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Everybody Sing
MGM Pictures
Released: February 4, 1938
Runtime: 91 minutes
This was Allan Jones’ last movie at MGM before leaving for Universal Studios. He gets to reprise one of his well known songs, “Cosi Cosa” and some other great pieces.
Judy Bellaire is a young girl at a stuffy boarding school. Whenever she hears music, she cannot help herself from tapping her foot and jazzing it up. During her class’ singing lesson she takes the chance to let loose when her teacher is out of sight. She and the school girls sing “Swing Mr. Mendelssohn” but once the teacher returns, she is in trouble once again and is expelled from the school.
She takes a train home only to face a chaotic household where her parents, screenplay writer Hillary and dramatic actress Diana, are too caught up in their careers to ever listen to her. They are especially on edge this time because the family is losing money. Hillary’s next play just does not seem right and he is getting jealous of Diana’s new leading man, Jerrold, whom she says she cannot work without. Meanwhile, Judy’s older sister, Sylvia, is having her singing lesson and trying to practice the song, “The One I Love.” Hearing that Sylvia is having trouble, Ricky, the Bellaire’s chef, comes in and tries to help. He sits at the piano, sings a few bars, and the two end up kissing as he attempts to coach her annunciation. Ricky, convinced now that Sylvia loves him, returns to the kitchen where he talks with the maid, Olga. She tells him of her long lost love from Russia, Boris. That evening, Judy’s parents find out about her expulsion and chaos erupts once again.
The next day, Ricky drives to work singing, “First Thing in the Morning.” He is in a good mood and brings breakfast up to Sylvia. Judy comes in and blurts out Ricky’s secret that he is working at the Café Nappo as a singer to make extra money. At this point, Judy also wants to work as a singer to help save the family form their financial troubles. That night, Sylvia takes Jerrold to the Café Nappo to see Ricky. Her plan to save the family is to make Jerrold think that she loves him so that there is no chance that he will quit the play. At the café, the audience has joined into singing “Cosi Cosa” and Ricky comes out and sings along. He reaches the stage, sings his signature high note, and finishes the song with a grand applause. He then introduces the next act, which is Judy singing “Melody Farm” with a bit of “Love’s Old Sweet Song.” Afterwards, Judy, Ricky, Sylvia, and Jerrold board a bus and take a night on the town. Before reaching home, the four reprise “Melody Farm” but sing it to the music of the Quartet from “Rigoletto” and later swing it. When they get home, Judy’s parents find out about her trying to work as a singer. Angry, Hillary fires Ricky, and later decides to send Judy away to Europe.
On the ship to Europe, Judy has a girl take her place and escapes. She heads to the cafe to audition for Ricky’s new Broadway show. She comes out in blackface and performs “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” with some special swing lyrics. Ricky unmasks her and is about to send her home when her tears and pleading convince him to let her sing in the show without her parents knowing. Ricky then goes to record a song for Sylvia as an expression of his love. He records, “The One I Love” and sends it to her with flowers.
Back at the Bellaire’s house, Hillary has become so stressed that he demands that Jerrold leave the show. Sylvia takes the opportunity to profess her love for Jerrold and make him propose to her so that he will stay. She writes a note for Olga to take to Ricky, explaining that the engagement is only temporary to keep the show going.
Olga gets to Rick’s show, called “Everybody Sing,” where people are still auditioning. Ricky lets her perform “Quainty, Dainty, Me” and adds her to the show. Soon after, Hillary gets word that Judy is missing and not in Europe. He and Diana alert the police and they all start looking for Judy. That evening, Ricky’s show opens and he starts it with a performance of “The Show Must Go On.” Next is Judy and Olga in the “Baby Snooks (Why?-Because!)” song act. The show looks like it is a hit when Hillary and Diana find their way to the theater. Seeing what a success it is, Hillary decides to let Judy continue. Judy comes on again and sings "Ever Since the World Began / Shall I Sing a Melody?" and Ricky comes on for the finale singing “Auld Lang Syne.” The Bellaires, Syvlia, and Jerrold join them on stage for a reprise of “The One I Love,” “Quainty, Dainty Me,” and “Melody Farm.” Towards the end, Olga spots Boris in the audience and the two are reunited. As for the Bellaire family and Ricky and Sylvia, all is resolved.
