MOVIEmeter
SEE RANK
Down 41,717 this week

Be Yourself! (1930)

6.0
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 6.0/10 from 74 users  
Reviews: 9 user | 1 critic

Ethnic comedy of a nightclub entertainer trying to train a boxer.

Director:

Writers:

(adapted by), (adapted by), 1 more credit »
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 5779 titles created 5 months ago
 
a list of 1651 titles created 9 months ago
 
a list of 303 titles created 6 months ago
 
mgm
a list of 496 titles created 1 week ago
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: Be Yourself! (1930)

Be Yourself! (1930) on IMDb 6/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of Be Yourself!.

Videos

Photos

Edit

Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Fannie Field (as Fannie Brice)
Robert Armstrong ...
Jerry Moore
Harry Green ...
Harry Field
G. Pat Collins ...
McCloskey
Gertrude Astor ...
Lillian
Budd Fine ...
Step
Marjorie Kane ...
Lola (as Marjorie 'Babe' Kane)
Rita Flynn ...
Jessica
Edit

Storyline

In the nightclub where entertainer Fannie Field sings, two rivals for her favors, Jerry Moore and Mac McCloskey, come to blows before either realizes the other is a boxer. Jerry loses the fight but wins Fannie, who becomes his trainer with the aid of her schlemiel brother. Aside from a slight tendency to lie down in the ring, Jerry is successful. But success brings the inevitable blonde; does this mean heartbreak for Fannie? Features the star's inimitable ethnic humor. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

boxing

Genres:

Comedy | Musical

Edit

Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

8 February 1930 (USA)  »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (original)

Sound Mix:

(Movietone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Quotes

Harry Field: A verbal agreement...
Fannie Field: ...is not worth the paper it's written on.
See more »

Connections

Featured in Broadway: The American Musical (2004) See more »

Soundtracks

"When a Man Loves a Woman"
(1930) (uncredited)
Music by Ralph Rainger
Lyrics by Billy Rose
Sung twice by Fanny Brice, first time with
chorus including Patsy 'Babe' Kane, Gertrude Astor
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

 
Oh, make it stop!!!!
5 December 2012 | by (Bradenton, Florida) – See all my reviews

"Be Yourself!" is only one of a handful of films made by Fanny Brice. Despite being a bit of a sensation for the Ziegfeld Follies, she never hit it off in movies. And, as an astute reviewer already pointed out, the Fanny Brice we all are familiar with is really Barbra Streisand PLAYING Fanny. Here, you get a rare chance to actually see her as she really was in films. Sadly, what I saw was NOT good at all. Fanny's Jewish ethnic humor is off-putting today, though it might have played better back in 1930. The same can be said DOUBLE for that of Harry Green as her brother. His routine is completely one-dimensional and dumb. And, THE joke was that he was a shyster Jewish lawyer--a nasty stereotype that, again, played well back then but which is painful to watch today.

When it comes to plot, it's pretty limp. Robert Armstrong is a nasty guy who loves to punch people, so Brice and her on-screen brother decide to become his boxing managers! Despite knowing nothing, the guy inexplicably wins---and none of this makes any sense. On top of the plot, there are some songs (not good ones) and some very ethnic humor which falls flat. Frankly, there's just not much to like about this film--it's terribly written, dull and the humor is so incredibly awful. Not worth your time--even if you want to catch a glimpse of Fanny.

After seeing this film, I think I understood why Brice did few films. She just wasn't enjoyable in the least and you wonder what Ziegfeld and the audiences of the 1920s saw in her. Painful and awful.


1 of 2 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
Fun film dmnemaine
Discuss Be Yourself! (1930) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?