Harriet Hilliard was great as Ginger Roger's mousey friend who gets a "make over" and a man in the Astaire Rogers' film "Follow the Fleet", but to me she didn't have enough "verve" to be a star. She was a beautiful singer but her marriage to Ozzie Nelson in 1935 may have given her more to think about than being the next Betty Grable, who was also in "Follow the Fleet".
The film starts with Susan (Betty Jane Rhodes, who brightens up any film she appears in) singing a catchy song "Swing a Little Ditty" on the train - Ann Miller then does a nifty tap dance. Pauline (Helen Broderick) tells the band she knows a great singer, Mitzi (Harriet Hilliard) who is also on the train and has just had an altercation with Barry Saunders (handsome Gene Raymond). In true Cinderella style he collects her broken shoe and searches for her in Santa Barbara (that's were the train is going).
Parkyakarkus is one of the "stars" so there are plenty of unfunny sketches involving plays on words. Joe Penner is also in it (he is first billed!!) - he is a lot funnier than Parkyakarkus, a lot of Penner's sayings and mannerisms found their way to Warner Bros. cartoons - specifically "Egghead".
Mitzi's very snooty mother (Ann Shoemaker) is against her singing career. She has a rich husband lined up for her which just happens to be Joe Penner!! (Margaret Dumont plays his mother!!!). Before Mitzi and Barry realize they have met before they duet (he on piano, she across the way, singing) "Roses in December". They then do a love song parody, "So You Won't Sing" which is really sweet - Gene Raymond has a nice tenor. When her mother finds her and introduces Mitzi to her "intended", Mitzi says she is already married to Barry - who just happens to be in her room. Unfortunately the joke is on Mitzi as Barry happens to be a wealthy heir so her mother is overjoyed!!! Again they come together over a song "Let's Have Another Cigarette" - the rest of the movie they spend trying to convince Mitzi's mother that they are married.
Joe sabotages Susan's big number so Mitzi goes on in her place to sing "Yankee Doodle Band". The highlight of the movie (for me) is Ann Miller, who is throughly wasted, but gets a chance to show off her amazing tapping talent ala Eleanor Powell. She had tons more pizazz than Eleanor Powell!!!
The film starts with Susan (Betty Jane Rhodes, who brightens up any film she appears in) singing a catchy song "Swing a Little Ditty" on the train - Ann Miller then does a nifty tap dance. Pauline (Helen Broderick) tells the band she knows a great singer, Mitzi (Harriet Hilliard) who is also on the train and has just had an altercation with Barry Saunders (handsome Gene Raymond). In true Cinderella style he collects her broken shoe and searches for her in Santa Barbara (that's were the train is going).
Parkyakarkus is one of the "stars" so there are plenty of unfunny sketches involving plays on words. Joe Penner is also in it (he is first billed!!) - he is a lot funnier than Parkyakarkus, a lot of Penner's sayings and mannerisms found their way to Warner Bros. cartoons - specifically "Egghead".
Mitzi's very snooty mother (Ann Shoemaker) is against her singing career. She has a rich husband lined up for her which just happens to be Joe Penner!! (Margaret Dumont plays his mother!!!). Before Mitzi and Barry realize they have met before they duet (he on piano, she across the way, singing) "Roses in December". They then do a love song parody, "So You Won't Sing" which is really sweet - Gene Raymond has a nice tenor. When her mother finds her and introduces Mitzi to her "intended", Mitzi says she is already married to Barry - who just happens to be in her room. Unfortunately the joke is on Mitzi as Barry happens to be a wealthy heir so her mother is overjoyed!!! Again they come together over a song "Let's Have Another Cigarette" - the rest of the movie they spend trying to convince Mitzi's mother that they are married.
Joe sabotages Susan's big number so Mitzi goes on in her place to sing "Yankee Doodle Band". The highlight of the movie (for me) is Ann Miller, who is throughly wasted, but gets a chance to show off her amazing tapping talent ala Eleanor Powell. She had tons more pizazz than Eleanor Powell!!!