Main Cast: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, June Preisser, William Tracy
Release Year: 1940
Country: US
Run Time: 120 minutes
Plot
Hey, gang! Let's put on a swell show and call it Strike Up the Band! Yes, it's the irrepressible Mickey Rooney, teamed up again with Judy Garland to show the grownups how to do things right. This time, Rooney wants to organize a high-school band. He hopes to enter a competition being held in Chicago by the great orchestra leader Paul Whiteman; all he needs is two hundred dollars for train fare. To raise the money, Rooney, Garland and company stage a student "mellerdrammer" that in real life would have cost the equivalent of a third-world-nation annual budget. They get the dough, but soft-hearted Rooney turns over the money to the mother of student musician Larry Nunn, who is in desperate need of emergency surgery. It looks hopeless until, luck of luck, Paul Whiteman arrives in Rooney's town. The original George and Ira Gershwin Broadway musical Strike Up the Band was a satire of warfare, with America declaring war on Switzerland in order to corner the chocolate industry. You'll see none of that subversive stuff in this MGM musical; instead, we are treated to such highlights as a George Pal animated sequence involving dancing fruit. It ain't profound, but Strike Up the Band is sure entertaining. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The only connection Strike Up the Band has with the stage musical from which it is drawn is the glorious George and Ira Gershwin title tune. The movie is saddled with a typical "let's put on a show" plot, although for variety this time it's a show involving an orchestra. The dialogue runs exactly as you expect it to, but it still has a certain naïve charm that makes it fun, and the "Nell of New Rochelle" melodrama is amusing. The real reason for seeing Band, of course, is the stars. Mickey Rooney gives a quintessential Mickey Rooney performance, which means that some will love it and some will hate it. He's energetic and effervescent, especially in the "Drummer Boy" sequence; if ever a performer gave everything to his work, it's Rooney. But he also has some gentle, more subdued moments, and his duet with Judy Garland on "Our Love Affair" is charming. Garland is in great form and voice, singing the blazes out of "Nobody" and "The La Conga." Director Busby Berkeley works some of his military marching magic on the title tune and shoots "The La Conga" from just about every angle possible. Most impressive, however, is the bizarre but fascinating sequence in which a symphony orchestra is created from a table full of fruit. Band would be followed soon after by another Rooney-Garland-Berkeley effort, Babes on Broadway. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Cedric Gibbons - Art Director, John S. Detlie - Art Director, Gile Steele - Costume Designer, Dolly Tree - Costume Designer, Busby Berkeley - Director, Ben Lewis - Editor, Roger Edens - Composer (Music Score), George Stoll - Composer (Music Score), George Stoll - Musical Direction/Supervision, Jack Dawn - Makeup, Ray June - Cinematographer, Arthur Freed - Producer, Edwin B. Willis - Set Designer, Fred F. Finklehoffe - Screenwriter, John Monks, Jr. - Screenwriter
A very famous, memorable quote from the film is "Take that boy on the street. Teach him to blow a horn and he'll never blow a safe.", spoken by Paul Whiteman.
As well as being commercially released as a VHS in its own right, it was also released on 25 September 2005 by Warner Home Video in a film package entitled: The Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection. This collection included the films Babes in Arms, Babes on Broadway, Girl Crazy and Strike Up the Band. [1]
The original taglines for the film were: "THEIR SUNNIEST, FUNNIEST, DOWN-TO-MIRTHIEST HIT!, IT BEATS THE BAND!, Melodious with WHITEMAN'S BAND and The merriest pair on the screen in a great new musical show!
The film is known by a variety of dffreent names all around the world, including Armonías de juventud in Spain, En avant la musique in Belgium (dubbed version) (French title), Heiße Rhythmen in Chicago in Germany, Me jazzikuninkaat in Finland, Musica indiavolata in Italy, Vi jazzkonger in Denmark and Vi jazzkungar in Sweden.
