Everybody Sing (1938)

Judy Bellaire, played by Judy Garland, is the center of trouble at her exclusive private and very conservative school. She is expelled when she starts singing in a Jazzy style in her music ... See full summary »

Director:

Edwin L. Marin

Writers:

Florence Ryerson (original story by), Edgar Allan Woolf (original story by)

Stars:

Allan Jones, Judy Garland, Fanny Brice

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Allan Jones	...	Ricky Saboni
Judy Garland	...	Judy Bellaire
Fanny Brice	...	Olga Chekaloff
Reginald Owen	...	Hillary Bellaire
Billie Burke	...	Diana Bellaire
Reginald Gardiner	...	Jerrold Hope
Lynne Carver	...	Sylvia Bellaire
Helen Troy	...	Hillary's Secretary
Monty Woolley	...	John Fleming
Adia Kuznetzoff	...	Boris
Henry Armetta	...	Signor Vittorino
Michelette Burani	...	Madame Le Brouchette
Mary Forbes	...	Miss Colvin

Storyline

Judy Bellaire, played by Judy Garland, is the center of trouble at her exclusive private and very conservative school. She is expelled when she starts singing in a Jazzy style in her music class. Mayhem ensues as she returns home to her actress mother, playwright father, dysfunctional Russian maid (Fanny Brice) and tries out as a black face singer in a musical.

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Plot Keywords:

singer | school | playwright | maid | actress | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

A boys choir was used to provide the singing voices for the schoolgirl chorus that backs Judy on her numbers.

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Goofs

When Judy Bellaire is escaping from the ship, she hides inside a container. Two workers place the container on the dock. Just before she opens the container lid to climb out, a second container appears just behind her.

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Quotes

Hillary Bellaire: Olga!
Olga Chekaloff: All right, all right, I know, my cap's on crooked.
Hillary Bellaire: Good heavens, what next?
Olga Chekaloff: Meatballs!

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Connections

Edited into Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Judy Garland (1996)

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Soundtracks

The Show Must Go On
(1937)
Music by Bronislau Kaper and Walter Jurmann
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Sung by Allan Jones (uncredited)
Danced by the chorus

User Reviews

While the film is just average, Judy is above that

Not an awful film, but also not a great one. While Judy Garland doesn't disappoint, generally as an overall whole 'Everybody Sings' is one of her weaker films along with 'Presenting Lily Mars' and 'Little Nellie Kelly'.

Judy is certainly the best thing about it. It was always going to be interesting seeing her before her iconic performance in 'The Wizard of Oz', and while it is not one of her best performance she is endearingly winsome, playful and heartfelt and sings an absolute dream. Not all the cast work, but Reginalds Owen and Gardiner are fun and despite having less than subtle characters they avoid being too hammy. Fanny Brice is mostly amusingly zany, and Lynne Carver is lovely.

The songs aren't amazing and most don't stand the test of time, but they are still very pleasant, with enough fun and emotion, and well performed. They are mostly energetically and gracefully staged, again not outstanding but little of it is overblown and it's hardly static or indifferent either. 'Everybody Sings' looks good in crisp black and white, handsome enough without being lavish.

As said though, not all the cast work. While Allan Jones sounds lovely, he comes over as a very wooden actor, while Billie Burke flutters shrilly to a very annoying degree. While the song and dance numbers are above average on the whole, "Swing Lo, Sweet Chariot" is not for the faint hearted (there are definitely worse examples of black-face and one is very much aware that they were popular then, but that doesn't mean people should like them) and the finale is over-cooked.

Some of the script is witty and charming, others are excessively corny and sentimental, with some of the humour that works well in other media not working well on film (especially the "Baby Snooks" routine). The story is thin and old as the hills, with some parts that feel contrived and parts in the second half that drag.

In summary, average film as an overall whole but Judy is great and the film is worth a one-time watch for her. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 February 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Everybody Sing

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1