Good News (1947)

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

Lew Brown (play) and
Laurence Schwab (play) ...

Release Date:

26 December 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance | Sport

Plot:

At fictitious Tait University in the Roaring 20's, co-ed and school librarian Connie Lane (June Allyson)...

Plot Keywords:

Librarian | Football | Love | Record Player | Nostalgic

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

June Allyson	...	Connie Lane
Peter Lawford	...	Tommy Marlowe
Patricia Marshall	...	Pat McClellan
Joan McCracken	...	Babe Doolittle
Ray McDonald	...	Bobby Turner
Mel Tormé	...	Danny (as Mel Torme)
Robert E. Strickland	...	Peter Van Dyne III (as Robert Strickland)
Donald MacBride	...	Coach Johnson
Tom Dugan	...	Pooch
Clinton Sundberg	...	Professor Burton Kennyon
Loren Tindall	...	Beef
Connie Gilchrist	...	Cora the cook
Morris Ankrum	...	Dean Griswold
Georgia Lee	...	Flo
Jane Green	...	Mrs. Drexel

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved (PCA #12519)

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

One song called "An Easier Way" was cut prior to release but it can be seen on the DVD of the film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Not one of the "College Girls" is either dressed or coiffed in anything that resembles 1920s styles. The costumers used contemporary clothing (1947 that is) for virtually all scenes.

Quotes:

Tommy Marlowe: What a vocabulary! Wait until I spring this on Pat!
Connie Lane: Why don't you just hit her over the head with a hockey stick?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Precious Images (1986)

Soundtrack:

Lucky in Love

Good News is one of the most underrated MGM musicals

Good News is one of the most underrated MGM musicals from the '40s I've ever seen from that era. While leads June Allyson and Peter Lawford are no Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney (who ironically, were the original considered leads for this movie version years ago), they sing and dance entertainingly enough for one to not notice after a while. Another underrated talent showcased here is one Joan McCracken who shines in the opening number and the later made-for-film specialty "Pass That Peace Pipe", which was eventually nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. And dig the "Velvet Fog" Mel Torme in his younger days crooning here! Excellent debut for director Charles Walters and screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green makes this one of the most spectacular musical comedies I've seen yet! P.S. Among the extras on the DVD are two numbers from the 1930 film version of Good News, the title number and "The Varsity Drag", both performed energetically and athletically by a young woman named Dorothy McNulty, later to be known as Penny Singleton from the Blondie movies. All of the above are well worth checking out!