Sung by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, and chorus in the finale
"Our Love Affair"
(1939)
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics Arthur Freed
Played during the opening and end credits
Played on piano by Mickey Rooney and sung by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney with orchestral accompaniment
Reprised by the animated fruit orchestra
Reprised by the band at rehearsal and at the dance
Reprised by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney in the finale
Played as background music often
"Do the La Conga"
(1939)
Music and Lyrics by Roger Edens
Performed by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Sidney Miller,
William Tracy and chorus at the dance
Reprised by the cast in the finale
"Nobody"
(1939)
Music and Lyrics by Roger Edens
Sung by Judy Garland
"Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played as background music at the start of the fair sequence
"The Gay Nineties"
Music and Lyrics by Roger Edens
Performed by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, William Tracy,
Margaret Early and chorus at the Elks Club show
"Nell of New Rochelle"
(1939)
Music and Lyrics by Roger Edens
Performed by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and chorus in the Elks club show
"Sidewalks of New York"
(1894) (uncredited)
Music by Charles Lawlor
A few notes played at the start of the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
"Walking Down Broadway"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Music Arranged by Roger Edens
Sung by the chorus in the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
"A Man Was the Cause of It All"
(1939)
Music and Lyrics by Roger Edens
Sung by Judy Garland in the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
"After the Ball"
(1892) (uncredited)
Music by Charles Harris
Played as dance music in the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
"Sobre las olas (Over the Waves)"
(1887) (uncredited)
Music by Juventino Rosas
Played as background music in the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
"Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl"
(1909) (uncredited)
Music by A. Baldwin Sloane
Lyrics by Edgar Smith
Sung by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and chorus in the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
"Home, Sweet Home"
(1823) (uncredited)
Music by H.R. Bishop
Played as background music when Nell rocks the cradle
"Ta-ra-ra Boom-der-é"
(1891) (uncredited)
Written by Henry J. Sayers
Danced to and sung by June Preisser and sung by the chorus in the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
Reprised in the finale of the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
"Come Home, Father"
(1864) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Henry Clay Work (1864)
Sung by Larry Nunn and Judy Garland in the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence
"The Light Cavalry Overture"
(uncredited)
Music by Franz von Suppé
Played in the 'Nell of New Rochelle' sequence several times
"Rock-a-Bye Baby"
(1886) (uncredited)
Music by Effie I. Canning
Played as background music when Willie is told to go home
"Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Girl)?"
(uncredited)
Music by Ray Henderson
Played as background music when Jimmy and Barbara wait for her parents
"When Day is Done"
(uncredited)
Music by Robert Katscher
Opening number played by Paul Whiteman and Orchestra at Barbara's party
"Wonderful One"
(uncredited)
Music by Paul Whiteman and Ferde Grofé Sr.
Played as dance music by Paul Whiteman and Orchestra at Barbara's party
"Drummer Boy"
(1939)
Music by Roger Edens
Lyrics by Roger Edens and Arthur Freed
Performed at Barbara's party by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney (on drums and vibraphone) and other band members
Reprised by the cast in the finale
"China Boy"
(uncredited)
Written by Dick Winfree and Phil Boutelje
Played as background music during the travel and contest montage
"Hands Across the Table"
(1934) (uncredited)
Music by Jean Delettre
Played as background music during the travel and contest montage
"Limehouse Blues"
(1922) (uncredited)
Music by Philip Braham
Played as background music during the travel and contest montage
"Tiger Rag"
(1918) (uncredited)
Written by Edwin B. Edwards, Nick LaRocca, Tony Sbarbaro, Henry Ragas and Larry Shields
Played as background music during the travel and contest montage
"Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean"
(1843) (uncredited)
Music Arranged by Thomas A. Beckett
Played as background music when the flag is raised at the end
Awards
In 1941, the year after the film was released, the movie was nominated for various Academy Awards. Douglas Shearer (M-G-M SSD) won an Oscar for Best Sound, Recording and Roger Edens and George Stoll were nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Music, Original Song for the song "Our Love Affair". George Stoll and Roger Edens were also nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Music, Score.
Film Connections
The film is referenced in:
The Big Store (1941) - Seen on Marquee opposite store, without the names of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland and
"The Odd Couple: Strike Up the Band or Else (#5.6)" (1974) - Movie title used in title
"Alice: Alice Strikes Up the Band (#5.18)" (1981) - title reference
Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001) (TV)
"Jimmy Connors is a hot-shot drummer for his desultory high school band, with his "pal" Mary Holden a singer who dreams of snagging Jimmy for her own. When Jimmy learns that the band is in debt, he suggests to the principal, Mr. Judd (Francis Pierlot) that they disband the brass band, and create a modern dance orchestra, so they can throw a dance to pay off the debt. When he learns that the famous band leader, Paul Whiteman (himself) is sponsoring a contest in Chicago for the best high school musical group, Jimmy becomes obsessed with going. Unfortunately, he has to come up with the dough to get to Chicago.
