BABES IN ARMS (1939)

Back in the 20s, Joe and Florrie Moran were a hot ticket on the vaudeville circuit, but now their bookings are few and far between, and they live in Seaport along with a big community of "has-been" performers. Joe leads the adults in floating the idea of a comeback tour, but soon many of them are in danger of losing their homes, so his son Mickey (Mickey Rooney) and his pal Patsy (Judy Garland) have another idea: they get a bunch of the kids in town to contribute their talents to a newcomers show put on in a barn—yes, this is the granddaddy of the "Hey, kids, let’s put on a show" musical genre. Problems rear their ugly heads: the head of the social welfare board (Margaret Hamilton) complains that the kids aren't getting their education; a former child star known as Baby Rosalie joins the gang but she starts throwing her weight around, which then threatens the chaste romance developing between Mickey and Patsy; eventually, they even have to face an oncoming hurricane! But of course, in the best MGM fashion, things work out for the kids in the end, and a Broadway debut is assured.

With Busby Berkeley as director, one might assume some spectacular dance numbers are in store, but sadly he keeps his excesses in check. That’s not to say that there isn't some good musical fun here. There are two songs better known for their appearances in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN: Mickey and Judy do a nice simple duet on "Good Morning" and Judy sings a rousing "Broadway Rhythm"; Garland does a sad reading of "I Cried for You"; the title song, sung by the kids as they wield torches in the streets, feels like pro-military propaganda, which given the world situation at the time, it may well have been. Unfortunately there's also a cringe-worthy minstrel show bit with blackface that no longer plays well. Despite it being a musical comedy, it's got some surprisingly serious moments, mostly involving the parents' financial situation. One of the production numbers, which climaxes with Mickey and Judy as Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, has the line, "We don't have Il Duce, we don't have Der Fuehrer, but we have Garbo and Norma Shearer." Also with Charles Winninger, Guy Kibbee and Johnny (Bomba the Jungle Boy) Sheffield. [DVD]