Credits
Director…Edwin L. Marin
Original Story…Forence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf
Additional dialogue…Jame Gruen
Producer…Harry Rapf
Musical Director…Dr. William Axt
Associate conductor…George Stoll
Orchestrations…George Bassman
Musical numbers staging…Dave Gould
Recording Director….Cedric Gibbons
Cinematography…Joseph Ruttenberg
Film Editor…William S. Gray
Associates…Harry McAfee, Edwin B. Willis
Cast
Allan Jones…Richard “Ricky” Saboni
Judy Garland…Judy Bellaire
Fanny Brice…Olga Chekaloff
Reginald Own…Hillary Bellaire
Billie Burke…Diana Bellaire
Reginald Gardiner…Jerrold Hope
Lynne Carver…Sylvia Bellaire
Helen Troy…Hillary’s secretary
Monty Woolley…John “Jack” Fleming
Adia Kuznetzoff…Boris the Bus Driver
Henry Armetta…Giovanni Vittorino, Café Nappo
Michelette Burani…Madame Le Brouchette
Mary Forbes…Miss Colvin
Soundtrack
• Swing Mr. Mendelssohn
o Sung by Judy Garland and the ST. Brendan’s Boy’s Choir
o Music: Bronislau Kaper and Walter Jurmann
o Lyrics: Gus Kahn
• The One I Love
o Sung by Lynne Carver (dubbed by Mildred Rogers), sung a cappella by Allan Jones, Reprised by Allan Jones and Lynne Carver, sung by Allan Jones, and reprised by cast at end
o Music: Bronislau Kaper and Walter Jurmann
o Lyrics: Gus Kahn
• The First Thing in the Morning
o Sung by Allan Jones
• Cosi Cosa
o Sung by Allan Jones
o Music: Kaper and Jurmann
o Lyrics: Ned Washington
• Melody Farm
o Sung by Judy Garland, Sung by Allan Jones, Judy Garland, Lynne Carver (Mildred Rogers), Reginald Owen, and Adia Kuznetzoff to Guiseppe Verdi’s “Rigoletto Quartet” (Bella figlia dell'amore), and reprised by the cast at the end
o Music: Kaper and Jurmann
o Lyrics: Gus Kahn
• Love’s Old Sweet Song
o Sung by Judy Garland
o Music: J. L. Molloy
o Lyrics: G. Clifton Bingham
• Sing Low, Sweet Chariot
o Sung by Judy Garland with special lyrics
o Music: Wallace Willis
o Lyrics: Henry Thacker Burleigh
• Quainty, Dainty Me
o Sung by Fanny Brice and reprised at the end by cast
o Music and Lyrics: Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar
• The Show Must Go On
o Sung by Allan Jones
o Music: Kaper and Jurmann
o Lyrics: Gus Kahn
• Snooks (Why?-Because!)
o Sung by Judy Garland and Fanny Brice
o Music and Lyrics: Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar
• Ever Since the World Began/Shall I Sing a Melody?
o Sung and danced to by Judy Garland and chorus
o Music and Lyrics: Roger Edens
• Academic Festival Overture in C, Op. 80
o Played as background music
o Music: Johannes Brahms
• Fruhlingslied (Srping Song) Op. 62 #6
o Sung by Judy Garland and St. Brendan’s Boy’s Choir with special Lyrics
o Musci: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
• Funiculi, Funicula
o Played as background music
o Music: Luigi Denza
o Lyrics: Peppino Turco
• London Bridge is Falling Down
o Played at start of Baby Snooks act
• Auld Lang Syne
o Sung by Allan Jones and chorus
o Lyrics: Robert Burns