''I'll Get By'' is a 1950 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serv ...

directed by Richard Sale, and starring

June Haver June Haver (born Beverly June Stovenour; June 10, 1926 – July 4, 2005) was an American film actress, singer and dancer. Once groomed by 20th Century Fox to be "the next Betty Grable," Haver appeared in a string of Musical film, musicals, but sh ...

Gloria DeHaven Gloria Mildred DeHaven (July 23, 1925 – July 30, 2016) was an American actress and singer who was a contract star for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Early life DeHaven was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of actor-director Carter De ...

and

William Lundigan William Paul Lundigan (June 12, 1914 – December 20, 1975) was an American film actor. His more than 125 films include ''Dodge City (film), Dodge City'' (1939), ''The Fighting 69th'' (1940), ''The Sea Hawk (1940 film), The Sea Hawk'' (1940), ' ...

. This story follows themes explored in 1940's ''

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally ...

'', with updated characters and music. The plot revolves around songwriters and their struggles in the music industry.

Plot

Song plugger Bill Spencer runs into Liza Martin, literally. He slams a door into her accidentally while rushing to bring a new recording to Peter Pepper, an influential New York disc jockey. The record breaks. After he is fired, Bill opens his own music publishing business. He hires a secretary, Miss Murphy, and gains a partner in Freddy Lee, a young man from Texas, with whom he peddles a song that piano player Chester Dooley has written. They hear the singer Terry Martin is performing with trumpeter Harry James at a club, so they go there to pitch the song to her. Terry's sister is also in the act; she is Liza, the girl Bill once awkwardly met. Freddy annoys Terry but the girls like the song, "I'll Get By," and agree to record it. Before long, it and they become huge successes. But, before a benefit in Hollywood, when the actress Jeanne Crain asks to perform the song, Bill says no because he promised it to Liza, but behind his back, Freddy agrees to let the actress have it. A furious Liza leaves Bill and refuses to listen to his attempts to explain. The boys are drafted into the Marines, and when they report to a San Diego base, they run into Miss Murphy, who is now stationed there as an officer. After the boys ship out for duty, Miss Murphy goes out of her way to explain to Liza and Terry what happened with the song. The girls go on a USO show tour to the South Pacific where the guys have been sent, and all are reunited.

Cast

as Liza Martin *

as William Spencer *

as Terry Martin *

Dennis Day Dennis Day (born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty; May 21, 1916 – June 22, 1988) was an American actor, comedian and singer. He was of Irish descent. Early life Day was born and raised in the Throggs Neck Clason Point section of Bronx in New Yor ...

as Freddy Lee *

Thelma Ritter Thelma Ritter (February 14, 1902 – February 5, 1969) was an American character actor, character actress who, known for her strong New York City English, New York City accent, diminutive size, and plain look, favored working-class roles. She ear ...

as Miss Murphy *

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band to great commercial success from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947, but ...

as Harry James (himself) *

Jeanne Crain Jeanne Elizabeth Crain (May 25, 1925 – December 14, 2003) was an American actress. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her title role in ''Pinky (film), Pinky'' (1949). She also starred in the films ''In the Meantime, Da ...

as Jeanne Crain (herself) *

Steve Allen Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television and radio personality, comedian, musician, composer, writer, and actor. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-creator and ...

as Peter Pepper *

Harry Antrim Harry Antrim (August 27, 1884 – January 18, 1967) was an American stage, film and television actor. Biography Antrim was born on August 27, 1884, in Chicago, Illinois. By 1906, he was working in vaudeville. During the early 1930s, he mov ...

as Mr. Olinville * Danny Davenport as Chester Dooley *

Dan Dailey Daniel James Dailey Jr. (December 14, 1915 – October 16, 1978) was an American actor and dancer. He is best remembered for a series of popular musicals he made at 20th Century Fox such as '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947). Biography Early life D ...

as Pvt. Dan Dailey (himself)

Awards

Lionel Newman Lionel Newman (January 4, 1916 – February 3, 1989) was an American conductor, pianist, and film and television composer. He won the Academy Award for Best Score of a Musical Picture for '' Hello Dolly!'' with Lennie Hayton in 1969. He ...

received a nomination for the 1951

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

in the category of Best Music, Scoring for this film.

References

External links

* * 1950 films 1950 musical comedy films 1950 romantic comedy films American romantic musical films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films 20th Century Fox films Films directed by Richard Sale Films scored by Lionel Newman 1950s romantic musical films Films produced by William Perlberg 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language romantic comedy films English-language romantic musical films English-language musical comedy films {{romantic-musical-film-stub