Babes in Arms (1939)

The struggle of two talented young artists, to make their own way in the show business.

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

Jack McGowan (screen play), Kay Van Riper (screen play),

Stars:

Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Charles Winninger

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mickey Rooney	...	Mickey Moran
Judy Garland	...	Patsy Barton
Charles Winninger	...	Joe Moran
Guy Kibbee	...	Judge Black
June Preisser	...	Rosalie Essex
Grace Hayes	...	Florrie Moran
Betty Jaynes	...	Molly Moran
Douglas McPhail	...	Don Brice
Rand Brooks	...	Jeff Steele
Leni Lynn	...	Dody Martini
Johnny Sheffield	...	Bobs (as John Sheffield)
Henry Hull	...	Madox
Barnett Parker	...	William
Ann Shoemaker	...	Mrs. Barton
Margaret Hamilton	...	Martha Steele

Storyline

Mickey Moran, a talented singer and musician, son of a veteran from the show business. Mickey has a partner, Patsi Barton, a pretty girl and also a very talented singer. One day, a big opportunity arrives for Mickey, a big contract to set up his own show. However, things don't go well, and in order to avoid being sent to a work farm, he'll improvise a show in the country, despite the awful weather conditions. Patsi's in love with Mickey, he loves her too, but for him the show must go on, and his big dream maybe will come true: formally stage his play in a big scenario, with a huge production.

---

Plot Keywords:

vaudeville | show business | singer | family relationships | show within a show | 

---

Taglines:

The big musical fun show!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Musical

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los hijos de la farándula

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$748,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Broadway musical production of "Babes in Arms" opened at the Shubert Theater in New York on April 14, 1937 and ran for 289 performances. It had a large cast that included Mitzi Green, Dan Dailey, Alfred Drake, Ray McDonald, and The Nicholas Brothers.

---

Goofs

During the girls' duet, Patsy Barton begins her solo, and Mickey Moran switches from cello plucking to piano thumping. However, the music continues as it was before, and we don't hear any amazing sounds on the piano in spite of Mickey's efforts.

---

Quotes

Michael C. 'Mickey' Moran: No, no, no, judge! You don't understand; she don't understand, either. Oh, she don't mean no harm to us, but... we're not her kind of people - or yours, either. We belong in show business. We gotta start young so we can get some steel in our backbone. Well, gee, we're developing. You couldn't teach us a trade: we've GOT one. And you couldn't do without it... Oh, we're only kids now, but someday we're gonna be the guys that make ya laugh and cry and think that there's a little stardust left on ...

---

Connections

Featured in That's Entertainment! III (1994)

---

Soundtracks

"Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight?)"
(1937) (uncredited)
Music by Bernard Hanighen
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

User Reviews

Come, let's put on a show!

This 1939 musical reflects the tastes of the American public of that era. As such, "Babes in Arms", proved to be a favorite film that made a lot of money for the studio. The young stars of this film proved to be the main attraction for watching it more than sixty years after it was done.

"Babes in Arms" was a Broadway musical by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers. Like most of those movies of that time, the creative people in the studio took liberties, incorporating material that was not in the original theater work. Busby Berkeley, the genius of those musical films, was at the helm. It's easy to see his imprint all over the movie in the way he stages the big musical numbers and move his players to get a maximum result out of them.

Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland were two young actors at the time that were good in whatever they did together. The pair showed an amazing amount of charisma in their musical numbers as well as in the over all chemistry in all their scenes together. Mickey Rooney plays the earnest Mickey Moran, the son of vaudevillians, who wants to make a name for himself. Judy Garland is Patsy Barton, a girl-next-door type that is sweet, wise and patient, even when Mickey is dazzled by the film star that wants to back their show in order to have the lead in it.

The other players are excellent, which is not saying much, as MGM and the other studios were blessed with solid talent that went from film to film doing amazing work in whatever picture they appeared. Charles Winninger, Guy Kibee, Betty Jaynes, Douglas McPhail, and the wonderful Margaret Hamilton appear in supporting roles.

Enjoy the infectious actors of this movie and the Rodgers and Hart music, as well as the other songs that were added to it. Busby Berkeley did a marvelous job with the film that shows a less stressful time in the country.