And the Angels Sing
April. 25,1944The singing/dancing Angel sisters, Nancy, Bobby, Josie, and Patti, aren't interested in performing together, and this plays havoc with the plans of Pop Angel to buy a soy bean farm. They do accept an offer of ten dollars to sing at a dubious night club on the edge of town where a band led by Happy Marshall is playing.
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Wonderful character development!
Too much of everything
Best movie ever!
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Fluffy bit of nonsense is well worth seeking out for the quartet of talented actresses in the cast as well as a disarming Fred MacMurray. The story, such as it is, wanders off in several different directions throughout the picture, first the girls are trying to raise money for Pop's farm, then they want separate careers even though when they sing together their popularity seems assured but for some reason they hate to do it despite the fact that they never fight and seem to have several acts worth of material and outfits on hand. Then both Dorothy and Betty fall for Fred, who even sings in one number and pretty well at that, while trying to recover money Fred has hustled out of Betty and both of them running into small hurdles along the way. Both Lamour and Hutton get a chance to show off their comedy expertise. As the other Angel sisters Diana Lynn and Mimi Chandler also get a few good lines but are relegated to the background for most of the picture.An amusing sidelight, as in most classic films while no one seemingly works, as is the case in this aside from an occasional nightclub gig, all the girls have one immaculate outfit after another and elaborate always perfect hairdos. Not that it's a bad thing, it's anachronistic but adds to the glamor of the stars. It's all as silly as it sounds but if you're looking for a tuneful, undemanding little trifle this is a pleasant pastime.
And The Angels Sing is apparently Paramount's answer to Warner Brothers Lane Sisters and the series of films that they had starting with Four Daughters. The four of them are musical prodigies, but they're really not into singing. What they are into is earning enough money so their father Raymond Walburn can buy a farm.Three of Paramount's best female stars, Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn played 3/4 of the Angel sisters, the fourth being given to Mimi Chandler whose father Senator Albert H. Chandler would shortly become baseball commissioner. Betty Hutton is the only one enthused about performing, but given this is Betty Hutton what else would you expect?They get themselves all tangled up with bandleader Fred MacMurray who's a bit of rat quite frankly taking advantage of Hutton to get some money in order for his band to get traveling money to an engagement in Brooklyn. The sisters are up in arms and trail him to Brooklyn to get their money.At some point MacMurray has to woo all of them more or less to some degree. The whole thing ends rather conventionally though.The plot is really an excuse for the musical numbers and the score here was written by Bing Crosby's favorite writers Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. Although Betty Hutton gets the showier numbers on screen, the hit song from And The Angels Sing was sung by Dorothy Lamour, It Could Happen To You. And of course Paramount prevailed upon Der Bingle to record it and by all means get his record of it if you can find it. And The Angels Sing provides a nice showcase for the musical talents of the cast. MacMurray who later played some nasty characters shows a bit of what Billy Wilder saw in casting him as a villain in Double Indemnity and The Apartment. The film is a pleasant enough diversion.
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.
Paramount studio musical comedy (more music than comedy) directed by George Marshall (Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis films, etc...). Hutton, Lamour, Chandler and Lynn are a singing sister act wined and dined by band leader Fred MacMurray. Most of the film takes place at a nightclub (the sisters wear long gowns for the entire film) and there's not much of a plot, mainly an excuse for Hutton to do some songs. Fred MacMurray sings (though he's bit of a creep most of the time), and some rare scenes of piano prodigy Diana Lynn playing the piano (too bad not really featured in solo). Most of the lines and situations go to Hutton, Lamour, and MacMurray, the rest of the cast is just there to be working. Cute but definitely a lesser work. I'd watch Hutton, Lamour, or Lynn in anything but there was just too little film here for them to be cast in their roles.