Hits Keep Coming

Time for some musicals. Up first: Hit Parade of 1943. Susan Hayward comes to the big city to stay with her sister Eve Arden and be a songwriter. In fact, song publisher John Carroll has already decided to use one of her songs - without giving her credit. And so she plots revenge, a revenge which involves letting him romance her.

Now some of this is kind of hard to understand. Carroll's character is a lousy songwriter, a cad and a cheat. But Hayward never lowers the boom, because she soon realizes that she's in love with the lug. Now personally, I can't see it. But exchange the genders. Suppose Carroll was the innocent songwriter and Hayward was the beautiful swindler. Can't you see him going along with the gag, if it got him close to the honey? Well, why shouldn't Hayward play the same game?

Carroll does have a nice singing voice, but most of the songs are pretty forgettable. However, we do get a number by Count Basie and Dorothy Dandridge - unfortunately, it is "The Harlem Sandman", not a classic. There is a nice dance number by Pops and Louie, hoofers in the Nicholas Brothers style.

Also Gail Patrick plays another singer Carroll is stringing along. Poor Gail, never gets the guy. Of course, neither does Eve Arden.

This is a Republic picture, a few steps above Poverty Row, but not quite an A picture. Fun though.

Next, Hot Rhythm (1944) from Monogram, probably a step down from Republic. Also, it was directed by William "One Shot" Beaudine. Netflix has decided that I love everything he's done, so they just keep serving it up, and I keep falling for it.

However, this one is a bit of a surprise. It had a budget - sets are dressed in deco splendor, there are extras, orchestras for the musical numbers, and so forth. It features Robert Lowery and Sidney Miller as a couple of songwriters - no big coincidence, everybody is a songwriter in these musicals. They latch onto new-comer Dona Drake as their key to success, and no wonder. She looks great, Lauren Bacall with a touch of Judy Garland.

They work for music publisher Tim Ryan (who also wrote the show). He has a new secretary, played by his real-life wife Irene Ryan. That's right, Irene "Granny Clampett" Ryan, looking like an ingenue of 40 years. She does a great Gracie Allen style dingbat role, and even sings a few songs. She and her husband were billed as just Tim and Irene, and I guess they were a well-known team, if not exactly famous.

So, two lesser known B-musicals, both worth watching, if only for Count Basie and Irene Ryan. Good enough for me.