Author Archive: Retro

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

Robespierre sends a duchess’ son (Webster Booth) to London to steal a necklace from the Prince of Wales’ betrothed (Anne Ziegler).

Carroll plays a down-on-his-luck publisher who steals a song from budding songwriter Hayward, who plots revenge. Dir. Albert Rogell

This film is set during the turn of the century. Fred Astaire plays a footloose playboy who falls in love with Salvation Army lass Vera-Ellen. To prove his worth to the girl, Astaire breaks down and gets a job.