Babes in Arms
|
|
Babes in Arms is a 1937 musical theater production which tells the story of a boy who puts on a show to avoid being sent to a work farm. It has as music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart.
The songs
- "Babes In Arms"
- "I Wish I Were In Love Again"
- "Johnny One Note"
- "The Lady Is A Tramp"
- "My Funny Valentine"
- "Where Or When"
- "You Are So Fair"
1937 Broadway production
The show opened at the Shubert Theatre on April 14, 1937 and ran for 289 performances.
Cast:
- Billie Smith played by Mitzi Green
- Val Lamar played by Ray Heatherton
- Peter played by Duke McHale
- Baby Rose played by Wynn Murray
- Ivor DeQuincy played by Harold Nicholas
- Irving DeQuincy played by Fayard Nicholas
- Marshall Blackstone played by Alfred Drake
1939 MGM Musical film
The film version stars Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Betty Jaynes, June Preisser, Douglas McPhail, Charles Winninger and Guy Kibbee.
The movie was written by Jack McGowan, Kay Van Riper and Annalee Whitmore (uncredited). It was directed by Busby Berkeley.
The original Broadway script was revamped to accomodate Hollywood standards. It concerns a group of youngsters trying to put on a show to prove their vaudevillian parents wrong and make it to Broadway to prove their point. Huge production numbers, romance troubles, and scoffing of producers are included.
Most of the Rodgers and Hart songs were cut, except for the title tune and "Where or When". Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown wrote new songs for the film including "Good Morning" (later made famous in Singin' in the Rain) and "God's Country" (from the Broadway musical Hooray for What). Garland and Rooney later sang "I Wish I Were in Love Again" from the Broadway version of the show in the 1948 Rodgers and Hart biopic Words and Music. Garland also sang "Johnny One Note" in the same picture.
It was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Mickey Rooney, who was 19 at the time) and Best Music, Scoring.
Filming of Babes in Arms began on May 12, 1939 and was completed on July 18, 1939. The film premiered on October 13, 1939.