Thu 18 Feb 2010
A Movie Review by Walter Albert: GIVE OUT, SISTERS (1942).
Posted by Steve under Films: Comedy/Musicals , Reviews[5] Comments
GIVE OUT, SISTERS. Universal, 1942. Patty, Maxine & Laverne Andrews, Grace McDonald, Dan Dailey, Charles Butterworth, Walter Catlett, William Frawley, Edith Barrett, Marie Blake, Fay Helm, Donald O’Connor, Peggy Ryan, The Jivin’ Jacks and Jills. Director: Edward F. Cline. Shown at Cinecon 45, Hollywood CA, September 2009.
If a stiff drink at dinner didn’t help you recover from the dark byways of Hatter’s Castle (reviewed here ), this sunny musical would certainly have done the job.
The Andrews sisters are the titular stars, but the storyline is fleshed out by an accomplished team of supporting actors, both well known (Butterworth, Catlett, and Frawley) and soon to be known (O’Connor and Ryan, as well as Tommy Rail, a member of the Jivin’ Jacks and Jills).
Butterworth is the owner of a studio where a group of talented young performers is hoping for their big break, which will shortly come at a local nightclub run by William Frawley. The flaw in the plan is that their leader (Grace McDonald) is the ward of three stern aunts (Barrett, Blake and Helm), civic leaders who have no interest in Gracie’s theatrical aspirations.
The brisk pacing with frequent breaks for musical “interludes” keeps things humming until the whole cast (including the three aunts) burns up the screen with a sensational finale, the “Pennsylvania Polka.”
Another of the entertaining, little remembered Universal musicals of the 1940s. If only Turner would program these instead of the MGM classics that we all love but from which we would welcome a break.
February 18th, 2010 at 1:24 am
Re your last line, Walter, I thought I was the only one who felt that way. February may be the shortest month, but it being Oscar month on TCM, sometimes it feels like the longest one.
— Steve
February 18th, 2010 at 6:21 am
I agree. Oscar month is the same every year on TCM, filled with movies I’m familiar with or have no interest in viewing. I hate February because of the cold weather and snow, but also because of Oscar month.
Actually GIVE OUT, SISTERS sounds more bloodcurdling than HATTER’S CASTLE! The Andrew Sisters AND The Pennsylvania Polka? This is more insane than Newton in HATTER’S CASTLE.
February 18th, 2010 at 7:40 am
The Andrews Sisters weren’t exactly eye-candy, but coming from the studio that brought us Frankenstein and the Creeper, what do you expect? Comedies at Universal weren’t very subtle as a rule, but they offer a raw energy that is sometimes amusing even when the jokes are stale enough to break your teeth on.
February 18th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Thank God I’m not the only one sick to death of Turner recycling the same classics until I could scream. Part of the fun of watching old movies is discovering small gems (and no few rhinestones and plain old rocks) you never saw or heard of.
Maybe after Oscar month they could do a month of obscure movies. I know there are people out there who are just discovering the classics, and more power to them, but once in a while I’d rather see GIVE OUT, SISTERS than AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.
Considering Turner’s vast library they are awfully sparing in digging around in it.
Still, good luck convincing them.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:35 am
Would love to see this movie. We’re doing a review called “Radio Daze” with music of the 40’s, and this is high on our list of favorites. The movie would be great background material.