Author Archive: Retro

Ted Gregory is trying to be the first black producer to mount a show on Broadway, but he has trouble with his star singer.

Henny, talent scout for the Margaret Ames Film Agency in Hollywood, mistakes Judy and Marian, the understudies, for Eileen and Betty, the real stars of a Broadway show and signs them up for movies. Margaret, furious with Henny for the blunder, fires him—but only temporarily. Another agent, Marty Allen, once married to and still in love with Margaret, signs Betty and Eileen. Henny arrives with Judy and Marian, and the nightclub manager asks Henny to emcee the show. Though he is not sure himself what they can do, Henny introduces the girls and they make a hit in a dramatic sketch. (Simmer down, it’s just a Monogram movie, and their nightclub attendees can react anyway director Phil Karlstein/Karlson wants them to.) Big-time movie producer R. J. signs them to a film contract. So, what does this have to do with the title, “A WAVE, a WAC and a Marine”? Because Judy joins the WAVES, Marian [...]

Musicians enlist to put on shows for the troops, but they end up fighting instead. Songs include: “Zip Your Lip”, “I Must Have Priorities on Your Love”, “Don’t Fool Around with My Heart”, “The Yanks are Coming”, and “There Will Be No Blackout of Democracy”. Dir. Alexis Thurn-Taxis

Con man makes his money by promoting phony charity shows, then running off with the money, but his assistant catches on and tries to stop him before he can rip off an orphanage. Songs include: “Tequila”, “I’m Just a Weakie”, “What Fools These Mortals Be”, & “When A Fella’s Got a Girl”. Dir. Lew Landers

Jane Colwell, an associate professor at an agricultural college, thinks that a trained mule she has been working with needs a rest and takes him to her farm. There she finds a film company shooting on location. After many complications, the mule is featured in the film, and Jane wins the heart of Mike Burton, the film’s producer.

Powell & Astaire are a brother/sister dance team who each find romance while performing in London. Contains Astaire’s famous “tap-dancing on the ceiling” routine. Songs include: “Too Late Now”, “Open Your Eyes”, “I Left My Hat in Haiti”, & more. Dir. Stanley Donen

Gangsters take over a record company, using strong-arm tactics to acquire contracts with various singing acts. Songs include: “Mamma I Wanna Make Rhythm”, “Manhattan Merry-Go-Round”, “Heaven?”, “I Owe You”, & “It’s Round-up Time in Reno”. Dir. Charles Reisner

Ambitious girl won’t let anything get in the way of a musical career, until she falls in love. Dir. Wallace Fox

Many live performances highlight this biography of the famous battling, bandleading brothers. Songs include: “Green Eyes”, “Everybody’s Doin’ It”, “Marie”, & “I’ll Never Say Never Again.” Dir. Alfred E. Green