Strike Up the Band

Jimmy Connors (Mickey Rooney) plays the drums in the high school band and Mary Holden (Judy Garland) is his girl. Directed by Busby Berkeley, this reunites the trio after their hit, Babes in Arms. It's not quite as good but they are still on a roll. It's the perfect antidote for the war years. This won an Oscar for best sound and nominated for two others. This may not be the tippy top of musicals but it is still a must for any musical lovers and those who love any one of the trio.

When I decided to get this movie from Netflix, I think this was the only one of the Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland musicals I had yet to watch as I remember seeing the others of theirs years ago. Yes, he's a musician and she's a singer. Yes, she's not initially his girlfriend and he gets distracted by another girl beforehand. Yes, Busby Berkeley is the one in charge. And, yes, it's corny but still very entertaining all these years later. I loved that George Pal-Puppetoon sequence involving fruit playing instruments (you really have to see this one to believe it!). I loved the "Do the La Conga" number Mickey & Judy do. I loved seeing Rooney playing the drums. I loved Ms. Garland singing of longing for love. I loved seeing Paul Whiteman and his band performing. In fact, I loved nearly everything this movie had to offer even that melodramatic spoof that this movie really didn't need. So on that note, Strike Up the Band gets a high recommendation from me.

I love the Mickey/Judy movies and this is a wonderful example of a superb one, but of the three "lets put on a show" type movies this is the worst. It's still fantastic don't get me wrong, but Babes in Arms and Babes on Broadway are much better! The songs are fantastic but not as catchy as the songs from the other movies. Judy is fantastic! It just tears your heart when she sings Nobody. It's a perfect blend of humor and music in this movie. Fantastic. If you like this one, I absolutely recommend Babes in Arms and Babes on Broadway. (Babes on Broadway is my favorite movie ever) It's great! you really should watch this movie!

Mickey and Judy. The combination of stars couldn't be better. In this one, they're high school teenagers who change their high school band to a dance band and then want to go to Chicago to enter a contest sponsored by Paul Whiteman. The directing by Busby Berkeley couldn't be better. The dance routine during the Conga is memorable with Berkeley's long-line of dancers ever apparent. Rooney steals the picture. His discussions with movie mother, Ann Shoemaker, are memorable as well as poignant as they discuss the meaning of life, what's right and all that other stuff of the times. Garland looks and sounds like she just came out of Oz in 1940 clothing. Her whining is there and all that was needed was Toto and Auntie Em. Nevertheless, her singing is terrific. The gentleman who portrayed the school principal sounded just like Ed Wynn. The film is highly entertaining and an absolute joy to watch.

No I don't care what anybody says Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland were excellent miss film both young actors at the time and the singing and the music was superb. Yeah I mean it was a film on a 1940 remember that! But I loved Judy Garland and always will

A delightful high-energy romp. I think Mickey Rooney outshines Judy Garland in this one (but that might be like comparing apples to oranges, which incidentally play a not incidental role in this movie). Mickey plays the piano, the drums, sings, dances, pitches baseballs and jumps over fences and hedgerows....plus he's good to his widowed mother and turns up the "life's a gas" charm at the drop of a hat. Judy is more serious, reflective, and tender, all of which works well in the songs she performs. I could have done without the extended "Snidely Whiplash" melodrama routine, but hey, what's perfect in this world. The teenagers in this movie, however, look like miniature adults, and moreover, some of Mickey's band members look a little long in the tooth. Was there really a time when jazz was the most shocking thing a kid could be interested in?

Overlong but fun Mickey & Judy "let's put on a show" musical, directed by the great Busby Berkeley. Drummer Jimmy (Mickey Rooney) and would-be girlfriend Mary (Judy Garland) try to make their high school band a success. Along the way they deal with little personal dramas like Jimmy's mother wanting him to be a doctor, a new girl in town who captures Jimmy's eye, and one of the band members needing an emergency operation. The musical numbers are good, if not particularly memorable. Mickey & Judy are terrific, as always. It's probably pretty corny stuff for those who aren't fans but, if you enjoy these types of movies, I'm sure you'll have a good time with this one.

I can't help it, I love Mickey and Judy, and this is their best film together. It has fun songs ("Our Love Affair" and "Do the La Conga" especially), good Busby Berkeley productions (both the aforementioned, especially the fruit-as-orchestra dream sequence!), but more importantly, it perfectly evokes the ideal small middle-American town, complete with understanding mothers and principals, swell fellas and gals, and a comforting everything's going to be just fine feeling. I can't help yearning for this never-never land of rebellious but polite youths and understanding old-timers!