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Let's Make Music

  • 1940
  • Approved
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
137
YOUR RATING
Bob Crosby and Jean Rogers in Let's Make Music (1940)
DramaMusicRomance

A retiring music teacher composes a school song that becomes a hit through bandleader Bob Crosby. She performs in New York against her niece's wishes and gains fame, then struggles to write ... Read allA retiring music teacher composes a school song that becomes a hit through bandleader Bob Crosby. She performs in New York against her niece's wishes and gains fame, then struggles to write another hit before returning home.A retiring music teacher composes a school song that becomes a hit through bandleader Bob Crosby. She performs in New York against her niece's wishes and gains fame, then struggles to write another hit before returning home.

  • Director
    • Leslie Goodwins
  • Writers
    • Nathanael West
    • Helen Phillips
    • Bernard Dougall
  • Stars
    • Bob Crosby
    • Jean Rogers
    • Elisabeth Risdon
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    137
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Leslie Goodwins
    • Writers
      • Nathanael West
      • Helen Phillips
      • Bernard Dougall
    • Stars
      • Bob Crosby
      • Jean Rogers
      • Elisabeth Risdon
    • 7User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos1

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    Top cast40

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    Bob Crosby
    Bob Crosby
    • Bob Crosby
    Jean Rogers
    Jean Rogers
    • Abby Adams
    Elisabeth Risdon
    Elisabeth Risdon
    • Malvina Adams
    Joseph Buloff
    Joseph Buloff
    • Joe Bellah
    Joyce Compton
    Joyce Compton
    • Betty
    Benny Bartlett
    Benny Bartlett
    • Tommy
    • (as Bennie Bartlett)
    Louis Jean Heydt
    Louis Jean Heydt
    • Mr. Stevens
    Bill Goodwin
    Bill Goodwin
    • Announcer
    Frank Orth
    Frank Orth
    • Mr. Botts
    Grant Withers
    Grant Withers
    • Headwaiter
    Walter Tetley
    • Eddie
    Benny Rubin
    Benny Rubin
    • Music Publisher
    Gale Sherwood
    Gale Sherwood
    • High School Singer
    • (as Jacqueline Nash)
    Donna Jean Dolfer
    • Pianist
    Bob Crosby Orchestra
    • The Bobcats
    • (as Bob Crosby's Orchestra)
    Richard West
    Effie Anderson
    • Teacher
    • (uncredited)
    Ray Bauduc
    Ray Bauduc
    • Crosby's Drummer
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Leslie Goodwins
    • Writers
      • Nathanael West
      • Helen Phillips
      • Bernard Dougall
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews7

    5.8137
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    Featured reviews

    5SnoopyStyle

    needs something more

    High school music teacher Malvina Adams (Elisabeth Risdon) is struggling to keep her students interested in her old classical music. The principal tells her to update her course. She writes a new school fight song, but everybody in the school band hates her old style. Bandleader Bob Crosby (Bob Crosby) gets the song from a publisher and spices it up. They are eager to recruit the student songwriter. They are surprised to find the old teacher had written the song, but invites her to sing with the band anyways. Her niece Abby Adams (Jean Rogers) is incensed and throws them out of the house. In the end, Abby reluctantly escorts her elderly aunt to New York City to see the band.

    Bandleader Bob Crosby is the younger brother of famous singer Bing Crosby. This is possibly more valuable as a music time capsule. I wouldn't say that Bob is a good actor. I don't know how popular he was. I am not much of a judge for this genre of music. If Bob is a better actor, he could have made a good romance with Abby. There just isn't enough heat when the story tries to generate it. As for the story, it isn't much and rather unreal. I do like Malvina. This movie needs something more.
    6ptb-8

    Aunt Malvina finds her groove.

    Here's a swing musical with a 65 year old woman as the main character! There are some excellent big band numbers courtesy of Bob Crosby and his Bobcats or Bobalinks (as HE says anyway) and the usual excellent RKO production qualities. Dear Aunt Malvina writes a college fight song which ends up on the radio hit parade in a different tempo with added 1941 style bop and shuffle. It is generally a lovely film If I can say that without sounding twee, because it ultimately has a lot to say about a good and talented woman too long in conservative isolation (and corralled by her drone niece) who really enjoys freeing up her music and her self. Grannies who saw this on first release would have been inspired to do the same! The two main numbers are strong and the first one has a dynamite 60 secs of aerial jitterbug. The main showpiece is the hit parade link "Big Noise From Winnetka" which is really as much a novelty song as the "fight song from Newton High" that Mulvina writes. The film is about the fleeting fame that novelty songs allow and the crash that comes if one is not aware. The scene where Malvina has the curtain dropped on her is especially fascinating as it appears to be filmed on one of either Keith or Orpheum's old theaters (that were wired for sound, dearie) in the amalgamation that came in forming R-K-O with the Radio Corp in 1928 to create this monopoly entertainment giant. Lets Make Music indeed. Malvina did and so did Bob; and if you have the chance to enjoy this gimmick musical you will smile as I did and marvel at the generosity of spirit this simple but honest musical allows. Charming...with groove and swing!
    9sassygirl18

