The Viewing Films: Shimmer and Shake and a Ton of Fruit

There's just something so joyful about watching these old musicals.  There's colour and snap and pretty dresses galore and the women never have a bad hair day.

 

Can I just sign and swoon and wallow now...

 

Down Argentine Way

Starring: Million dollar legs and The Fruit Lady

Original release: 1940

Synopsis:  The Argentine musical you didn't know you needed

Can we all have as much fun as Betty has when dancing.

Moon Over Miami

Starring: Betty G... again

Original release: 1941

Synopsis:  How to Marry a Millionaire 1940s style

 

Betty, her sister and aunt were great, the clothes lovely and story cute but the male leads seriously let this movie down. If only they'd cast someone better and more suitable in both those roles...

Week-end in Havana

Starring: The Other Blonde, a Swoony Guy and the Fruit Lady

Original release: 1941

Synopsis:  Why is it that all these movies are set in South America?

 

I was sold as soon as John Payne started wearing glasses. As for the rest of the film it's light froth.

Footlight Serenade

Starring: Betty and Swoony Guy

Original release: 1942

Synopsis:  A love triangle musical... 

 

Well if anyone can pull of a boxing musical Betty G can. It's a bit odd in places but Betty and John were the cutest couple (they so should have done a lot more movies together) and the dancing fun.

 

If only it had been in colour.

Springtime in the Rockies

Starring: Yes it's Betty and John... again

Original release: 1942

Synopsis: Dancing your way to love

 

More fun froth with Betty G looking particularly lovely

Hello Frisco, Hello

Starring: Yeah you know who

Original release: 1943

Synopsis:  Turn of the century singing and dancing

 

John Payne wearing glasses is swoony but John Payne with slicked back hair and a moustache is bad boy swoony. I'm not sure which I like more.

Coney Island

Starring: That legs lady

Original release: 1943

Synopsis:  There's singing and dancing... the rest of the story doesn't really matter

 

Betty G was just lovely, but the men were the worse.

Sweet Rosie O'Grady

Starring: Blonde getting blonder

Original release: 1943

Synopsis:  Pretty much the same as all the movies above

 

The fact that I've never had a bath wearing red lipstick and my hair looking like I've just stepped out of salon explains exactly what I've been doing wrong all these years.

The Dolly Sisters

Starring: 2 blondes for the price of 1

Original release: 1945

Synopsis:  More blondes singing

Can I just spend my days wandering around the house in a silky dressing robe with fluffy trim, yes and please.

 

As for the rest of the movie it's a little bit too serious in places for a musical. I like mine fun, light and fluffy. A bit like those robes that Betty and June wore. And yes I am obsessed.

The Shocking Miss Pilgrim

Starring: On her own again

Original release: 1947

Synopsis:  It's a musical what more do you need to know

 

Only Betty G could make a suffragette musical.

Wasbash Avenue

Starring: I give up...

Original release: 1950

Synopsis:  You know the drill

 

Betty, Betty, Betty... can you teach me how to shimmy like your sister Kate?

 

Betty G is lovely as always, the men not so much.