HAPPY GO LUCKY

"Dreamboat" and jailbird: Phil Regan

HAPPY GO LUCKY (1936). Director: Aubrey Scotto.

Mary Gorham (Evelyn Venable of Death Takes a Holiday) gets a shock when she walks into a Shanghai nightclub. Her fiance, Bill (Phil Regan), disappeared while on a transatlantic flight and is suspected of treason, but there he is singing under the name of "Happy Jack" Cole. Jack still seems happy -- if confused -- when he's confronted by Mary, but he insists that he has never seen her before. Is this a case of amnesia, or something more sinister? Mary's father, wealthy Charles Gorham (Jed Prouty of College Holiday) is delighted to see "Bill" again, but still wonders if his story about being someone else is entirely true. Then there's J. Lansing Bennett (Jonathan Hale of Strangers on a Train), who is the secret head of a spy ring. Happy Go Lucky is an odd movie, a sort of musical with a slightly more complicated plot than usual, and some "serious" aspects to it. Phil Regan, the NYPD detective who became a singer and dancer, (and who ironically served a one-year sentence for real estate bribery years later) is not bad in this (although one could argue that his singing is better than his acting), and has a pleasing personality to go with his good looks. He appeared in films for ten more years, but because they were released by Poverty Row studios like Republic and Monogram never emerged as a major motion picture star. Regan's singing of "Right or Wrong" is a highlight of the movie.

Verdict:  Somewhat different story line for a Republic musical, but still not very good. **.

MANHATTAN MERRY-GO-ROUND

MANHATTAN MERRY-GO-ROUND (1937). Director: Charles Reisner.

Jerry Hart (Phil Regan) sings in a Manhattan nightclub on a revolving platform or "merry-go-round." His fiancee is Ann Rogers (Ann Dvorak), who is a secretary for a music business. Said business is taken over by hood Tony Gordoni (Leo Carrillo), who wants to sign the temperamental opera diva "Charlizzini" (Tamara Geva) to a recording contract. Gordoni forces Jerry to charm and romance "Charlie" and stay attendant on her even as Ann waits at the altar and is jilted. Will Ann ever forgive Jerry? Phil Regan [We're in the Money] was a handsome and popular crooner of the period who never quite made it in pictures, probably because his contract was with Monogram and Republic and not MGM. But he was "dreamy" looking, had a very nice voice, and was a competent enough actor, being adept and pleasing in Manhattan Merry-Go-Round. Ann Dvorak [Out of the Blue] is completely wasted in this, but Geva manages to be somewhat amusing as the diva, even if you begin to wish someone would shoot her. Regan manages to sing an aria from "Martha" not too shabbily, but the film's musical highlight may be Cab Calloway's rendition of "I Want to Make Rhythm." Other "artists" in the film are singing cowboy Gene Autry [Phantom Empire] and Kay Thompson and Her Girls, who are utterly lacking in distinction. The real Joe DiMaggio has a cameo as himself, but is mistaken for a radio singer and tries to warble a tune. A male supporting character practices hand-kissing with Phil Regan, which prompts some raised eyebrows from lady passersby.

Verdict: Another mediocre Republic musical with some interesting players. **.

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. **.

WE'RE IN THE MONEY

Blondell and Farrell

WE'RE IN THE MONEY (1935). Director: Ray Enright.

Ginger (Joan Blondell) and Dixie (Glenda Farrell) are process servers for dithery lawyer Homer Bronson (Hugh Herbert). Their latest assignment is to serve papers on a host of men who are being sued for breach of promise by the same Frenchwoman, Claire LeClaire (Anita Kerry), who was actually born in Brooklyn. Using various tricks and clever maneuvers, the gals are able to pass on the subpoenas, but there's an awkward snag when it turns out that the "chauffeur" Ginger is dating, and is in love with, is actually wealthy Richard Courtney (Ross Alexander), one of the litigants! We're in the Money is an amusing, well-played comedy with the ladies in top form, and good support from Kerry, Herbert [The Black Cat] and Alexander, as well as Lionel Stander and Phil Regan as two more of LeClaire's victims. One of the best scenes has Ginger serving Regan as he entertains in a nightclub. Enright also directed River's End.

Verdict: Cute and snappy. ***.