Something to Shout About (1943)

Following three flops in a row, Broadway stage producer Willard Samson is told by wealthy divorcée Donna Davis that she will finance a show but only if she is the star. The fact she can ... See full summary »

Director:

Gregory Ratoff

Writers:

Lou Breslow, Edward Eliscu,

Stars:

Don Ameche, Janet Blair, Jack Oakie

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Credited cast:
Don Ameche	...	Ken Douglas
Janet Blair	...	Jeanie Maxwell
Jack Oakie	...	Larry Martin
William Gaxton	...	Willard Samson
Cobina Wright	...	Donna Davis (as Cobina Wright Jr.)
Veda Ann Borg	...	Flo Bentley
Jaye Martin	...	Dan Howard
Cyd Charisse	...	Lily (as Lily Norwood)
The Bricklayers	...	Speciality Act
Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra	...	Teddy Wilson's Orchestra
Hazel Scott	...	Hazel Scott
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Judels
Teddy Wilson	...	Orchestra Leader

Storyline

Following three flops in a row, Broadway stage producer Willard Samson is told by wealthy divorcée Donna Davis that she will finance a show but only if she is the star. The fact she can neither sing, act nor dance does not deter Samson. His press agent, Ken Douglas, lives in a theatrical boarding house run by his friend from vaudeville, Larry Martin, where he meets Jeanie Maxwell, singing teacher and aspiring songwriter from, of course, Altoona, Pa., who has come to New York to sell her songs. Samson is not interested in her songs as much as he is her stage abilities, but he can't get rid of Donna. Ken is also plugging for Samson to use the vaudeville acts, living at the boarding house, who can't get work because there is no more vaudeville, despite the fact that some of the acts are examples of what killed vaudeville in the first place. The show appears to have potential, with the exception of Donna, when Ken convinces her she is the perfect "outdoorable girl" for a publicity ...

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | broadway manhattan new york city | manhattan new york city

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Genres:

Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 February 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Canta, Coração!

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cyd Charisse's movie debut.

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Soundtracks

"Hasta Luego"
Written by Cole Porter

User Reviews

Ameche and Oakie crackle on Gower Street!

Forget the plot (which is a pretty nifty screwball scenario, by the way). What matters here is the pacing, the music and the crackerjack performances of Don Ameche and Jack Oakie. Oakie is an absolute fireball and Ameche is alternately acerbic and romantic. Great specialty numbers (including the phenomenal Hazel Scott) and those Conga rhythms really send me! I'm still not sure if Janet Blair did her own singing in this picture (she sang for herself later on, of course, but Columbia loved to dub in the early 40's). William Gaxton, a Broadway juvenile from the early days and star of pictures as FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMAN in the early Vitaphone Days does a very nice character job here. Cobina Wright is tops as the nouveau riche "star" with talent that is perfectly Wrong! Gregory Ratoff's pictures are usually pretty Seiterly in their pacing. This one snaps, crackles and pops. And there's one in-joke that is delivered with perfection. As Ameche goes to use the telephone, he is asked "you sure you know how to use that thing?" He replies, "you kidding - I INVENTED it!" Catch this one if you can.