Powerful

Boring

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

I recently discovered a slew of Betty Hutton movies on YouTube-some of which, I guess, are in the public domain-so I'm now reviewing those I managed to find there in chronological order. In this one, she's one of the grown Angel sisters of which the others are Dorothy Lamour, Diana Lynn, and Mimi Chandler. They form a singing act though both Ms. Lamour and Ms. Hutton have solo turns as well. Fred MacMurray is the slick bandleader who's not very honest though he is fun especially when he pretend woos Betty and truly woos Dorothy. Mostly funny screenplay by Melvin Frank & Norman Panama and entertaining songs by James Van Heusen & Johnny Burke. Hutton has most of the funny lines and scenes but everyone gets to shine. So on that note, And the Angels Sing is highly recommended. P.S. Since I always like to cite when players from my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life-are in something else, here, it's Frank Faylen-Ernie Bishop the taxi driver in that one-playing a guy Ms. Lamour mocks when she talks to him in his Brooklynese accent. Also, Frank Albertson-Sam Wainwright in IAWL-plays Dorothy's initial boyfriend Oliver in the beginning scenes.

AND THE ANGELS SING is a utterly entertaining comedy/musical starring Dorothy Lamour and Fred MacMurray with rising young actresses Betty Hutton and Diana Lynn in featured roles. This movie doesn't have much of a reputation thanks to the fact it curiously has been seldom seen in recent decades. It has never aired on any major national cable channel to my knowledge yet it was a major Paramount film and a big hit at the time.Lamour and Hutton are the main attractions in a sister singing quartet who get the shaft from sneaky band leader Fred MacMurray. Eventually Betty pursues Fred - and Fred pursues Dorothy. The songs in this film are sensational - Lamour croons the lovely "It Could Happen to You", Hutton stops the show with the outrageous "My Rocking Horse Ran Away", and the sister act sings a lot of songs in best Andrew Sisters harmony including the very charming "The First Hundred Years" and the sassy "Knocking On Your Own Front Door".Too bad TCM didn't get this for their retrospective on Hutton films a few years ago - it's one of her best even if she does play second fiddle to Lamour (though she holds her own). And Dorothy Lamour gives one of her best performances, she can handle comedy and music with equal ease and of course is one of the best lookers ever in movies as icing on the cake.

When this picture came out in 1944, I saw the previews. I was about 12 at the time. The previews showed the three girls being spanked -- which REALLY lit me up.However, in the week between seeing the trailer -- and when the flick actually played at my friendly neighborhood theater -- I'd goofed up at home. I don't remember what "rock" I may have pulled -- but, it was enough to get me grounded for a week. And I MISSED seeing the movie.For -- literally -- SIXTY YEARS, I looked for this movie. FINALLY found it on e-Bay a couple years ago. Paid the well-known arm and a leg for it. First VHS copy I got didn't play. I was CONVINCED that I'd NEVER see the picture. That the fates had DECREED that I'd remained frustrated! Fortunately, the guy sent me one I could view.Found out that there was MUCH more to the flick than the triple-spanking (which, doggone it, didn't last long enough.) For instance, one of my all-time favorite songs -- over the years -- has been "It Could Happen To You". I'd not been aware of the fact that it came from this movie. Not till Dorothy Lamour began singing it to Fred McMurray.I LOVE Diana Lynn! I'd sit and simply LOOK at a picture of hers. The cover of the "Piano Moods" album she made with Paul Weston's orchestra -- in the late-forties -- is, to my way of thinking, the most beautiful one ever made.This was a GREAT movie. Was glad I'd finally tracked it down.

I stumbled across this on late night TV and found myself laughing...a lot. A shining example of the uplifting wartime movie genre. Diana Lynn and Betty Hutton are great. All have perfect comedic timing proving ensemble cast concept is a timeless strategy. The lamb stew gag became a standing joke for along time amongst my crowd for years.