Load of rubbish!!

Absolutely Fantastic

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

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

This is not a great movie, but if you like its cast of singing stars – Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson (without Technicolor), Peter Lawford and Jimmy Durante – you'll enjoy it anyway (and as a bonus there's Gloria Grahame!). It was directed by Richard Whorf and scripted by Isobel Lennart (one of the four Sinatra films that she wrote) from a story by John McGowan.Sinatra plays a Brooklyn born soldier that returns home to find that he hadn't changed as much as he'd thought he had. He believed himself to be more confident. But he's influenced by Durante, his old high school's janitor, who takes him under his wing and encourages a would-be romantic relationship with the music teacher come opera singer Grayson.Sinatra's character discovers that he's happy helping others with their dreams. Lawford plays a shy fellow that Sinatra had met in England (during which Grahame plays a nurse, also from Brooklyn) just before his discharge from the Army. He's sent to Brooklyn to satisfy his Duke (Aubrey Mather) grandfather, who'd hoped that Sinatra could give him confidence.Lawford and Grayson make a better match. Everyone is hitting on all cylinders when they help a young pianist (uncredited Billy Roy, whose compositions are performed off stage by 17 year old André Previn, also uncredited) that wants to earn a scholarship.

OK, the story sounds very contrived, moronic in some respects, and corny, but not any worse than most other musicals from that era. Given the talent and songs included, I'm surprised that it wasn't a box-office success. Probably, the lack of color, Kelly, and promotion were important factors. Also, the first portion is the least interesting and most moronic. Sinatra and Durante clearly had good chemistry and had several good songs. Kathryn was as cute as they come at this age and could sing mightily, although not everyone likes her operatic-trained voice. Peter Lawford was an added attraction for those ladies who consider him suave, and even sang and danced a wee bit.Sinatra's character, Danny, is initially characterized as a recluse in the US Army in the UK, because he can't find any Brooklyn buddies to hang out with, thus doesn't want to go to the farewell party. He and several other characters keep talking about how friendly the people in Brooklyn are, ad nauseam, and he keeps a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge instead of some pinup girl, because he doesn't register with the local girls! Next thing we know, because he sings a slight ditty("Whose Baby are You?" which upper class Brit Jamie(Peter Lawford) supposedly is playing on the piano, he is characterized by Jamie's grandfather as outgoing and friendly: a model for the shy classical music buff Jamie to exemplify! As soon as Danny gets to Brooklyn, he goes to the bridge and sings a ditty about it. Anne(Kathryn Grayson) is coerced by a cop into giving him a ride to his old school, where he meets his old friend, the janitor Nick(Jimmy Durante), and where Anne happens to teach music. On the way, he reemphasizes how friendly the people here are. But Anne disagrees, and says the local opera company won't even give her an audition, saying her singing voice is cold.It's soon clear from her speech and mannerisms that she is not from anywhere near NYC, and is used to a different class of people. No wonder most people here shun her. With Nick as a mutual friend, Danny and Anne get to know each other, and begin to establish a light romance. Along comes Jamie, all the way from England, to take lessons from Danny on how to gain confidence! Anne gradually recognizes that he has the class that Danny lacks, is a potential ticket out of her hated Brooklyn, and probably has the political connections to get her into an opera company.Danny is a good loser(as he was in the previous "Anchor's Aweigh"), and talks about maybe finding that cute army nurse from Brooklyn(Gloria Grahame) he knew in the UK.The film has an obvious theme: young people with various musical talents(Danny, Anne, Jamie, Johnny O'Brien, and Leo Kardos) having trouble breaking into the professional ranks or continuing their training. Ironically, Nick(Durante), who arguably has more entertainment talent than the others combined, is content to remain a school janitor.Instead, he provides encouragement and advice, and occasionally serves as a model for the others. See how pale Sinatra's copy rendition of parts of "It's Gotta Come From the Heart" are, compared to Durante's lead renditions, until Sinatra tries to mimic Durante's style in the last segment.Another highlight is provided by Sinatra, Durante, and a teenage Bobby Long, who take turns singing parts of "I Believe", followed by an impressive vaudeville-styled dance by Bobby.This is followed by Sinatra's rendition of the classic "Time After Time". Kathryn would later also solo this, her best sounding song in the film for those not into her opera singing. This is soon followed by an impressive Sinatra-Grayson duet of "La ci darem la mono", as they cavort around in a restaurant.Sinatra then renders a mellow version of "It's the Same Old Dream", followed by a swing version by a group of High Schoolers, who sound suspiciously like Dorsey's Pied Pipers, who used to sing with Sinatra. Lawford then sings and dances a bit to "Whose Baby are You?", also for the benefit of these kids. The final music number is a dream-like staged opera segment of "The Bell Song"(English translation), starring Kathryn. The basic plot of this film is very similar to that of the first Sinatra-Grayson collaboration:"Anchor's Aweigh", in which Brooklyner Sinatra also eventually realizes he is outclassed by new girlfriend Grayson, winding up with a waitress from Brooklyn. Lawford takes over the romantic role of Kelly in that film, while Bobby Long subs for the dancing Kelly, and Durante subs for Kelly as Sinatra's pal and comedian. A combination of Lawford plus Leo Kardos(William Roy)take the place of the classical piano playing of Jose Iturbi.Sinatra would finally win Grayson in their final film together("The Kissing Bandit"), but this was little consolation, as this is reported to be the least favorite role of each career. Grayson reportedly(Kitty Kelly) did not find Sinatra romantically appealing. Interestingly, J.Carrol Naish, who took Durante's place as Sinatra's surrogate father in that film, sported a built up nose,somewhat mimicking Durante's over-sized one. Although a fine supporting actor, Naish's comedic charisma in that film didn't approach that of Durante's in the present film.Presently, this film is available cheaply as part of the Sinatra: The Early Years DVD film collection. This film and "Step Lively" are the best films in that collection.

