Cavalcade d'avril

The Happy Tymes are flopping as a vaudeville act until they add their 12-year old son to the musical act. But then the family runs into trouble causing a brief split.

As long as the three principals are on stage singing and shaking legs, the movie shines, and that's despite the rather dour b&w. The melodramatic side, however, is overdone for a musical, especially the acrobatic fistfight that reminded me of a cowboy matinée. Then there's that really ill-advised impersonation of a midget, that, as another reviewer aptly put it, comes across as tasteless. Still, little Bobby Ellis is remarkable as the third Happy Tyme. His utter fluidity as a teen dancer made me think I have a deficient gene. As the two adult Tymes, Sothern and Carson are real troupers, their chemistry unforced and lively. Carson was really an underrated actor, adept at drama, comedy, and musicals, as he shows here. I'm not sure, however, that Alan would be proud of dad Robert Alda's role here as a sneaky opportunist. And, of course, no musical of the period would be complete without that giggling marshmallow, Cuddles Sakall. No, the musical may not be anything special, but it does have its musical moments.

(In passing—I caught several episodes of the old TV series Meet Corliss Archer (1954-55) that also featured Bobby Ellis, then about age 20. There he shows what an excellent comedic actor he was, in addition to his musical talents. In short, he made that show work, short-lived though the series was. I suspect his short stature and average looks prevented his eventually reaching stardom. Nonetheless, he certainly had the talent.)

When I think of April Showers, I think of my aunt. It was one of the songs she sang to me. I also think of this movie. It's too bad that so many actors in this movie have passed on, even the kid that played Small Tyme. And recently, Ann Sothern. I saw Jack Carson as second banana in other movies, especially as a sidekick, that it is good that Jack could be the leading man for a change (in "April Showers"). It's too bad he had to play such a drunk, but I guess that's real life. I always love to watch The Tymes dance in this movie. I could watch them forever. I hate the part where Billy Shay beats up Small Tyme, although the part about Shay with the glamourous women is nice. I love old time tap dancing, but in today's tap classes I take at university the emphasis is on modern rhythm tap, with a lot of hip-hop added in. Females wear flat oxfords, and emphasis is not on "Broadway tap". That's a shame. I am of the old school, from the days of vaudeville and old movie musicals.

Jack Carson and Ann Sothern are such capable professionals that even when they are cast in something like APRIL SHOWERS they are worth watching. Carson rarely got leading roles, except in the "B" film or programmer such as this one and Ann Sotheran was just winding up all of her "Maisie" roles at MGM to do this unpretentious little musical at Warner Bros.

Together they're fun to watch as a married couple, a pair of show biz hoofers who give out with a song and dance patter when they're not having domestic troubles over the legitimacy of using an underage boy (their son) in their vaudeville act.

It's all done in a formula way with no big surprises, no characters that are more than conventional and without the kind of production numbers that studios like Fox and MGM gave their musicals. And yet, with a nice balance between some serious drama and mostly lightweight singing and dancing, it's the kind of musical that's easy to take.

The usual supporting players under contract at Warner Bros. are used to fill out the supporting roles, including Robert Alda and S.Z. Sakall.

Carson and Sothern are both capable enough to make us believe this sort of thing could easily have happened and both of them have a nice way with a song and dance. Little Robert Ellis is very adept as their talented youngster.

Summing up: A nice, unpretentious little film to watch on a rainy day.

The 1948 Warner Brothers film April Showers is a satisfying little picture about show biz troupers. Jack Carson and Ann Sothern make the best of their roles however it is Robert Ellis as their son Buster who steals the show. With his "little man" antics and show biz talents he also steals your heart. Ann Sothern is lovely to look at in most of her numbers. With a little melodramatics sprinkled in the film remains wholesome family entertainment. This film is usually shown on Turner Classic Movies.

Jack Carson's performance of an alcoholic vaudevillian who gets a few bad breaks highlights April Showers. Roles like this made Carson's studio Warner Brothers and others start taking him seriously as an actor as opposed to a funny man who specialized in blowhards.

Carson and Ann Sothern are a vaudeville team during the first score of years in the 20th century. They're doing all right, but when they add their kid Robert Ellis to the act they start getting better bookings and even dream of the Palace in New York.

But that dream gets shattered when the blue noses start insisting on child labor laws being enforced. They no longer get the billings and Carson turns to drink. And another performer Robert Alda starts throwing his intentions Ann's way.

Including the title song the score is interpolated from a variety of sources of music from the period. Young Mr. Ellis proves to be quite the terpsichorean, no wonder he made the act for them.

Sothern lends good support and a good singing voice. But April Showers is really Jack Carson's picture.