''Babes in Arms'' is the 1939 American film version of the 1937 coming-of-age Broadway

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

of the same title. Directed by Busby Berkeley, it stars

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...

and Judy Garland, and features

Charles Winninger Charles J. Winninger (May 26, 1884 – January 27, 1969) was an American stage and film actor, most often cast in comedies or musicals. Life and career Winninger was born in Athens, Wisconsin, the son of Rosalia (Grassler) and Franz Winninger ...

, Guy Kibbee, June Preisser, Grace Hayes, and Betty Jaynes. It was Garland and Rooney's second film together as lead characters after their earlier successful pairing in the fourth of the

Andy Hardy Andrew "Andy" Hardy is a fictional character best known for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer series of 16 films in which he was played by Mickey Rooney. The films were released from 1937 to 1946, except for a final one made in 1958 in an unsuccessful att ...

films. The film concerns a group of youngsters trying to put on a show to prove their vaudevillian parents wrong and make it to Broadway. The original Broadway script was significantly revamped, restructured, and rewritten to accommodate Hollywood's needs. Almost all of the Rodgers and Hart songs from the Broadway musical were discarded.

Plot

In 1921, vaudeville performer Joe Moran (Winninger) announces the birth of a son, but after the advent of talking pictures in 1928, vaudeville fails. His son Michael "Mickey" Moran (Rooney) writes songs, and Patsy Barton (Garland) sings "Good Morning". Mickey sells the song for $100. He gives Patsy his pin and kisses her. Mickey learns that his parents Joe and Florrie (Grace Hayes) are going on the road without the children, and he disagrees. Patsy and Molly Moran (Jaynes) sing "You Are My Lucky Star" and "Broadway Rhythm", but Joe says no to their going. So, Mickey proposes the kids put on a show, and Don Brice (

Douglas McPhail Douglas McPhail (April 16, 1914 – December 6, 1944) was an American actor and singer, active from the 1930s to 1944, when he committed suicide. He was married to Betty Jaynes.Wagner, Laura. "Douglas McPhail", ''Classic Images ''Classic Image ...

) sings "Babes in Arms" as they march and make a bonfire. Joe dismisses Mickey. Martha Steele (

Margaret Hamilton Margaret Hamilton may refer to: * Margaret Hamilton (nurse) (1840–1922), American nurse in the Civil War * Maggie Hamilton (1867–1952), Scottish artist * Margaret Hamilton (educator) (1871–1969), American educator * Margaret Hamilton (actre ...

) and her nephew Jeff ( Rand Brooks) from military school complain to Judge Black (Kibbee) about the Vaudeville kids. She suggests that the judge send the kids to the workhouse for children because their parents cannot take care of them, but the judge will not take them from their homes. In a drugstore, Mickey and Patsy meet movie star Baby Rosalie Essex (Preisser), but Mickey gets in a fight with Jeff. Mickey tells Judge Black that his parents' show flopped. The judge gives Mickey 30 days to pay damages. Don and Molly sing "Where or When" with an orchestra of children. Mickey has a date with Baby and dines in her house. Mickey wants Baby in the show, which needs $287. She offers to pay it. Mickey smokes a cigar and leaves sick. Mickey tells Patsy that Baby has to play the lead because of the money. Mickey directs rehearsal with Baby and Don, imitating Clark Gable and

Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''A Free Soul'' (1931) ...

. Patsy sees Mickey kiss Baby. Mickey tries to stop Patsy from leaving. On the bus, Patsy sings "I Cried for You". Patsy goes to a theater to see her mother ( Ann Shoemaker). Patsy says that Mickey is putting on a show to keep the kids out of an institution. Patsy's mother tells Patsy not to quit her show. Baby's father takes her out of the show, and Mickey asks Patsy to go on. In the show, Patsy sings "Daddy Was a Minstrel Man". Mickey and Patsy put on

blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...

and sing a medley with Don. Patsy sings " I'm Just Wild About Harry", but a storm drives the audience away. Mickey learns that his father quit theater and got an elevator job. Mrs. Steele says the children must report and gives Joe the paper. Mickey gets a letter from producer Maddox ( Henry Hull), who liked the show and produces it. As Mickey listens, Maddox asks Joe to teach the youngsters in the show. Mickey introduces the show by singing "God's Country", which the company contrasts to fascism. Mickey and Patsy satirize

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

and Eleanor Roosevelt, and then everybody dances and finishes with a chorus of "God's Country".