Jazzy singer Frank Sinatra (as Danny Webson Miller) returns to Brooklyn, after serving during World War II. Mr. Sinatra moves in with his old high school janitor Jimmy Durante (as Nick Lombardi). Sinatra suffers not from "shell shock", but from "stage fright", as he tries to make it in the music business. He falls in love with operatic soprano Kathryn Grayson (as Anne Fielding). A "love triangle" is formed when visiting pal Peter Lawford (as Jamie Shellgrove) also falls for Ms. Grayson.Not much of a movie, really. Sinatra is the highlight; he sings the timeless classic "Time After Time", and other songs written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne. Sinatra and Mr. Durante are a likable team, performing "The Song's Gotta Come from the Heart" and "I Believe", the latter with young Bobby Long (as Johnny O'Brien). Young pianist Billy Roy (as Leo Kardos) performs well. Sexy Gloria Grahame has an early walk around appearance. Sinatra's accompanying Columbia single was, deservedly, an instant double-sided hit: "I Believe" (#5) / "Time After Time" (#16). **** It Happened in Brooklyn (3/13/47) Richard Whorf ~ Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, Kathryn Grayson, Peter Lawford

FRANK SINATRA's voice was in a warm and mellow tone when he did IT HAPPENED IN BROOKLYN and this little musical uses him musically in a nice way. He gets to warble an invigorating ditty as a serviceman joyous to be back in Brooklyn, so he belts out "Brooklyn Bridge" with baritone finesse. It almost sounds like a number out of ON THE TOWN. But it's his mellow rendering of "Time After Time" that brings back memories of how he crooned his way to stardom and became a teen idol in the early '40s.Frank is a kind of shy guy here, but gets to loosen up after awhile thanks to the friendship of JIMMY DURANTE as a fellow Brooklynite, a janitor who lets Frank share his apartment until he can find a job. KATHRYN GRAYSON is the pretty girl Sinatra takes up with, both of them with singing aspirations. He even does a "Don Giovanni" duet with Grayson and it's not bad at all. Grayson does a nice solo spot on "The Bell Song" from Lakme and handles her acting chores in a pleasant enough manner. Likewise, even PETER LAWFORD gets to belt out a number for a bunch of record fans in a music store, loosening up to a little ditty called "Whose Baby Are You?" with a swing beat.Durante and Sinatra have fun on a number called "The Song's Gotta Come from the Heart" and Sinatra is at his best crooning a ballad called "It's the Same Old Dream."True, it's all rather formula as far as the storyline goes, but it's done in such an unpretentious way that it manages to charm most of the time. GLORIA GRAHAME has a small role at the beginning as a nurse from Brooklyn who doubts whether Sinatra hails from that borough.I can't say much for the direction of Richard Thorpe. It moves at a snail's pace through its running time of one hour and forty-five minutes.