Babes in Arms (1939)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

Jack McGowan (writer) and
Kay Van Riper (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

31 October 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Musical

Tagline:

The big musical fun show!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Backstage | Show Within A Show | Rehearsal | Teen Angst | Blackface

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Mickey Rooney	...	Mickey Moran
Judy Garland	...	Patsy Barton
Charles Winninger	...	Joe Moran
Guy Kibbee	...	Judge John Black
June Preisser	...	Rosalie Essex
Grace Hayes	...	Florrie Moran
Betty Jaynes	...	Molly Moran
Douglas McPhail	...	Don Brice
Rand Brooks	...	Jeff Steele
Leni Lynn	...	Dody Martin
Johnny Sheffield	...	Bobs (as John Sheffield)
Henry Hull	...	Maddox
Barnett Parker	...	William Bartlett
Ann Shoemaker	...	Mrs. Barton
Margaret Hamilton	...	Martha Steele
Joseph Crehan	...	Mr. Essex
George McKay	...	Brice
Henry Roquemore	...	Shaw
Lelah Tyler	...	Mrs. Brice
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles D. Brown	...	Larry Randall (uncredited)
Joe Caits	...	Vaudevillian Veteran (uncredited)
Frank Darien	...	Mr. Parks, Druggist (uncredited)
James Donlan	...	Fred (uncredited)
Inna Gest	...	Extra (uncredited)
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Booking Agent (uncredited)
Lon McCallister	...	Boy (uncredited)
Sidney Miller	...	Sid (uncredited)
Cyril Ring	...	Vaudevilian Celebrant (uncredited)
Charles Smith	...	Shy Youth (uncredited)
Leonard Sues	...	(uncredited)
Libby Taylor	...	Millicent, Rosalie's Maid (uncredited)
Mary Treen	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
Pat West	...	Vaudevillian Veteran (uncredited)
Robert Winkler	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Busby Berkeley

Writing credits
Jack McGowan		(writer) and
Kay Van Riper		(writer)
Lorenz Hart		play
Anita Loos		uncredited
Richard Rodgers		play (as Richard Rogers)
Annalee Whitmore		uncredited

Produced by
Arthur Freed	....	producer

Original Music by
Nacio Herb Brown

Cinematography by
Ray June

Film Editing by
Frank Sullivan

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Dolly Tree

Art Department
Merrill Pye	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Music Department
Léo Arnaud	....	orchestrator
George Bassman	....	orchestrator
Murray Cutter	....	orchestrator
Roger Edens	....	music adaptor
Wally Heglin	....	orchestrator
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator
Arthur Schutt	....	orchestrator
George E. Stoll	....	musical director (as George Stoll)
George E. Stoll	....	orchestrator (as Georgie Stoll)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (also video)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The songs "My Funny Valentine" and "Johnny One Note" are songs from the original stage musical, but were deleted from the film.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: 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...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Alone. Life Wastes Andy Hardy (1998)

Very fun Mickey-Judy musical

Babes in Arms is my least favorite of the Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland musicals, but it is still a fun film. The musical numbers aren't as good as in the other Mickey-Judy movies, but they are still fun to watch. The Minstrel show is a little disturbing for modern eyes, but this movie was made in 1939, so that must be remembered. The imitation of the Roosevelts is interesting to watch, and the final number, "In God's Country" is a fun song. Altogether, a cute little movie.