Strike Up the Band (1940)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

John Monks Jr. (screenplay) and
Fred F. Finklehoffe (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

27 September 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

THEIR SUNNIEST, FUNNIEST, DOWN-TO-MIRTHIEST HIT! (original ad - all caps)

Plot:

Jimmy Connors and his girl-friend want to take part in Paul Whiteman's highschool's band contest, but they cannot afford the fare...

Plot Keywords:

Contest | County Fair | Radio Broadcasting | Operation | Broken Arm

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Mickey Rooney	...	James 'Jimmy' Connors
Judy Garland	...	Mary Holden
Paul Whiteman and Orchestra	...	Group Performers
June Preisser	...	Barbara Frances Morgan
William Tracy	...	Philip 'Phil' Turner
Larry Nunn	...	Willie Brewster
Paul Whiteman	...	Paul Whiteman
Margaret Early	...	Annie
Ann Shoemaker	...	Mrs. Jessie Connors
Francis Pierlot	...	Mr. Judd
Virginia Brissac	...	Mrs. May Holden
George Lessey	...	Mr. Morgan
Enid Bennett	...	Mrs. Morgan
Howard C. Hickman	...	Doctor (as Howard Hickman)
Sarah Edwards	...	Miss Hodges, a Teacher
Milton Kibbee	...	Mr. Holden
Helen Jerome Eddy	...	Mrs. Brewster
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Baxley	...	Ice Cream Concessionaire (scenes deleted)
Harlan Briggs	...	Doctor (scenes deleted)
Harry Harvey	...	Shooting Gallery Concessionaire (scenes deleted)
Earle Hodgins	...	Hammer Concessionaire (scenes deleted)
Jack Kenny	...	Hot Dog Concessionaire (scenes deleted)
Harry Lash	...	Hot Dog Concessionaire (scenes deleted)
Jimmie Lucas	...	Barker (scenes deleted)
Margaret McWade	...	Old Lady (scenes deleted)
David Oliver	...	Ferris Wheel Barker (scenes deleted)
Ed Payson	...	Wrestler (scenes deleted)
Margaret Seddon	...	Old Lady (scenes deleted)
Phil Silvers	...	Pitch Man (scenes deleted)
Lowden Adams	...	Morgan's Butler (uncredited)
Jack Albertson	...	Barker (uncredited)
Richard Allen	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Eddie Buzard	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Elliot Carpenter	...	Henry, the Train Porter (uncredited)
Don Castle	...	Charlie (uncredited)
Maxine Cook	...	Girl (uncredited)
Vondell Darr	...	Indian Love Lyrics Student (uncredited)
Joe Devlin	...	3 Balls 10¢ Attendant (uncredited)
Mary Jo Ellis	...	Student (uncredited)
Roland Got	...	Morgan's House Boy (uncredited)
Lois James	...	Student (uncredited)
Louise La Planche	...	Student (uncredited)
Linda Leighton	...	Student (uncredited)
Lois Lindsay	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Margaret Marquis	...	'Antony and Cleopatra' Girl (uncredited)
Mickey Martin	...	Boy (uncredited)
Harry McCrillis	...	Booper Martin, Tuba Player (uncredited)
Sidney Miller	...	Sid, a Student (uncredited)
Jack Mulhall	...	Man Phoning in Constest Winner (uncredited)
Wallace Musselwhite	...	Student (uncredited)
Sherrie Overton	...	'Romeo and Juliet' Girl (uncredited)
Dick Paxton	...	Dick, Second Trumpet Player (uncredited)
Naida Reynolds	...	Student (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore	...	Mr. Mollison (uncredited)
Virginia Sale	...	Music Teacher (uncredited)
Helen Seamon	...	Student (uncredited)
Charles Smith	...	Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' Boy (uncredited)
Myron Speth	...	Student (uncredited)
Leonard Sues	...	Leonard, Trumpet Player (uncredited)
Victoria Vinton	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Clown (uncredited)
Douglas Wilson	...	Student (uncredited)
Joe Yule	...	Ticket Seller at Fair (uncredited)

Directed by
Busby Berkeley

Writing credits
John Monks Jr.		(screenplay) and
Fred F. Finklehoffe		(screenplay) (as Fred Finklehoffe)
Kay Van Riper		contributor to treatment and dialogue (uncredited) and
Herbert Fields		uncredited

Produced by
Arthur Freed	....	producer

Original Music by
Leo Arnaud		(uncredited)
George Stoll		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ray June

Film Editing by
Ben Lewis

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Charles Stallings	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Ryan	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
John S. Detlie	....	associate art director
Henry Rox	....	designer: fruit models

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Animation Department
George Pal	....	animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gile Steele	....	wardrobe: men
Dolly Tree	....	wardrobe: women

Music Department
Leo Arnaud	....	orchestrator
Leo Arnaud	....	vocal arranger
Merrill Pye	....	musical presentation
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator
Conrad Salinger	....	vocal arranger
George Stoll	....	musical director (as Georgie Stoll)
George Bassman	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Vincente Minnelli	....	idea: animated fruit orchestra (uncredited)
Robert Van Eps	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Loew's
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #6367)

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

A tearjerker dating back to 1913, "The Curse of an Aching Heart" (music by Al Piantadosi, lyrics by Henry Fink), intended for Judy Garland in the "Nell of New Rochelle" sequence, was cut from the release print. Miss Garland's prerecording is featured on "Mickey & Judy," a CD box set from Rhino.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Jimmy Conners claims to have gone to Chicago for the World Series three years before. The World Series is always played at the home stadiums of the competing teams and the 1937 series was between the New York Yankees and the New York Giants. The 1938 World Series was indeed between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees, but that would have been only two years before the film was released.

Quotes:

Paul Whiteman: Take that boy on the street. Teach him to blow a horn and he'll never blow a safe.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Alice: Alice Strikes Up the Band (#5.18)" (1981)

Soundtrack:

Our Love Affair

Cute Mickey-Judy musical

The musical numbers make this film. "Our Love Affair" is delightful, as is the scene where a bowl of fruit is turned into an orchestra. The first time I saw that scene, even in the year 1999, I thought it was marvelous. Computer animation can't compare. All of the other numerous musical numbers in this film are very fun to watch. One of my favorite things about this film, though, is Judy Garland. You have to love her. I love the song "Nobody" in this movie, with Judy singing of famous pairs in history, and then singing, "but I ain't got nobody". Take this film for what it is, wonderful musical numbers with Mickey and Judy!