Rating: 
Summary: An energy filled 1940's musical!
Review: An energy filled musical about college life in the 1940's, filled with song, dance and much exhuberance.I wish that this was still available in video format.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Seeing for the Production Numbers and Joan McCracken
Review: College coed falls for football star who has eyes for the school vamp. But football hero is failing French; if he flunks, he can't play in the big game. So coed decides to tutor him, and football hero discovers love while making a passing grade. All ends well, and he also makes the winning play.
Good News is a simple-minded MGM musical that is full of good cheer, enthusiasm and fine production numbers performed by professionals at the top of their game. Connie Lane (June Allyson) is cute, innocent and ultimately determined to win the heart of Tommy Marlowe (Peter Lawford). Before Allyson turned into the perfect wife during her Fifties movies, she got her start singing and dancing in the chorus of Broadway musicals. She knows what she's doing in her numbers. Lawford is no singer or dancer, but he's confident and always looks like he's having a good time.
The charm of the movie and the reason to watch it is the production numbers. Two of them, "Pass the Peace Pipe" and "The Varsity Drag" are great fun. "Peace Pipe" features dancer Joan McCracken as Babe Doolittle with support from partner Ray MacDonald as Bobby Turner. McCracken made her name in the original production of Oklahoma!. She's short with muscular legs and is great. Agnes DeMille says Richard Rodgers wanted her fired because she didn't look like his kind of a dancer, and DeMille threatened to quit unless she stayed. Glenn Erickson quotes James Agee as saying she looked like a libidinous peanut. She was married to Bob Fosse and died of cancer at 38. Ray MacDonald was a first rate dancer; you can see him in a handful of old films now and then on cable. His career never went anywhere and he died relatively young.
One of the extras is "The Varsity Drag" number from the 1930 version of Good News. It's fun but you sure have to be interested in history. The choreography is set up to be filmed by a straight ahead camera, and is fairly clumsy. An unknown dancer is the lead. She's identified as a 21-year-old who later became Penny Singleton of the Blondie series. She's an eccentric, gymnastic, and tireless performer, and is kind of fun to watch.
All in all, Good News is good news for the production numbers and McCracken and MacDonald. Not a bad way to waste an hour or so.
Rating: 
Summary: PLEASANT& SILLY& WONDERFUL
Review: GOOD NEWS has long been a favorite musical of mine: on the stage, on a recording, on VHS and now, delightfully, on a DVD with several Extra Features which are both surprising and very entertaining.First the movie, itself: Betty Comden and Adolph Green are in top form here only about four years before their work on, arguably, the finest movie musical ever made SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. The dialogue here is funny, sharp, clever and altogether very happily silly. The song they added to the Broadway score, "The French Lesson" for stars Peter Lawford and June Allyson is one of the true highlights in this pretty to look at, MGM college caper. It's the all-too familiar story of the football hero who must pass a course (yes, it's French!)and to do so, he must be tutored by the co-ed he dumped for her much more glamourous rival. Guess what? He passes the course, Tate College wins the big football game, the rival gets the rich boyfriend she deserves and Lawford gets Allyson. In the supporting cast beautiful Patricia Marshall is charmingly funny as the snooty sorority girl who has no trouble attracting men and Joan McCracken as the tomboyish 'Babe' who dances up a storm in one of the movie's best numbers, "Pass That Peacepipe" which is, probably, in today's climate, far from politically correct. Also in the cast is a dusky-voiced, very young singer you may have heard of named Mel Torme. As for the DVD Extras, the most interesting is a song number for Allyson, Marshall and the sorority girls which was cut from the finished picture called "An Easier Way" which could be a variation on Comden and Green's "100 Easy Ways" from WONDERFUL TOWN. Even better are two song and dance numbers from the 1930 movie version of GOOD NEWS with a singer/dancer/comedienne named Penny Singleton who is absolutely priceless. It goes without saying that the color, settings and costume designs for this movie are tops. After all, the movie was made by MGM. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating:
