Music is our world
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Music is our world |
| Original title | Babes in Arms |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1939 |
| length | 93 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Busby Berkeley |
| script |
Jack McGowan , Kay Van Riper |
| production | Arthur Freed |
| music | Nacio Herb Brown |
| camera | Ray June |
| cut | Frank Sullivan |
| occupation | |
| |
Music is our world (Original title: Babes in Arms ) is an American comedy film directed by Busby Berkeley . The film, whose script is based on the play Babes in Arms by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers , was shot in 1939. The film premiered on October 13, 1939. In Germany, the film was only shown on December 11, 1995 as part of a television premiere on ARD .
action
Joe and Florie Moran are stage actors in the Vaudeville Theater. As the film became more and more popular, the couple got fewer and fewer engagements. Her son Mickey, who was born behind the scenes in New York, remains unimpressed by this fact. He's writing a show to put on with the aged actors' children in Seaport, Long Island .
In order to achieve his plan, he has to avoid some obstacles. For example, Martha Steele, chairwoman of the welfare committee, wants the children to be sent to school. Baby Rosalie Essex has a very stormy temper, which would affect the performance of the show. But since she co-finances the show, Mickey has to come to terms with her. This leads to Mickey's girlfriend, Patsy Barton, becoming jealous.
Mickey can solve all of these problems, but the weather throws a spanner in the works. A hurricane is approaching and the show stops in the middle of the performance. All seems lost when Mrs. Steele gets the children to go to school. But a New York producer, Harry Maddox, decided to have the show performed on Broadway.
background
The estimated budget for MGM production was just under $ 750,000. The film became MGM's box office hit in 1939 and grossed more than two million US dollars.
The Broadway play on which the script is based premiered in New York on April 14, 1937. A total of 1989 performances were given.
For director Busby Berkeley it was the first directorial work for MGM. This was the second time Johnny Sheffield was in front of a camera. At the time of filming, he was eight years old and known to cinema viewers from his first film, in which he played Tarzan's adopted son at the side of Johnny Weissmuller . For Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, it was the third of eight films they made together. Four of them were directed by the director of this film.
Cedric Gibbons and Edwin B. Willis were responsible for the film construction and equipment, Douglas Shearer for the sound. Producer Arthur Freed later won two Oscars for best film with similar comedic film musicals. Freed also contributed some lyrics to this film.
Soundtrack
- Good Morning - Melody: Nacio Herb Brown, Texts: Arthur Freed - Performers: Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney
- You Are My Lucky Star - melody: Nacio Herb Brown, lyrics: Arthur Freed - interpreter: Betty Jaynes
- Broadway Rhythm - melody: Nacio Herb Brown, lyrics: Arthur Freed - interpreter: Judy Garland
- Babes in Arms - Melody: Richard Rodgers, Texts: Lorenz Hart - Performers: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Douglas McPahil and Chor
- Where or When - Melody: Richard Rodgers, Text: Lorenz Hart - Performers: Douglas McPahil, Judy Garland, Betty Jaynes
- I Cried for You - by Gus Arnheim , Aby Lyman and Arthur Freed - interpreter: Judy Garland
- Daddy Was a Minstrel Man - by Roger Edens - interpreter: Judy Garland
- Oh, Susanna - by Stephen Foster - Performers: Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney
- Idal Sweet as Apple Cider - melody: Eddie Munson, lyrics: Eddie Leonard - interpreter: Mickey Rooney
- Moonlight Bay - melody Percy Wenrich, lyrics: Edward Madden - interpretation by a choir
- I'm Just Wild About Harry - melody: Eubie Blake , lyrics: Noble Sissle - performers, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and choir
- God's Country - Melody: Harold Arlen , Texts: EY Harburg - Performers: Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Douglas McPhail, Betty Jaynes and Chor
Reviews
The lexicon of international films found the production “full of energy, but slightly out of date”. The Time Out Film Guide was also divided. The plot is "tiring", but the film is "charming, full of energy". Channel 4 complained that "not much remains" of the original musical, but the music is "great". For Variety , the musical adaptation was a "great piece of entertainment", with Mickey Rooney showing his "versatile talents".
Awards
At the Academy Awards in 1940 , the film was nominated in the categories of Best Actor and Best Score. Judy Garland received a special Oscar for her outstanding performances as a teenager.
Web links
- Music is our world in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Music is our world at Turner Classic Movies (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Box office / business for Babes in Arms. In: IMDb. Retrieved April 6, 2017 .
- ^ Stephanie Thames: Babes in Arms (1939) Articles. In: Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved November 11, 2019 .
- ↑ Music is our world. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed November 11, 2019 .
- ↑ Babes in Arms. In: TimeOut London. Retrieved November 11, 2019 .
- ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives )
- ↑ Babes in Arms. In: Variety . 1939, accessed November 11, 2019 .