Complications arise for Jimmy and Mary when rich, beautiful new student Barbara Frances Morgan (June Preisser) arrives. Jimmy, unable to resist her charms, allows her to buffalo him into going to the fair with her, hurting Mary's feelings. An idea to put on a show for the local Elks seems like the best way to raise the money to go to Chicago, but they're still short - which a loan from Paul Whiteman (in a meeting arranged by Barbara's father) helps eliminate. However, Jimmy and Mary decide to give the money up so that Willie (William Tracy), the young kid who has a crush on Mary, can get his badly broken and infected arm fixed - an arm he injured when performing in Jimmy's turn-of-the-century morality play. Will the band make it to Chicago, and win the Paul Whiteman talent contest, and will Mary and Jimmy stay together?
Much, much too long (and evidently, it was trimmed quite a bit before its final running time of two hours), Strike Up the Band eliminates much of the "realistic" grounding (if you will) of the Babes in Arms story, and ups the fantasy elements. Drama is strictly relegated to Mickey and Judy's romance (certainly canny considering they were bona fide movie idols at this point), and to Mickey's subplot with his mother, and her wish (and his dead father's wish) for him to become a doctor. Containing one of those quintessential, heartbreaking L.B. Mayer "mother and son" scenes that the mogul was found of, Jimmy tries to convince her that making music is just as valuable as being a doctor. She doesn't buy it, and guilts him into acquiescing, but through his defeat, she sees he really believes in becoming a musician, and gives her blessing. I know a scene like this plays like corn today, but I would imagine there are still quite a few kids who act out scenes like this even today; it's an inherently honest moment, made schmaltzy by the "M-G-M treatment," but certainly one that audiences at the time appreciated.
Mickey and Judy's romance dynamics are lifted right out of Babes in Arms, with Judy coming up short against a more glamorous, not to mention richer, blonde honey. And in keeping with tradition, Mickey has to be a jerk and break Judy's heart (as well as almost let down all of the kids by accepting a job to drum professionally in Chicago) before he can redeem himself in her eyes. Sure, the mechanics of this love triangle are patently phony (Barbara's father comes through with the money even though Mickey hasn't any intention of dating her?), but the notion that a young teen, faced with life-changing choices - and coming off as largely self-centered in the bargain until his admittedly arbitrary redemption - didn't seem all that inaccurate to me.
Of course, all of this is just window dressing in between the songs (and at times quite fanciful window dressing, including an altruistic Paul Whiteman throwing out fifty bucks to unknown stranger Jimmy), and several production numbers are standouts here, including the fantastic Do the La Conga. Filmed in a frenzied yet controlled fashion by director Busby Berkeley's peripatetic camera, it's a rather startling look at American youth almost preternaturally healthy and happy (and free of war, unlike many other parts of the world at this time). Yet by the grand finale, war is obviously on everyone's mind, with Mickey in uniform and the Stars and Stripes waving. But like any coach will tell you, to be a winner you've got to feel like a winner, and the overwhelming effect of Strike Up the Band's finale is to reassure the audience that America has absolutely nothing to fear when war inevitably reaches our shores. Mickey and Judy, smiling triumphantly as they march along the white steps, foster an unassailable image of American health, wealth, and can-do spirit. Of course the reality of WWII for millions of boys and girls like Mickey and Judy was quite different, but again, Mayer wasn't selling documentaries. This is American salesmanship at its most uplifting and technically proficient; no wonder there were widespread reports of cheering in movie theatres during this finale."
Daily Variety:
"While all the young principals do themselves proud, Garland particularly achieves rank as one of the screen's great personalities. Here she is for the first time in the full bloom and charm which is beyond childhood, as versatile in acting as she is excellent in song - a striking figure and a most oomphy one in the wild abandon of the La Conga."
Movie and Radio Guide, 1940:
"The La Conga danced by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in Strike Up the Band is nothing less than sensational. For that reason, Movie and Radio Guide hereby christens the number 'The Roogaronga.' This title is a combination of the first three letters of Mickey's and Judy's last names, to which has been added the identifying dance classification."
Variety, September 18, 1940:
"Strike Up the Band is Metro's successor to 'Babes in Arms,' with Mickey Rooney, assisted by major trouping on the part of Judy Garland ... Picture is overall smacko entertainment ... and Mickey Rooney teamed with Judy Garland is a wealth of effective entertainment."
