Something to Sing About (1937)

Director:

Victor Schertzinger

Writers:

Victor Schertzinger (story)
Austin Parker (screenplay)

Release Date:

30 September 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

A Cagney You Have Never Seen!

Plot:

A New York bandleader journeys to Hollywood when he is offered a contract with a studio, but he is determined to do things his way and not theirs.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Bandleader | Dialogue Director | Cat Boxing | Newspaper Columnist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

James Cagney	...	Terrence 'Terry' Rooney (stage name of Thadeus McGillicuddy)
Evelyn Daw	...	Rita Wyatt
William Frawley	...	Hank Meyers
Mona Barrie	...	Stephanie 'Steffie' Hajos
Gene Lockhart	...	Bennett O. 'B.O.' Regan
Philip Ahn	...	Ito (Terry's servant)
Marek Windheim	...	Mr. Farney (dialogue director)
Dwight Frye	...	Mr. Easton (makeup supervisor)
Johnny Arthur	...	Mr. Daviani (wardrobe supervisor) (as John Arthur)
William B. Davidson	...	Mr. Richards (nightclub owner) (as William Davidson)
Richard Tucker	...	Mr. Blaine (the director)
Kathleen Lockhart	...	Miss Amy Robbins (newspaper columnist)
James Newill	...	Jimmy (band member)
Harry Barris	...	Pinky (pianist in the band)
Cully Richards	...	Cully (band member)

Also Known As:

Battling Hoofer (USA) (recut version)
Something to Fight About (USA) (poster title)
When I'm with You (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min | USA:89 min (2005 DVD release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Spain:T | Finland:S | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #3628)

Filming Locations:

Grand National Studios - 7250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Zion Meyers Productions

Trivia:

Known as "the picture that broke Grand National". Grand National Pictures, which produced and distributed this film, was a "B" studio known mostly for low-budget westerns and action pictures. It signed James Cagney during one of his frequent disputes with Warner Bros. and saw this picture as its chance to compete with the major studios by doing a lavish musical with a major star. It poured more than $900,000 into this film, not much by MGM or 20th Century Fox standards but a tremendous sum for a small studio like Grand National. Unfortunately the film was a major flop and the studio lost just about all the money put into it. Grand National folded just a few years later, having never recovered from the financial beating it took on this picture.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Rita is in New York when she reads of Terry's supposed relationship with Steffie on the front page of the "Express" newspaper. Meanwhile in Hollywood, Terry learns of the false rumours in exactly the same way, from the exact front page of an identical "Express" newspaper. Props used the same newspaper for both coasts. Highly unlikely.

Quotes:

Stephanie 'Steffie' Hajos: [outraged over Terry's new bungalow] Five rooms and three baths! What does he need with three baths? He isn't running a laundry - although he should be!

Movie Connections:

References White Legion (1936)

Soundtrack:

Loving You

Something to Sing & Talk About ***1/2

Hollywood was really turning the cameras on itself when it made this 1937 movie. This is a very good take-off on why so many Hollywood marriages fell apart-mainly the studio system. So many stars of the past blamed Hollywood for their marriages falling apart. Right off the bat, I can think of Judy Garland and David Rose.

Cagney proved what a great hoofer he was 5 years before his Oscar win in "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

This wonderful Hollywood plot concerns itself with Cagney making it big in Hollywood and then running away and marrying his sweetheart, well played by Evelyn Daw. Too bad we never heard much from her.

William Frawley, the future Fred Mertz, of I Love Lucy Fame, steals the picture as a publicity agent hell-bent on getting Cagney stature no matter what the cost.

There is that accidental item that could cause a fatal rift between the married couple but Hollywood knew how to settle that so well in a final staging of a song and dance number.