Main Cast: Phil Regan, Leo Carrillo, Ann Dvorak, Tamara Geva, James Gleason
Release Year: 1937
Country: US
Run Time: 89 minutes
Plot
In this musical comedy, a crooked record producer uses his mob connections to force performers to do their stuff. The trouble really begins when the gangster's strong-arm tactics nearly cause a singer to lose his fiancée. A wide variety of entertainers appear including cowboy crooner Gene Autry, baseball hero Joe DiMaggio, and big band stars Cab Calloway, Ted Lewis, and the Kay Thompson Singers. Songs include "Mamma I Wanna Make Rhythm," "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round," "Heaven?," "I Owe You," and "It's Round-up Time in Reno." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round is a silly little trifle, but for those in an undemanding mood, it's kind of fun. Forget about the plot. It's there, and it actually is a little stronger than the plots of other movies which were really musical revues but were afraid to admit it; but Manhattan's plot is not what makes it worth watching. It's the specialties, the musical and other acts that are peppered throughout the film. For oddity, there's the sight of Joe DiMaggio warbling a little before recounting a story about his sterling baseball career. On a more engaging note, there's the unique Kay Thompson in one of her rare screen appearances, lending her special magic to "I Owe You" and "All Over Nothing at All," and the always-entertaining Cab Calloway hi-de-ho-ing through "Mama, I Want to Make Rhythm." Fans of Ted Lewis will find him in a couple of numbers, and star Phil Regan's smooth crooning is heard to good effect throughout the film -- once in conjunction with cowboy star Gene Autry. Regan also acquits himself quite nicely in the "plot" portions of the film, as does a sweet Ann Dvorak. Tamara Geva enlivens things with her diva routine, James Gleason is an interesting ladies' man/gangster and Leo Carrillo does the best he can with his one-note character. The direction is a bit iffy at times, the numbers are shot in a static manner, and the script is so much nonsense -- but you just watch it for the acts, you'll do fine. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Charles "Chuck" Riesner - Director, Ernest Nims - Editor, Murray Seldeen - Editor, Alberto Colombo - Musical Direction/Supervision, John Victor Mackay - Production Designer, Jack A. Marta - Cinematographer, Harry Sauber - Producer, Harry Sauber - Screenwriter
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round was a NBC musical variety radio program of the 1930s produced by Frank and Anne Hummert. Sponsored by Dr. Lyons Tooth Powder, the radio series was adapted by Frank Hummert and producer Harry Sauber into a 1937 musical comedy feature film.
The program simulated visits to New York night clubs. In a format slightly similar to Your Hit Parade, the top tunes of the week (a ranking based on the sales figures for records and sheet music) were performed by the orchestras of Andy Sannella and Victor Arden, with a line-up of vocalists that included Barry Roberts, Glenn Cross, Marian McManus and Thomas L. Thomas. The announcers were Ford Bond and Roger Krupp. The director was Paul Dumont.
The program began November 6, 1932 on the NBC Blue Network, broadcast at 3:30pm on Sunday afternoons, until April 9, 1933 when it moved to the Red Network, airing Sunday evenings at 9pm when it was heard in the same hour as the Hummerts' other music program, The American Album of Familiar Music.
