The first two-thirds of this mediocre musical are largely a melodrama about the early days of songwriter Chauncy Olcot. Dennis Morgan, who had charisma and to spare, does his best with the lead, but the script is terrible and he can't save it. (If you want to see him at his best, try *Christmas in Connecticut*) He gets NO help whatsoever from the female lead, Arlene Dahl, who was certainly very beautiful, but who had no charisma whatsoever and couldn't act at all. The supporting roles are taken by Warner Brothers reliables, but they can't save the script either.
There is also a cringe-inducing minstrel show that goes on way too long.
Then, about an hour into all that, Scanlan passes the torch to Olcot and the rest of the movie abandons the plot and presents one Olcot song after the next, all well done and some very nicely staged.
So, again, skip the first two-thirds until Dennis Morgan takes over for William Frawley.
There is also a cringe-inducing minstrel show that goes on way too long.
Then, about an hour into all that, Scanlan passes the torch to Olcot and the rest of the movie abandons the plot and presents one Olcot song after the next, all well done and some very nicely staged.
So, again, skip the first two-thirds until Dennis Morgan takes over for William Frawley.