Such a frustrating disappointment

Absolutely Fantastic

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Copyright 1 September 1937 by Grand National Films, Inc. New York opening at the Globe: 20 September 1937. U.S. release: 19 November 1937 (sic). No record of any Australian theatrical release. Correct running time is 93 minutes, not 84 minutes or even 90 minutes as some reference books have it.1947 Screencraft Pictures re-issue title: BATTLING HOOFER.SYNOPSIS: New York bandleader takes a Hollywood screen test.NOTES: Bakaleinkoff and Schertzinger were nominated for Best Score, losing to "One Hundred Men and a Girl."COMMENT: A light but entertaining Hollywood satire, "Something To Sing About" has a reputation as an inferior Cagney vehicle that is almost wholly untrue. It's often alleged for example that the sets are strictly Poverty Row, but in point of fact production values are not only extremely lavish with lots of extras milling about, but the sets themselves are both vast yet artistically pleasing and even imaginative. Schertzinger's direction is reasonably stylish and manages to get plenty of pace and mileage out of a fairly simple and straightforward story that uses the same paltry telephone device as an earlier 1937 release "Swing High, Swing Low" — but on this occasion to more entertaining effect.Aside from the lightweight script, the only technical problem in the print under review is at some stages, particularly Miss Daw's numbers, muffled sound recording. Otherwise this Grand National effort is as glossy and polished as any major studio production. A grand support cast too including Gene Lockhart as the sneaky, thoroughly untrustworthy studio chief whose word is just so much window- dressing (a jibe at Jack L. Warner whom Cagney was then suing for breach of a verbal agreement which Warner denied ever having made despite the testimony to the contrary of several witnesses), William Frawley as the typical publicity flack, Philip Ahn in a nice part in which he is given the opportunity to use his distinctive voice to great advantage, Richard Tucker as the dapper, quietly spoken, gentlemanly director (William Keighley?), and Eddie Kane as the theater manager who rescues Cagney from his too-adoring fans.Heroine Evelyn Daw gives a good account of herself too, both musically and dramatically, and more than holds her own in the looks department with Mona Barrie, but this seems to be her only film.Although Cagney doesn't do any singing in this one, it's good to see him don dancing shoes for two or three numbers. True, the songs themselves are pleasantly unmemorable, but Cagney dancing — now that's a joy forever.

On paper - it was made by Grand National, a Poverty Row outfit, the female lead made only two movies before calling it a day - this doesn't have too much going for it, unless you throw in Jimmy Cagney as leading man and hyphenate Victor Schertzinger as director/composer. It was made in 1937 which makes it roughly contemporaneous with both Stand-In and A Star Is Born, two other films that took swipes at Hollywood. Cagney is reasonably effective as a band-leader in the East who is tapped by Hollywood and goes to the coast to make a movie. Evelyn Daw, who made only one other picture the following year, is the singer with the band albeit not too convincing as she was an opera singer rather than a band vocalist. Nevertheless Cagney marries her and then finds out that a clause in his contract prevents him from marrying. YEAH, that old chestnut. It is, on the whole, reasonably entertaining and Schertzinger's score is pleasant if not exactly the stuff that Standards are made of.

The main plot of this film is fairly entertaining and it hooked me--even though the material seemed awfully familiar. Band leader Jimmy Cagney goes to Hollywood to do a screen test and he becomes a star. The film is filled with interesting behind the scenes intrigue and studio business and is in some ways reminiscent of a light-weight version of A STAR IS BORN and other "behind the scenes" movies. In addition, how the studio head (Gene Lockhart) and publicity agent (William Frawley) schemed is pretty funny and diverting. These two men plus Cagney did a lovely job despite having rather limp support from the rest of the cast.Unfortunately, despite the nice but familiar plot, the film was also chock full of tedious songs. While Cagney's dance numbers weren't bad (what he lacked in grace he made up for in energy), his co-star (Evelyn Daw) sang in a style that was like an amalgam of opera and big band music--something that I disliked intensely. Had she only sang one or two numbers, this might not have been so bad, but she seemed to sing and sing and sing--when all the audience really wanted was more of Cagney and his nice, easy-going personality.Worth seeing for Cagney fans, but definitely one of his lesser films.

JAMES CAGNEY was having contract problems at Warner Bros. when he went out on his own and did this little musical for Grand National, which--unfortunately--flopped at the box-office. It's the kind of musical with a Hollywood background that pokes fun at the film colony and its star-making machinery (a la SINGIN' IN THE RAIN), and gives Cagney a chance to shine as a hoofer.Cagney is Ted Rooney, a bandleader who bids farewell to his band and his fiancé (EVELYN LAW) to take temporary leave for a film when Hollywood beckons. WILLIAM FRAWLEY is the publicity agent who meets him at the station with a bevy of Hollywood cuties to snap photographs of his arrival. GENE LOCKHART is the overbearing studio mogol who calls his make-up men to give their opinion of how to prepare him for photography. A vocal coach with a heavy accent is brought in to teach Cagney how to speak. And so it goes. It never misses a chance to spoof the Hollywood star-making machinery and phoniness.When Rooney's picture is a smash hit, the studio can't find him. He's fled Hollywood to join his sweetheart and they embark on a cruise ship where Cagney is part of the oddly amusing entertainment. You know it won't be long before Hollywood catches up with him in time for a happy ending.It's strictly fluff but Cagney gives a solid comedy/musical performance, coasting along nicely in his role despite some shaky support from Evelyn Law, a young lady who appears to be an inexperienced actress with a singing voice not suitable for the swing band music that Cagney indulges in. She's a big drawback in a film that needs a good partner for Cagney in the love interest department.Summing up: Trivial, predictable musical comedy which should at least interest Cagney fans but it's easy to see why it failed to please at the box-office.