    Let's Make Music (1941)

    I stumbled upon this little gem of a movie just as I was about to go to bed late one night. Already a fan of old black and white films I decided to tape it and watch the next day however, my attention was suddenly caught by the very handsome Bob Crosby,which made me even more curious as I didn't even know that Bing had a brother. So, I ditched the tape and sat there for the duration of the film....and I was not disappointed at all. I was completely captivated by this charming little movie with its unusual storyline and great personable characters but mostly for its fantastic music. I was already an old devotee of jazz, swing and big band music but had forgotten how addictive it is. So of course, not only was I now smitten with the cute and adorable Bob Crosby but I fell in love with big band music all over again. This film is not to be dismissed lightly, it has something for everyone in it and is a lovely feel good movie that puts a smile on your face just by the music numbers alone. Personally, I couldn't stop tapping my feet when the band started to play and was itching to get up and dance. Wishing I had taped the movie after all so that I could watch it again and again.
    6Clothes-Off

    A Feel-Good Movie to watch with or without your grandmother.

    And I don't mean that in a bad way. This slowly-paced story is just the right kind of entertainment to watch as you're going to bed--or on one of those days you choose no to GET out of bed. This was long before every older person in movies had to be either cantankerous or full of spunk. Elisabeth Risdon's ready-to-retire teacher is that rarity of movie characters--one who actually is allowed to act her age. (For an even better film with just such a performance, check out Dame May Witty in "The Lady Vanishes".) The plot concerns a music teacher who writes a corny song for her school, only to have it somehow fall into the hands of a musician who makes a hit novelty recording out of it. What happens to her after that is best left for the viewer to discover, but suffice to say, it is rather amusing, but not all that exciting in the long run. There's some potential romance with the main character's stuffy daughter, but mostly the film hinges on Risdon, and it's nice to see her in a lead role after years of almost anonymous character acting.

    I found this movie just flipping channels and enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone curious about checking it out for light--very light--entertainment. (And if you're reading this, that's probably you.)
    5Art-22

    Hackneyed plot but with some good music.

    The plot was a bit tedious and unbelievable, but there was one musical number that made watching this movie worthwhile. The song "The Big Noise from Winnetka" was a big hit at the time it was recorded by Bob Crosby and to see it performed by him and orchestra was a big treat. Ray Bauduc was the drummer and Bob Haggart was on bass (both were co-composers of the song along with Crosby) and it winds up as sort of a duet with Bauduc and Haggart. The multi-talented Haggart whistles the tune between his teeth and fingers the bass violin while Bauduc uses his drumstick on the bass violin to make the music. A very enjoyable piece to listen to and watch, and it will surely be appreciated by lovers of the big band era, swing or jazz.

    I was a bit confused at the credits calling Crosby's quartet of singers "The Bobcats" while Crosby himself always refers to them as "The Bobalinks." I wonder what that was all about.

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This film's earliest documented telecast took place in San Francisco Monday 18 June 1956 where it launched the RKO Radio film library on KPIX (Channel 5); it first aired in Altoona Wednesday 11 June 1956 on WFBG (Channel 10), in Salt Lake City Sunday 8 July 1956 on KUTV (Channel 2), in Philadelphia Monday 23 July 1956 on WFIL (Channel 6), in New Haven Wednesday 24 October 1956 on WNHC (Channel 8) and in Dallas Tuesday 6 November 1956 on WBAP (Channel 5).
    • Goofs
      When Malvina looks at the Manhattan phone book listings for music publishers, she is in the offices of Botts Music Publishers in Manhattan. However, the phone book does not have a listing for Botts.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Kim Newman on 'The Day of the Locust' (2020)
    • Soundtracks
      Fight on for Newton High
      Written by Roy Webb, Dave Dreyer and Herman Ruby

      Played on piano and sung by Elisabeth Risdon

      Reprised on piano by Donna Jean Dolfer with Elisabeth Risdon singing

      Reprised by Bob Crosby Orchestra and sung by Elisabeth Risdon, Bob Crosby and the Bobcats

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • January 17, 1941 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hagamos música
    • Filming locations
      • Fairfax High School, Los Angeles, California, USA(Newton High School)
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 24m(84 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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