Summary: PLEASANT& SILLY& WONDERFUL
Review: GOOD NEWS has long been a favorite musical of mine: on the stage, on a recording, on VHS and now, delightfully, on a DVD with several Extra Features which are both surprising and very entertaining. First the movie, itself: Betty Comden and Adolph Green are in top form here only about four years before their work on, arguably, the finest movie musical ever made SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. The dialogue here is funny, sharp, clever and altogether very happily silly. The song they added to the Broadway score, "The French Lesson" for stars Peter Lawford and June Allyson is one of the true highlights in this pretty to look at, MGM college caper. It's the all-too familiar story of the football hero who must pass a course (yes, it's French!)and to do so, he must be tutored by the co-ed he dumped for her much more glamourous rival. Guess what? He passes the course, Tate College wins the big football game, the rival gets the rich boyfriend she deserves and Lawford gets Allyson. In the supporting cast beautiful Patricia Marshall is charmingly funny as the snooty sorority girl who has no trouble attracting men and Joan McCracken as the tomboyish 'Babe' who dances up a storm in one of the movie's best numbers, "Pass That Peacepipe" which is, probably, in today's climate, far from politically correct. Also in the cast is a dusky-voiced, very young singer you may have heard of named Mel Torme. As for the DVD Extras, the most interesting is a song number for Allyson, Marshall and the sorority girls which was cut from the finished picture called "An Easier Way" which could be a variation on Comden and Green's "100 Easy Ways" from WONDERFUL TOWN. Even better are two song and dance numbers from the 1930 movie version of GOOD NEWS with a singer/dancer/comedienne named Penny Singleton who is absolutely priceless. It goes without saying that the color, settings and costume designs for this movie are tops. After all, the movie was made by MGM. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad News
Review: How this musical from l947 escaped the glorious, legendary Arthur Freed unit--which produced "Meet Me in St. Louis", "Singin' In the Rain," etc.-- at MGM is a mystery. Two non-musical newcomers--pert, girl-next-door June Allyson and handsome, boyish Peter Lawford-were given the main musical numbers and nearly destroyed this Technicolor mess. Supposedly set in the l920s, you'd never know it by seeing all these l940s jitter-bugging bobbysoxers sporting very l947 hair-dos. Allyson sounds like Butterfly McQueen with a hangover and Lawford is so off-key, you would think he was auditioning for the Three Stooges. The only reason for buying this DVD is the vervy, adorable Joan McCracken who plays Babe, and her big number, "Pass the Peace Pipe", is MGM at its best. You probably saw it in the "That's Dancing" compilation from l985. The big mystery is why Joan never made any more movies. She married big-time choreographer, Bob Fosse, and his wild private life was probably more than enough to keep her busy. She died tragically young in l961. Another big mystery is why all the guys are so attracted to the boring, bland, humorless Patricia Marshall who vanished from the Hollywood scene after this movie. One big plus for this DVD is watching the bizarre musical sequences starring Penny Singleton (i.e, "Blondie") from the l930 MGM version of "Good News." In the style of the era, she stomps the floors and shakes her head and sounds horrible. She and the ungainly chorus guys and girls are still fascinating to watch in the pre-Busby Berkely era of dance numbers. The biggest disaster in watching the 1947 version of "Good News" is the one classic song that we still hear today, "The Best Things in Life Are Free." Allyson sings this ditty in her tuneless, hollow voice to Peter Lawford in a medium shot. Nothing happens. She sings, he listens, the camera almost never moves, and we're forced to listen to Hollywood's most non-musical performer assault our ears in a song that seems to never end. Joan McCracken--now completley forgotten--should have had the femme lead and who knows what this would have done to her mysterious career that never happened.
