JohnHowardReid
Donald O'Connor (Donald Corrigan), Ann Blyth (Glory Marlow III), Peggy Ryan (Peggy), Helen Vinson (Glory Marlow Jr), Samuel S. Hinds (Dean Manning), Helen Broderick (Glory Marlow Sr), Ernest Truex (Henry McHugh), Patric Knowles (Judd Corrigan), Minna Gombell (Milly), Joel Kupperman (himself), Mantan Moreland (porter), Irving Bacon (Professor Frost), Arthur Treacher (Quentin), J. Edward Bromberg (Blaney Wright).Director: CHARLES LAMONT. Screenplay: Eugene Conrad, Leo Townsend. Story: Robert Arthur. Photography: Charles Van Enger. Film editor: Charles Maynard. Art directors: John B. Goodman, Ralph M. DeLacy. Set decorators: Russell A. Gausman, E. R. Robinson. Costumes: Vera West. Dance director: Louis Da Pron. Music director: Charles Previn. Songs: "Is It Good Or Is It Bad?" by Charles Tobias, "Mighty Nice To Have Met You" and "Spelling Prep" by Bill Grage and Grace Shannon, "I Gotta Give My Feet a Break" by Inez James and Sidney Miller, "Love Is Like Music" by Milton Schwarzwald, "My Song" by Lew Brown and Ray Henderson, "Sailor Song" by Eugene Conrad. Orchestrations: Larry Russell, Frank Skinner. Sound recording: Bernard B. Brown, Charles Carroll. Assistant director: Mack Wright. Associate producer: Bernard W. Burton.Copyright 10 March 1944 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at the Capitol: 16 March 1944. U.S. release: 25 February 1944. Australian release: 31 August 1944. 7,222 feet. 80 minutes.SYNOPSIS: The son of a naval officer falls for the singing daughter of a musical comedy star, much to the dislike of a dancing girl.NOTES: Film debut of radio songstress, Ann Blyth.COMMENT: Okay for all. "Chip Off the Old Block" offers Universal's dancing duo yet another chance to bore audiences silly with their facial mugging and repulsively bumptious and goonish personalities. As usual, the surrounding story is a mindless yarn of vapidity and Charles Lamont's direction of it is even duller than usual. At least the final dancing number is slightly above the usual Universal standard — in fact it is mildly attractive — and the film does offer the chance to hear Ann Blyth singing in her own bathroom soprano (which puts the lie to her claim that she actually sang the title parts in the movies' "Rose Marie" and "The Helen Morgan Story"). Nonetheless, it is sad to find such a fine support cast wasting their talents on rubbish like this. The photography is flatter than the Mojave Desert. Production values are very moderate.
weezeralfalfa
Both Don O'Connor and 16 y.o old Ann Blyth are cast as 3rd generation wannabes in their respective family professions of naval officers and actress/ singers. Naturally, they serendipitously meet on a train and immediately strike up a liking for each other, after an initial misunderstanding. Peggy Ryan is Don's frustrated wannabe official girlfriend, whom he brushes off in front of Ann when they meet. The two older generations of each family had unsatisfactory romantic dalliances with each other. Thus, Ann's mother and grandmother are determined that Ann won't make the same mistake with Don. Naturally, their efforts ultimately prove futile, though they make for melodrama in the meanwhile. Poor Peggy! Obviously, she and Don were made for each other as relates to their comedic and dance personas, both having grown up on stage in vaudeville families.They were the teenage, musical, mixed sex equivalent of Universal's popular older Abbott and Costello comedy team, and an alternative to MGM's slightly older Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland vaudevillian team. But, in nearly every one of the films they did together, except the last, Peggy was typecast as Don's 'side dish': great for having good times together, but not a serious candidate for his future wife. She simply came across as not pretty enough, too wild and crude, and too scatterbrained to be the leading lady, not to mention her somewhat squeaky voice: succinctly summarized in her wild "Rude, Crude, and Unattractive" number with Don, in the previous "Mr. Big". In this respect, she suffered the fate of rather similar contemporary musical comedians Martha Raye and Nancy Walker. Thus, noted juvenile songstresses with operatic singing voices and 'good girl' typecasting were usually cast as Don's 'official' girlfriend in this film series. Initially, Gloria Jean filled this role. Then, in a series of films released in late '43 and '44, either blond Suzanna Foster or brunette Ann Blyth took her place.This was Ann Blyth's first film role, at age 16, and she seemed quite confident as the 'official' leading lady. However, as expected, Peggy steals the show with her uninhibited pursuit of Don, and her 3 song and dance routines with Don. The first one, about half way through, is done to "Is It Good or Bad?" (for a boy and girl to kiss), including a zany dance and chase scene in an informal setting. The second one starts with the pair sitting down singing "I Gotta Give My Feet a Break". The break isn't long, as they dance a bit before 'magically' transforming into mimics of Fred Astaire and partner, in tux and fancy dress attire, ballroom dancing on a mirrored floor, with ornate background. The third one, near the end, has them singing and dancing, along with presumably the 'Jivin' Jacks and Jills', as comical pirates(this being a show for the naval academy). The finale follows, with a sing by the 3 stars to a modified version of "Is It Good or Bad?", with Don getting kissed by both, who have by now accepted their status as equals in Don's present romantic life.Don begins the film with a comical skit and song, wearing an archaic style navy uniform, put on for the benefit of the naval academy he was attending. A bit later, Don and Ann take turns singing "Mighty Nice to Have Met You", a pleasant romantic ballad, while on the train where they met. Later, in informal settings, Ann solos "Love is Like Music", and "My Song". In her second film with Don and Peggy: "The Merry Monahans", released later in '44, Ann and Don again serendipitously meet on a train and, again, their parents had once been a romantic pair. That film had many more stage acts, as Don and Peggy play a vaudeville team. But, the routines are often short, often too short for my liking. Again, due to adult interference, Don and Ann have trouble maintaining their romantic connection, but succeed in the end. I recommend checking out both films, which now are viewable at You Tube, the present one in 8 segments, while "The Merry Monahans" is in one piece. I won't be upset if you prefer the latter film, which includes the added bonus of Jack Oakie as the vaudevillian father of Don's and Peggy's characters.
mggbikeluvr
I have mixed feelings about this movie. Over all, I enjoyed it. I've seen 5 movies with Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan and this is definitely not my favorite of them all.I'll start with the negative. Ann Blyth is one of the things that I don't particularly like in this musical. I've seen her in "The Merry Monahans", also with O'Connor and Ryan, and she was quite different. This was her first film. So she might not have been so confident. But her singing is very irritating. In "The Merry Monahans", her singing is great and her acting is amazing, too. But in this one, her singing sounds very bad and her acting is far from good. Maybe it's just because I dislike her character in this one, Glory Marlowe III. The character is an annoyance and she was not very enjoyable in this one. There was also some broken direction here and there. And the plot is an real cliché. But, really other than those, it's a good movie. O'Connor and Ryan sparkle in this one. They get to do one great dance called "Is it Good or is it Bad?". This song alone is enough to make you buy this one. They also dance to "I Gotta Give My Feet a Break" and they get to do a few comedy bits. These two are dynamite and carry the movie through. If it weren't for these two, the film would have been a disaster. But these two take the picture to the end and make it full of life.I don't recommend this that much. If you want some great stuff from O'Connor and Ryan, check out "Mister Big" or "Patrick the Great". But this one is good, too. Not their best. But pretty good.7/10
