Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

SWING PARADE OF 1946

Will Osborne and Mary Treen
SWING PARADE OF 1946 (1946). Director: Phil Karlson.

"... a tender word can mend a lot."

Aspiring singer Carol Lawrence (Gale Storm) is thrown out of her boarding house and can't get a job, so she becomes a process server for a grumpy, disapproving man, Mr. Warren (Russell Hicks of The Flying Saucer), who wants to close down his own son, Danny's, nightclub. Instead. Carol takes a job with Danny (Phil Regan), getting her in trouble with Warren and almost with Danny when he learns about the summons. Middle-aged Marie (Mary Treen), who seems to like Danny, develops a hankering for bandleader Will (Will Osborne) instead and tells off Old Man Warren. Then we have the Three Stooges as terrible waiters, and a couple of pleasant enough song numbers. Storm is perky and efficient, as ever, and once-popular Regan [We're in the Money] is handsome and has a smooth singing voice. Mary Treen [Blonde from Brooklyn] was a likable character actress with about a zillion credits, but although she had a way with a line and was frequently both adept and amusing, she never quite became well-known like, say, Eve Arden. There was something a little more distinctive about Arden, and while she wasn't a raving beauty, either, she was better-looking and more sensual than Treen. Treen has a bit more to do in this film but, alas, it's a Monogram picture. Will Osborne was a bandleader of the time who played himself in a couple of movies and was appealing. Singer Connee Boswell also plays herself; she had a few other credits as well.

Verdict:  Another amiable but third-rate Monogram musical. **.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the movie, "Swing Parade of 1946," Windy Cook is the sound effects man, and he is the Wes Harrison of his day! Wes Harrison is a sound effects man for cartoons and movies!

William said...

Thanks for the information! Your comment is much appreciated. Bill

Anonymous said...

You're welcome! That's nice of you! Thank you very much!

Anonymous said...

Windy Cook is very much alive! He lives somewhere in the United States.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, Windy Cook is no longer living. He went Home to be with the Lord on December 23, 2013. Rest easy, Windy.

William said...

Thank you for the information. Yes, rest easy, Windy.