Rating:
Summary: Bad News
Review: How this musical from l947 escaped the glorious, legendary Arthur Freed unit--which produced "Meet Me in St. Louis", "Singin' In the Rain," etc.-- at MGM is a mystery. Two non-musical newcomers--pert, girl-next-door June Allyson and handsome, boyish Peter Lawford-were given the main musical numbers and nearly destroyed this Technicolor mess. Supposedly set in the l920s, you'd never know it by seeing all these l940s jitter-bugging bobbysoxers sporting very l947 hair-dos. Allyson sounds like Butterfly McQueen with a hangover and Lawford is so off-key, you would think he was auditioning for the Three Stooges. The only reason for buying this DVD is the vervy, adorable Joan McCracken who plays Babe, and her big number, "Pass the Peace Pipe", is MGM at its best. You probably saw it in the "That's Dancing" compilation from l985. The big mystery is why Joan never made any more movies. She married big-time choreographer, Bob Fosse, and his wild private life was probably more than enough to keep her busy. She died tragically young in l961. Another big mystery is why all the guys are so attracted to the boring, bland, humorless Patricia Marshall who vanished from the Hollywood scene after this movie. One big plus for this DVD is watching the bizarre musical sequences starring Penny Singleton (i.e, "Blondie") from the l930 MGM version of "Good News." In the style of the era, she stomps the floors and shakes her head and sounds horrible. She and the ungainly chorus guys and girls are still fascinating to watch in the pre-Busby Berkely era of dance numbers. The biggest disaster in watching the 1947 version of "Good News" is the one classic song that we still hear today, "The Best Things in Life Are Free." Allyson sings this ditty in her tuneless, hollow voice to Peter Lawford in a medium shot. Nothing happens. She sings, he listens, the camera almost never moves, and we're forced to listen to Hollywood's most non-musical performer assault our ears in a song that seems to never end. Joan McCracken--now completley forgotten--should have had the femme lead and who knows what this would have done to her mysterious career that never happened.
Rating:
Summary: Quel fromage!
Review: I adore this movie! The best pairing of June Allyson and Peter Lawford since "Little Women", in my mind (I saw "Little Women" first and fell head over heels for Lawford's Laurie). Anyway, the best scenes, in my opinion, are the French Lesson and when Connie (Allyson) figures out just how posh Pat McClellan is (hence, quel fromage, instead of quel domage). And fabulous tunes sung as only Mel Torme could sing 'em! Fabulous dance numbers, even if dated ("Pass the Peace Pipe" for one). And many pre-WWI references ("the bees knees!") But overall, great bobby-soxer, co-ed college fun. This is a pre-Rat Pack Lawford flick when he and Frank Sinatra were the idols at MGM. Silly throughout, but purly entertaining! Love it!
Rating:
Summary: BEST MUSICAL OF ALL-TIME
Review: I am only 26, but I have always loved a good movie musical. "Good News" isn't a good musical, it is an outstanding musical! June Allyson and Peter Lawford weren't the best singers and dancers, but they sang the beautiful "Best Things In Life Are Free" and danced "The Varsity Drag" like they were Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The supporting cast was great including the late Mel Torme singing "Lucky In Love",and Joan McCracken and Ray McDonald dancing my favorite number "Pass The Peace Pipe". Both McCracken and McDonald died young in the 1950s. One reviewer wrote that this was Joan's only movie, but it wasn't. Also in the movie is the famous "French Lesson" number when June Allyson is supposed to teach Peter Lawford french. In reality, Lawford spoke the language fluently, while Allyson had to learn it! Whether a big fan of musicals like me or an occasional viewer, do not pass up this musical. It'll be good news in your video pleasure!
Rating:
Summary: BEST MUSICAL OF ALL-TIME
Review: I am only 26, but I have always loved a good movie musical. "Good News" isn't a good musical, it is an outstanding musical! June Allyson and Peter Lawford weren't the best singers and dancers, but they sang the beautiful "Best Things In Life Are Free" and danced "The Varsity Drag" like they were Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The supporting cast was great including the late Mel Torme singing "Lucky In Love",and Joan McCracken and Ray McDonald dancing my favorite number "Pass The Peace Pipe". Both McCracken and McDonald died young in the 1950s. One reviewer wrote that this was Joan's only movie, but it wasn't. Also in the movie is the famous "French Lesson" number when June Allyson is supposed to teach Peter Lawford french. In reality, Lawford spoke the language fluently, while Allyson had to learn it! Whether a big fan of musicals like me or an occasional viewer, do not pass up this musical. It'll be good news in your video pleasure!
Rating:
Summary: OUT OF PRINT? NOOOOOOO!
Review: I am so in love with this movie. I know every word to the French Lesson song, I know every step to the Varsity Drag, I know every whistle in Lucky in Love, and just when my tape broke, it went out of print. Woe is me! Seriously though, this was a wonderful musical, it even surpassed Singin' In The Rain as my favorite. It is filled with dancing fun and lots of good times. It is extremely clever with scads of interrelated stories and plots. Whoever didn't love this just didn't watch it. A must see and worth any price.
|
