Babes on Broadway

If you like fast paced Hollywood musicals from yesteryear, then this movie is for you. The story is dated and hokey, but there is a lot of singing and dancing. Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and the rest of the cast is excellent. Rooney demonstrates his versatility as a song-and-dance man and pairs well with Judy Garland who sings several songs and is quite engaging. The finale includes a several-minutes long minstrel sequence which some may find insensitive as it is performed in black face. That notwithstanding, Garland performs a number in black face and in drag (i.e. dressed as a male), which is remarkable. The cinematography is excellent, capturing the dance sequences in all their glory. If judged by current tastes, the movie's style is a curio, an antique. But what is not dated is the energy, vitality and the music itself which would resonate with today's audience.