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Girl Crazy, 1943
Danny Churchill (Mickey Rooney) is a spoiled rich teenager living in New York City. When his girl crazy--and obnoxiously privileged--behavior starts to make the papers, his father ships him off to a boys-only school in the west. Once there, though, he becomes smitten with mail delivery girl Ginger (Judy Garland). Danny struggles to fit in, but then once he finds his footing the school itself is in jeopardy of closing.
This was a fun little musical/romance/comedy, with winning lead performances from both Rooney and Garland, and more than capable supporting turns from several actors, including Rags Ragland as a worker at the school, Guy Kibbee as the school's easy-going dean, and Nancy Walker as Ginger’s wise-cracking cousin.
I will never get tired, apparently, of watching Judy Garland shut down arrogant flirting that’s thrown in her direction. (Yeah, she always ends up with the guy. Whatever, I guess you can’t have it all!). Sometimes when Garland performs--literally, as in when she’s singing--there seems to be a kind of strain there that can make me a bit uncomfortable. Watching her comedies it is really striking just how at ease she can be, and how capably she delivers some really crackling dialogue.
In fact, there is an ease to the whole film that is mostly very endearing. A lot of the story and humor is predictable--like the “city boy in the country” stuff that Danny goes through when he first arrives--but everyone does such a good job with the material that it’s hard to take too much issue with it. The song and dance numbers are all solid, especially a huge set piece that takes place at Ginger’s birthday party.
Good fun.
Girl Crazy, 1943
Danny Churchill (Mickey Rooney) is a spoiled rich teenager living in New York City. When his girl crazy--and obnoxiously privileged--behavior starts to make the papers, his father ships him off to a boys-only school in the west. Once there, though, he becomes smitten with mail delivery girl Ginger (Judy Garland). Danny struggles to fit in, but then once he finds his footing the school itself is in jeopardy of closing.
This was a fun little musical/romance/comedy, with winning lead performances from both Rooney and Garland, and more than capable supporting turns from several actors, including Rags Ragland as a worker at the school, Guy Kibbee as the school's easy-going dean, and Nancy Walker as Ginger’s wise-cracking cousin.
I will never get tired, apparently, of watching Judy Garland shut down arrogant flirting that’s thrown in her direction. (Yeah, she always ends up with the guy. Whatever, I guess you can’t have it all!). Sometimes when Garland performs--literally, as in when she’s singing--there seems to be a kind of strain there that can make me a bit uncomfortable. Watching her comedies it is really striking just how at ease she can be, and how capably she delivers some really crackling dialogue.
In fact, there is an ease to the whole film that is mostly very endearing. A lot of the story and humor is predictable--like the “city boy in the country” stuff that Danny goes through when he first arrives--but everyone does such a good job with the material that it’s hard to take too much issue with it. The song and dance numbers are all solid, especially a huge set piece that takes place at Ginger’s birthday party.
Good fun.