Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

jacobs-greenwood Filled with Gershwin tunes like "Embraceable You" and "I've Got Rhythm", it stars Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney in one of their many enjoyable pairings. The cast also includes June Allyson (who sings at the beginning, then disappears), TV's Nancy Walker (a humorous role, naturally), Guy Kibbee as Garland's grandfather, and Tommy Dorsey (as himself). This is a fairly good musical with an uncommon setting, out West in the desert with cowboys, but no Indians (well, two, very briefly). Rags Ragland also appears as a significant character in the film; Garland sings him to tears with the melancholy "But Not For Me" near the movie's end.Rooney is playboy who's embarrassed his well-known publisher father for the last time. Father (Henry O'Neill) sends Rooney to a men's college (run by Kibbee's character) in the middle of nowhere to straighten him out. There, he meets Garland, the only woman around these parts, right away. Predictable jokes are played on the "city boy" by the locals and, of course, eventually Rooney wins over Garland. The two then work to "save" the college, whose enrollment is down, with a Wild West Rodeo show and beauty contest. A love interest conflict, the Governor's daughter (Frances Rafferty), for Rooney is introduced to make things interesting until the film ends with the aforementioned show.Irving Bacon appears, uncredited, as the Governor's assistant. Peter Lawford and Don Taylor appear, uncredited, as two of the students.Directed by Norman Taurog (Skippy (1931)), with a screenplay by Fred Finklehoffe (Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)).

tavm This is the second-and more famous-filmed version of George and Ira Gershwin's Girl Crazy that I'm reviewing on this site. This is the Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland version and I loved this when I first saw it nearly 30 years ago and I love it even more now! Especially loved the "Embraceable You" number with Ms. Garland looking so luminous dancing with all those men. Mickey is hilarious, as usual, whether having trouble riding a horse or impersonating announcing a boxing match. Tommy Dorsey also provides some fine entertainment especially during the "Fascinating Rhythm" number with Rooney (supposedly) accompanying on piano. June Allyson does a Betty Hutton-like take on "Treat Me Rough" that's a great contrast to her usual girl-next-door image. In summary, this version of Girl Crazy is so entertaining that-in the words of the final song in the film-"Who could ask for anything more?" P.S. Also loved Rooney's introduction especially when he praises Ms. Garland and John Fricke's commentary especially when he confirms one of the players is indeed Irving Bacon who I've just watched in the first fourteen Blondie movie entries as the constantly bumped into postman!

Michael_Elliott Girl Crazy (1943) *** (out of 4) Playboy Danny Churchill (Mickey Rooney) has one good time too many so his father sends him out West to attend a school that "hasn't seen a girl since the Civil War." Once out there he's tortured by the fact that there's nothing to do but there is one girl (Judy Garland) and he plans on stealing her heart. Believe it or not but this MGM film is actually a remake of a 1932 Wheeler and Woolsey film, which I haven't seen but it's doubtful to be anything like this here. Many consider this to be one of the greatest teamings of Rooney and Garland and I probably wouldn't disagree. This movie pretty much has a little bit of everything from comedy to drama to of course the music, which is the real reason to check the film out. Garland gets to do several classic numbers including But Not For Me, Embraceable You, Biding My Time and Could You Use Me, which is a duet with Rooney. The big number is I've Got Phythm, which comes at the very end of the film and certainly has you leaving the film with a tremendous bang. Apparently original director Berkeley was fired because this sequence went over-budget, which one can look at the scene and see why. The story here is a pretty good one, although I'm sure many will have a hard time seeing Rooney as a playboy. I thought he was just fine in the role and his comic timing really helped things, especially early on including a sequence where he's trying to walk to the college but each new sign keeps repeating that he only has eight more miles to go. There's another very good sequence early on when he meets Garland who is working on her car that has broken down in the street. The scene goes on a lot longer than you'd expect but both actors do a very good job with it and make it quite memorable. Going through these Rooney and Garland movies makes one amazed at how charming they were together. No matter what they were doing it really seemed like they had genuine smiles on their faces and got a real kick out of acting together. Each time they were in a scene I couldn't help but feel that I was watching something real between them. Guy Kibbee, Gil Stratton, Rags Ragland and June Allyson are nice in their roles as is Nancy Walker is a quick comic bit. The film has pretty much everything Musical fans will want and everything is at such a high level that this thing is easy to recommend.

kidboots "Girl Crazy" was a Broadway hit in 1930. It had a superb Gershwin score that produced many standards. It also introduced two new stars - Ginger Rogers sang "But Not For Me" and "Embaceable You", and powerhouse singer Ethel Merman sang "I Got Rhythm". Unfortunately, the first film version was made in 1932, when people were staying away from musicals. The comedy of Wheeler and Woolsey, the stars, was built up at the exclusion of some of the songs.It was up to Busby Berkeley to put things right in this song filled 1943 version that used most of the Broadway score. Danny Churchill (Mickey Rooney) is a carefree playboy, whose headline making antics (he stops the show with June Allyson singing and dancing "Treat Me Rough") cause his father to send him to Cody College to toughen him up. On route he meets Ginger Gray, the postmistress - she is having car trouble. Judy Garland has never looked more radiant. Amazingly this was their 8th pairing and by far their best.Danny brings his "big city" ways to the ranch and puts most of the students off side. At an overnight mountain camp Ginger sings "Bidin' My Time" with a cowboy chorus. Danny decides to quit and wires his father he is coming home. On his way to the station, with Ginger driving he tries to romance her with the delightful "Could You Use Me" - she can't . She then sings a retaliation chorus. It is very entertaining.Danny rethinks his decision and returns for Ginger's birthday. Ginger, looking adorable sings "Embraceable You" while being wheeled around on a baby piano. Dean Armour (Guy Kibbee) gets word that the college is closing due to a fall in enrollments. Ginger and Danny decide to put on a Wild West show to get the school publicity. While trying to see the Governor, to get permission to put on the show, Mickey Rooney goes into a comic routine involving a tennis match, a boxing match and an electric leg (it must have been a riot in 1943!!!).While in town at Marjorie Tait's (Frances Rafferty) birthday party Danny promises most of the girls there that they will be crowned "Queen of the Rodeo" - he also does a wonderful turn at the piano with Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra for a rendition of "Fascinatin' Rhythmn". The contest is between Ginger Gray and Marjorie Tait (the Governor's daughter) who, surprise surprise!!! wins. Ginger is devastated, especially when she sees Marjorie wearing a pendant that she had given Danny for good luck. Ginger sings the plaintive "But Not For Me". They make up for the finale with a rousing routine for "I Got Rhythmn". It is nothing like the Busby Berkeley staged dances for "42nd Street", "Dames" and "Footlight Parade" but as a showcase for the talents of Garland and Rooney it is pretty spectacular.Judy certainly keeps up with Mickey and her acting style had matured heaps since their first pairing. It is wonderful to watch this movie and see her at her peak before her sad life caught up with her.Highly Recommended.