The Gang's All Here (1943)

The talents of Busby Berkeley, Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, Charlotte Greenwood and Edward Everett Horton are enough to want to check 'The Gang's All Here' out.Watching it for myself, being familiar with a lot of the work of almost all of them (least familiar with Greenwood), 'The Gang's All Here' is well worth the time. Anybody wanting entertainment and spectacular musical numbers need look no further. 'The Gang's All Here' is neither among the best or worst film musicals ever, but it is perfect for an hour and forty minutes of sheer fun and escapism.Don't watch the film expecting to be impressed by the plot, which here is threadbare and very routine and when there is any resemblance of any it's far-fetched, corny and far-fetched. As this is the case of it not being about the story, it was somewhat easy to overlook. It was less easy to overlook the rather rushed romance and James Ellison being as charisma and personality-free a leading man as you can possibly get. Phil Baker is under-utilised and his material is weak, so he doesn't shine here.Alice Faye however certainly does, in fact she charms and allures and her voice is hauntingly beautiful in two of her most beautiful and heartfelt songs in any film. As does the ever exuberant Carmen Miranda, especially in the has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed and enormous fun "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat", which is one of her most classic and unique routines. Busby Berkeley was always a very talented director and choreographer, and that is in evidence in 'The Gang's All Here'. Especially so in the very ahead of its time and jaw-droppingly surreal finale "The Polka-Dot Polka".The film boasts too a great opportunity to see and hear the wonderful talents of Benny Goodman and his orchestra, who are on top form. Edward Everett Horton and Charlotte Greenwood provide hilarious support, Eugene Palette also being very funny.Similarly the songs range from evoking many emotions ("A Journey to a Star," "No Love, No Nothing") to cheering you up without fail after a hard day ("The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat", "The Polka-Dot Polka"). Choreographically, it's the latter two songs too that stand out, Berkeley's finales were always spectacular but not many are this ahead of its time and surreal as here. Production-values-wise, it is gorgeously lavish, with exquisite bright colours that leap out of the screen and like a delicious confection, and the cinematography, which is still great throughout, is especially dazzling in "The Polka-Dot Polka". The script has some nice moments too, the best coming from Horton, Greenwood and Miranda's hilariously mangled English.Overall, the gang's all here and so is the entertainment value and spectacular musical numbers. 8/10 Bethany Cox

If you're a fan of classic Hollywood films then now is one of the best times to be alive. Many of those classics are finding their way onto blu-ray via companies like Kino Lorber, The Film Detective, Olive Films and Twilight Time. And if you're a fan of movie musicals then this latest from Twilight Time should put a smile on your face. While not the most famous or the best thing from director Busby Berkeley there is plenty to enjoy here.The story is incredibly simple and for today's audiences far-fetched and yet it works. Andy Mason (James Ellison) is the son of a hot shot business man Andrew Mason (Eugene Palette) who has enlisted in the military and about to ship out. One night he finds his father and his father's best friend/partner Peyton Potter (Edward Everett Horton) at a New York nightclub filled with music and dance hall girls. The star of the show is Dorita (Carmen Miranda) but it is another singer who catches Andy's eye, Edie Allen (Alice Faye).Following her from the nightclub to a dime a dance club where she spends time with military men before they ship out he tries to pick her up. But that's not what she's there for, she's just interested in moral support. He eventually talks her into spending some time with him, gives her a false name of Casey and the two fall in love before he leaves.Fast forward to Andy's return home after becoming a hero in the Pacific. As he gets ready to visit his father at home Andrew plans a huge party for him, complete with a show put on by Phil Baker, the man who ran the nightclub we saw at the beginning of the film now in search of a rehearsal location. The plan is to use Peyton's home which should hold everyone much to his consternation. Also in attendance will be Peyton's wife (Charlotte Greenwood), who has a hidden past performing with Baker and their daughter Vivian (Shelia Ryan), the girl both families plan to marry to Andy.Who is the new star of this show? Why Edie of course who becomes fast friends with Vivian as they both talk about their guy in the way, one named Andy and one name Casey. What will happen when they eventually discover he is one in the same? The laughs are supplied by Miranda at her riotous best, Horton who plays the fussbudget of the bunch, Palette who is all bluster as usual and the situations the characters find themselves in. Greenwood nearly steals the show as the ex-showgirl turned society matron, more inclined to follow her past than present. Filled with a number of musical numbers, Benny Goodman and his band, solo performances and dancing galore the movie is a prime example of the classic musical comedy found just as the genre was coming into its heyday in the fifties.Berkeley was known for his musicals and the style with which he shot them. His famous kaleidoscopic used of cameras and dancing girls is on display here in seemingly effortless fashion. Much has been said about the subtle use of giant bananas in one segment but to watch it you never really consider the Freudian implications of it all. Instead you marvel at the images on screen and just enjoy the combination of music, dance and cinematography that combine to offer a treat.It's sad to note that this was Berkeley's only color film done with his famous style of choreography combined with camera work that made him a household name. But fortunately we do have this on hand to enjoy. I didn't find it to be one of his best works nor one of the greatest musicals I've watched but it was pure entertainment from start to finish. As is always the case Twilight Time offers a presentation that is second to none. As well as the movie itself we get an isolated score track, audio commentary with film historian Drew Casper, audio commentary with film historians Glenn Kenny, Ed Hulse and Farran Smith Nehme, a documentary on Busby Berkeley, Alice Faye's last film (a short she made), a deleted scene and the original theatrical trailer. Old time movie fans will want to add this one to their collection as will Busby Berkeley fans.

Soldier James Ellison (Andy) meets singer Alice Faye (Edie) and they fall in love on the eve that he goes off to war. He returns a hero and has a party thrown in his honour where he has 2 women waiting for him - his childhood sweetheart Sheila Ryan (Vivian) and Faye. Who does he end up with? The story is irrelevant as the film is an excuse to churn out musical numbers and the songs are pretty good. Benny Goodman sings a couple of decent songs despite looking like he's a retard. We also get a treat in singer Carmen Miranda (Dorita) who is completely bonkers and steals every scene that she is in. Set against this, I found the leading man annoying and Alice Faye's songs are a bit dreary.There are a couple of Busby Berkeley set pieces that stand out. The first is set on a tropical island where girls dance with 6 foot bananas while Carmen Miranda sings "The Girl in the Tutti-Frutti Hat". The other spectacle occurs at the end.....if you think psychedelia started in the 1960's.....well, you're wrong......Overall, the musical numbers and crazy Carmen Miranda make this film worth keeping on to for another viewing.

Basically plot less, and a vehicle for some mind-boggling Busby Berkeley numbers ... those bananas!!! ... and two leading ladies at 20th Century Fox, Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda. Both ladies have strong personalities and buoy this film up. It needs it, as there is no story to speak of, the characterisations are slight, and even Benny Goodman stretches the goodwill a bit.Family rivalries, chequered pasts, wartime romances, and a show of shows, and you have 'The Gang's All Here' in a nutshell (or a banana skin).Berkeley chorus girls were of course known for partaking of outlandish formations and musical numbers shot from all angles including above, but those rising and falling bananas, and Carmen Miranda cavorting about covered in fruit ... absolutely preposterous!