Strike Up the Band (1940)

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

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

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

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:

The 1930 Broadway production of "Strike Up the Band", with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, had no relation to the story of this film. That was a political satire that had trouble getting to Broadway, and when it did, it had only a short run of 191 performances. However, the title song became very popular and is included in this film.

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:

Spoofed in "Neighbours: Strife Up the Band (#1.4994)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Walking Down Broadway

American dreaming

I can't help it, I love Mickey and Judy, and this is their best film together. It has fun songs ("Our Love Affair" and "Do the La Conga" especially), good Busby Berkeley productions (both the aforementioned, especially the fruit-as-orchestra dream sequence!), but more importantly, it perfectly evokes the ideal small middle-American town, complete with understanding mothers and principals, swell fellas and gals, and a comforting everything's going to be just fine feeling. I can't help yearning for this never-never land of rebellious but polite youths and understanding old-timers!