Cast

as Mickey Moran * Judy Garland as Patsy Barton *

as Joe Moran * Guy Kibbee as Judge John Black * June Preisser as "Baby" Rosalie Essex * Grace Hayes as Florrie Moran * Betty Jaynes as Molly Moran *

as Don Brice * Rand Brooks as Jeff Steele * Leni Lynn as Dody Martin *

as Martha Steele * Joseph Crehan as Mr. Essex * George McKay as Brice * Henry Roquemore as Shaw * Lelah Tyler as Mrs. Brice * Sidney Miller as Sid Cast notes: * Cliff Edwards appears in a clip from '' The Hollywood Revue of 1929'' of the song "Singin' in the Rain" * Vaudevillian Charles King appears in a clip from '' The Broadway Melody''

Production

''Babes in Arms'' is the first film directed in its entirety at MGM by choreographer Busby Berkeley. It was produced by the Arthur Freed unit at the studio. Filming of ''Babes in Arms'' began on May 12, 1939, soon after Garland and Hamilton had finished filming ''The Wizard of Oz'', and was completed on July 18, 1939. The original release of the film included a segment during the finale in which Rooney and Garland lampoon President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The scene was edited from the film after Roosevelt's death in office in 1945. It was thought to be lost, but was discovered on a 16-mm reel and restored in the 1990s.

Music

Most of the Rodgers and Hart songs from the stage musical were cut, except for the title tune, " The Lady Is a Tramp" – used as background music when the character of "Baby" Rosalie Essex is on screen, and "

Where or When "Where or When" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical ''Babes in Arms''. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green. That same year, Hal Kemp recorded a popular version. The song also appeared in the film version o ...

". Freed and Nacio Herb Brown wrote a new song for the film, " Good Morning", later to be a musical number in ''

Singin' in the Rain ''Singin' in the Rain'' is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd Charis ...

''. "God's Country", from '' Hooray for What!'' by

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ...

and

E. Y. Harburg Edgar Yipsel Harburg (born Isidore Hochberg; April 8, 1896 – March 5, 1981) was an American popular song lyricist and librettist who worked with many well-known composers. He wrote the lyrics to the standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" ( ...

– composer and lyricist for ''The Wizard of Oz'' – was used for the finale. Garland and Rooney later sang "I Wish I Were in Love Again" from the Broadway version of the show in the Rodgers and Hart

biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...

'' Words and Music'' (1948). Garland also sang "

Johnny One Note "Johnny One Note" is a 1937 show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical ''Babes in Arms'', where it was introduced by Wynn Murray. Judy Garland sang it in the Rodgers & Hart biopic '' Words and Music'' (1948). Popular recordings in 1937 were ...

" in the same picture. The film, as well as the musical, included the song " I'm Just Wild About Harry", which was written in 1921 for the Broadway show ''

Shuffle Along ''Shuffle Along'' is a musical composed by Eubie Blake, with lyrics by Noble Sissle, and a book written by the comedy duo Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles. One of the most notable all-Black hit Broadway shows, it was a landmark in African-America ...

'', with lyrics by

Noble Sissle Noble Lee Sissle (July 10, 1889 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer, and playwright, best known for the Broadway musical ''Shuffle Along'' (1921), and its hit song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Ea ...

and music by Eubie Blake. Musical numbers were recorded in

stereophonic sound Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration ...

, but released to theaters with conventional monaural sound. Recent home-video releases feature some of the original stereo recordings.

Reception

Release

The film premiered on October 13, 1939, and became one of the 10 biggest hits of the year. According to MGM records, it earned $2,311,000 in the US and Canada and $1,024,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $1,542,000. On Rotten Tomatoes, ''Babes in Arms'' holds a rating of 90% based on reviews from 40 critics with the consensus: "With all the adorable gumption of its young stars, ''Babes in Arms'' pays thoroughly entertaining tribute to the magic of show business."

Accolades

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards:

Best Actor in a Leading Role Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...

for Mickey Rooney, who was 19 at the time and became the second-youngest Best Actor nominee, and Best Music, Scoring by Roger Edens and

Georgie Stoll Georgie Stoll (born George Martin Stoll; May 7, 1905 – January 18, 1985) was a musical director, conductor, Academy Award-winning composer, and jazz violinist, associated with the Golden Age of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musicals and performers fr ...

Home media

''Babes in Arms'' was released on VHS tape in 1992. It was released on DVD for the first time as part of Warner Bros. five-disc DVD set ''The Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection'' on September 25, 2007. The set contains ''Babes in Arms'', ''

Babes on Broadway ''Babes on Broadway'' is a 1941 American musical film starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland and directed by Busby Berkeley, with Vincente Minnelli directing Garland's big solo numbers. The film, which features Fay Bainter and Virginia Weidler ...

'', '' Girl Crazy'', and '' Strike Up the Band'', as well as a fifth disc containing bonus features on Rooney and Garland.

References

External links

* * * *
''Babes in Arms''
on Screen Guild Theater: November 9, 1941 {{DEFAULTSORT:Babes In Arms (Film) 1939 films 1939 musical films American musical films American black-and-white films Blackface minstrel shows and films 1930s English-language films Films based on musicals Films directed by Busby Berkeley Films produced by Arthur Freed Films scored by Georgie Stoll Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films with screenplays by Noel Langley Films with screenplays by Florence Ryerson Films with screenplays by Edgar Allan Woolf 1930s American films