Musical Knowledge. It's enlightening for those of us not old enough to remember; however, I think 10 minutes would have been enough. Nonetheless, the movie never drags, and is really a lot more fun than many other musicals featuring bigger name bands and celebrities. All in all, "That's Right..." amounts to an unexpected movie delight.

Saw this on TCM. Had no idea that band leader and radio personality Kay Kyser headed a series of 7 RKO films, around 1940. This film, available free at YouTube will give you a taste of Kyser's personality and comedic talent...........The first and last parts give you a sampling of what Kyser's radio program Kollege of of Musical Knowledge was like: a mix of music and low key comedy, including a sampling of the portion that gives the film it's title, and a comedic sketch for the live radio audience.......... In between, his band members convinced him to take up a Hollywood offer to do some pictures with him and his band and singers. Actually, most of the time is taken up with trying to devise a good script for such a film. E. E. Horton and Hobart Canonaugh serve as the dunce script writers, who fail to come up with anything other than an improbable screenplay where Kay plays a romantic gondolier from the isle of Capri, who woos the princess Angelica(Lucille Ball), overlooking the canal where he is. She lets down a rope ladder for Kay to climb up to her window. Kay plays it for slapstick laughs, giving the producer, played by charismatic Adolphe Menjou, a massive headache. Adolphe is his usual bombastic self. Dennis O'Keef plays Kay's tall band manager, while Kay's actual band manager for many years : M. A. Bogus, plays his usual somewhat comical Ish Kubble character, with Three Stooges' Moe's bangs as his outstanding visual characteristic............Veteran actress May Robson play's Kay's Grandma, from Rocky Mount, N. C., where Kay actually spent his youth, accounting for his southern lingo and informal manner. She adds some humor and common sense advice. .............Kay had a male and female singer attached to his band, who do a bit singing here and there. They were the gorgeous Ginny Simms, with the million dollar smile, and Harry Babbit. Unfortunately, the songs are all quite forgettable. I was already familiar with Ginny in the later Technicolor films "Broadway Rhythm" and "Night and Day", in which she sings a variety of well recognized classic songs. Somehow, she never became a big name film singing star.

KAY KYSER was the equivalent of "Spike Jones" and his crazy musicians during the '40s era, his swing music and zany shenanigans winning him quite a number of fans who relished seeing him in seven Kyser films. This is the first that he made for RKO--and for added diversion there's LUCILLE BALL, DENNIS O'KEEFE, ADOLPHE MENJOU, EDWARD EVERETT HORTON, GINNY SIMMS and band regulars like ISH KABIBBLE for whatever laughter is available--unfortunately, not enough.

Not half as funny or original as the haunted house comedy YOU'LL FIND OUT which followed, this has a simple screenplay which has Hollywood producers yearning for something "down to earth" to appeal to the average movie-goer rather than anything "great". They pick Kyser as the popular band leader who can be induced to come to Hollywood and do his thing.

The music is all in the swing sound of the '40s--modern pop--and whether you like the film will depend largely on your musical taste. Kyser puts up resistance to becoming a film star. "Stay in your own backyard," is his motto, inspired by his grandmother's advice.

What follows is strictly farce with Kyser illogically paired with lovely LUCILLE BALL as a romantic gondolier by the Hollywood producers. With such a sprightly cast, you'd think David Butler would have whipped up a better script and provided better direction--but the viewer is soon aware that this is a minor item for Kyser's debut and even the musical numbers are less than inspiring.

Apparently grandma MAY ROBSON was right--stick to radio Kyser.

David Butler apparently had a penchant for writing stories about Hollywood studios and turning personalities into movie stars. For better treatment of this theme, check out his IT'S A GREAT FEELING with Doris Day as the wannabee star being pushed for stardom by Jack Carson and Dennis Morgan.

This one is strictly for Kyser's fans.

Most of the other Kay Kyser films that were done in the late 30's and early 40's require a significant historical perspective in order to enjoy them. First, in all of them you need to recognize something about Kyser's act itself, in some of them you need to know something about how the film industry figured into building civilian morale during World War II, and in still others you need specific knowledge of how particular stars were viewed by the public at that time so that the parodies that are part of the plot make sense. This one requires the least background knowledge, although you're not going to like this one if you don't enjoy the big bands of the 30's and 40's and the somewhat corny humor - by today's standards - that was part of the act.

This film has Kyser and his band going out to Hollywood to star in a film at the studio's request. Unbelievably, a plot has been picked out ahead of time by the studio without anyone knowing what Kyser looks like. He's been slated as a romantic lead, and the film's producer and the writers are horrified when they see that Kyser is not a classically good-looking guy. Kay has to deal with the fact that his band members seem to be going Hollywood on him, and the producer (Adolphe Menjou) has to find a way to manipulate Kay into wanting out of his movie contract without causing any hard feelings - the studio head is a big Kay Kyser fan. However, Kay turns the tables on Menjou's character quite comically.

Look for a very young Lucille Ball in a small part as Sandra Sand, the actress that has been chosen as the romantic lead for Kyser in his first film. The two are quite hilarious together in Kay's screen test, and Ms. Ball shows us a glimpse of the great comedienne she'll be on TV in the 50's and beyond.