good back-story, and good acting

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

New York fight manager Humphrey Bogart (as Ed Hatch) goes to the Ozarks with his dim-witted wrestler Nat Pendleton (as Joe "Hercules" Skopapolous). Joining Mr. Bogart down South are his squeaky-voiced girlfriend Penny Singleton (as Cookie Shannon) plus wrestling trainers Frank McHugh (as Popeye) and Allen Jenkins (as Shiner). Bogart meets tough lady blacksmith Louise Fazenda (as Sadie Horn) and decides to promote a battle of the sexes for the local hillbillies, pitting Ms. Fazenda against Mr. Pendleton. When the proposed opponents fall in love, Bogart has trouble starting a fight...Fazenda and Pendleton grow on you, while top-billed Bogart oddly becomes an unwelcome presence in his own film; this doesn't happen very often. A few of the hillbilly-flavored soundtrack singers are downright annoying. Looking happy to be acting with the cast, young Ronald Reagan (as Jack Miller) plays a small role. The wrestling match closing puts it over the top as an all-time worst.** Swing Your Lady (1/8/38) Ray Enright ~ Humphrey Bogart, Louise Fazenda, Nat Pendleton, Penny Singleton

Swing Your Lady (1938) * 1/2 (out of 4) Poor Warner comedy has a promoter (Humphrey Bogart) arriving in a small town to try and set up a match for his prized wrestler (Nat Pendleton). The promoter eventually finds him a match in a female blacksmith (Louise Fazenda) but the two fall in love before any wrestling can be done. This film blends romance with comedy and even throws in several musical numbers but when Bogart called this his worst film he wasn't lying. I usually enjoy these "B" movies from Warner but I found this one to be quite poor, which is rather strange considering the talent involved. Yes, Bogart is horribly miscasted but this wasn't the only time in his career that happened. He comes off looking good and I say that because you can tell he's giving it his all even though the material isn't suited for him. Frank McGugh and Allen Jenkins co-star as members of Bogart's troop and these two funnymen can't add any laughs either. Pendleton and Fazenda actually steal the film with their tough romance, which gains a few laughs but not nearly enough to keep the film moving. Director Enright doesn't do a very good job handling the subject matter as the film runs out of steam within the first ten minutes and never picks itself up. By the forty-minute mark I was yawning and the following thirty-two minutes didn't get any better. The whole concept of a man and woman wrestling was something that could have made for a good story but it's just a cheap trick here that doesn't pay off. Look fast for a young Ronald Reagan.

This odd little comedy is perhaps best-known for star Humphrey Bogart's personal put-down as his worst film – and is, therefore, essential viewing for fans! In the same vein, having once suggested that only the 'phonies' liked BEAT THE DEVIL (1953), another film Bogie was disappointed by, I'd venture to say that only Ozarks and yokels will enjoy SWING YOUR LADY...In any case, it's hard to reconcile the fact that the film emerged from Warner Bros., who made such classic 'social conscience' dramas as THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA (1937) and ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES (1938) around this same time! It's certainly embarrassing to watch – containing a lethal combination of interminable musical numbers and equally unbearable cornball folksiness – but the supporting characters (Nat Pendleton, Frank McHugh and Allen Jenkins) and especially the climactic wrestling bout (although the film doesn't go through with its novelty idea of a male/female confrontation!) provide some undeniably amusing moments along the way. Clearly a "B" effort, made quickly and on the cheap (in fact, 6 Bogart films were released in 1938!), the film is one of only a handful of comedies he appeared in – none of them very successful

This film is cute and humorous.There are two reasons that this film is derided by the comments and the ratings.The first is that people believe that Bogart should not have been in it.The second is that it is a hillbilly film.If Bogart had not been in this film the rating would be 3 or 4 points higher.In most cases, an actor who looks out of place when out of his genre is considered to be a bad actor.In this case, since it is Bogart, the film is blamed instead.It is suggested that the acting is poor. It is not.Most of these actors are experienced and their acting is just as good as always.The same actors in other Bogart films are always considered to have give good performances, as they did in this film.The Weavers were not actors but did their hillbilly act for many years.They were in quite a few films and were very popular.My mother saw them in 1951 in Washington D.C. on a class trip.Most people today just believe that they are above hillbilly humor.It is called political correctness.Give this film a shot.Ignore the fact that Bogart is in it and enjoy.