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Strike Up the Band
MGM, 1940 (BW, 120 minutes, Production No. 1141)
Jimmy Connors reorganizes the Riverwood high school band into a dance band, and he and Mary attempt to finance the band's entry into a nationwide band contest sponsored by Paul Whiteman. The band performs at a high school
dance, then puts on a play (one of the highlights of the movie). The play is a big success, and they now have enough money to get the band to the contest in Chicago, but fate throws them a curve when Willie requires emergency surgery due to an injury
received during his performance in the play. The money they've worked so hard for is now needed to charter a plane to get Willie to a hospital. What will they do?
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Crew
Produced by: Arthur Freed
Directed by: Busby Berkeley
Original Screen Play by: John Monks, Jr. and Fred Finklehoffe
Lyrics and Music by:
Musical Director: Georgie Stoll
Additional Songs: "Strike Up the Band" Music by , Lyrics by ; "Our Love Affair" (by) and
Chorals and Orchestrations: Leo Arnaud, Conrad Salinger
Art Director: Cedric Gibbons
Associate: John S. Detlie
Set Decorations: Edwin B. Willis
Musical Presentation by: Merrill Pye
Women's Wardrobe by: Dolly Tree
Men's Wardrobe by: Gile Steele
Make-Up Created by: Jack Dawn
Fruit Models Created by: Henry Rox
Recording Director: Douglas Shearer
Director of Photography: Ray June
Film Editor: Ben Lewis
Filmed: April 1940 - August 1940 (Judy turned 18 during filming)
Released: September 1940
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Cast
... Jimmy Connors
... Mary Holden
... Himself
... Barbara Frances Morgan
... Phillip Turner
... Willie Brewster
... Annie
... Mrs. Connors
... Mr. Judd
... Mrs. May Holden
... Mr. Morgan
... Mrs. Morgan
... Doctor
... Miss Hodges
... Mr. Holden
... Mrs. Brewster
... ticket seller
... Booper Barton
... Henry
... Music Teacher
... Boy
... Boy
... Girl
... Girl
... Girl
... Pitchman
... Clown
... Attendant
... Charlie
... Doctor
... Policeman
... Barker
... Barker
... Hammer Concessionaire
... Shooting Gallery Concessionaire
... Ice Cream Concessionaire
... Hot Dog Concessionaire
... Hot Dog Concessionaire
... House Boy
... Butler
... Old Lady
... Old Lady
... Man
... Man
... Trumpet Player
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
... Students
... vocals
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Musical Program
[0:00] Overture (played by Orchestra behind titles)
[0:01] (excerpt played by Riverwood High School Band)
[0:12] [AAN] (sung by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney)
[0:25] (performed by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Six Hits and a Miss, MGM Studio Chorus)
[0:49] (sung by Judy Garland)
[1:02] (performed by Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, June Preisser, William Tracy, Larry Nunn, Margaret Early and the MGM Studio Chorus)
Includes excerpts from:
(?) (performed by Judy Garland, Margaret Early, Mickey Rooney, William Tracy, MGM Studio Chorus)
(excerpt played by the MGM Studio Orchestra)
(Judy Garland, Margaret Early and MGM Studio Chorus)
(?) (Judy Garland)
(excerpts interspersed throughout, played by the MGM Studio Orchestra)
(excerpt played by the MGM Studio Orchestra)
[cut] "I Just Can't Make My Eyes Behave" (Cobb-Edwards) (June Preisser and Male Chorus)
"Over the Waves" (Rosas) (MGM Studio Orchestra)
[1:07] (excerpt sung by Judy Garland and Male Chorus)
[cut] "While Strolling Through the Park One Day" (aka The Fountain by the Park) (Haley-Keiser, 1894) [outtake] (Mickey Rooney and MGM Studio Orchestra)
(excerpt played by the MGM Studio Orchestra)
"Flower Song" (Lange) (MGM Studio Orchestra)
(excerpt performed by June Preisser and Male Chorus)
[1:11] (Larry Nunn and Judy Garland)
"Wintermarchen" (Czibulka) (MGM Studio Orchestra)
[cut] (Judy Garland) [outtake]
(excerpt played by the MGM Studio Orchestra)
[1:23] "When Day Is Done" (Katscher) (Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra)
[1:25] (played by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra)
[1:28] (Judy Garland, Six Hits and a Miss and the MGM Studio Orchestra with Mickey Rooney on drums and vibraphone)
[1:46] Travel / Contest Montage, Roger Edens at the piano
includes excerpts from the following:
(Edens)
"Running Wild" (Gibbs)
"China Boy" (Winfree-Boutelje)
"Hands Across the Table" (Delettre)
(Braham)
[1:51] Finale: / / / (performed by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Six Hits and a Miss and the MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus)
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Notes
Judy turned 18 during filming of this picture. The beginning of her work on Band overlapped her completion of , and she began work on before completion of her work on Band in August 1940.
"Our Love Affair", coauthored by Arthur Freed and Roger Edens, was nominated for for 1940.
The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Sound Recording (Douglas Shearer), Best Score (George Stoll and Roger Edens), and Best Song ("Our Love Affair")
This was the second of the four Mickey/Judy "backyard musicals" directed by Busby Berkeley. Previously released was (1939), and still to come were (1941), and (1943).
, having just signed on with MGM, came up with the idea for the fruit orchestra in the "Our Love Affair" number. Though often credited with producing the
scene, he denies that in his autobiography, but takes credit for originating the idea.
Strike Up the Band was one of eight movie adaptations starring Judy to be presented by Lux Radio Theatre (she appeared on more than 200 radio programs during her career). The radio adaptation of Band, also
starring Mickey Rooney, aired on October 28, 1940. The other Lux presentations in which Judy starred were: Merton of the Movies (with Mickey Rooney, 1941), Morning Glory (with John Payne and Adolphe Menjou, 1942), A Star Is Born (with
Walter Pidgeon, 1942), The Clock (with John Hodiak, 1946), Meet Me in St. Louis (with Tom Drake and Margaret O'Brien, 1946), The Wizard of Oz (1950), and Lady in the Dark (with John Lund, 1953) (all available on audio
cassette). See section for details.
The complete soundtrack is included in the 4-CD set entitled: "Mickey & Judy," Rhino (1995).
See for information about the latest releases of home video and sountrack.
See for more information on this and other classic films.
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Awards
Won Best Sound Recording Academy Award (Douglas Shearer)
Nominated for (Roger Edens, George Stoll)
Nominated for Best Original Score Academy Award (Roger Edens, George Stoll)
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Critical Response
"While all the young principals do themselves proud, Garland particularly achieves rank as one of the screen's great personalities. Here she is for the first time in the full bloom and charm which is beyond childhood, as
versatile in acting as she is excellent in song - a striking figure and a most oomphy one in the wild abandon of the La Conga."
- Daily Variety
"The La Conga danced by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in Strike Up the Band is nothing less than sensational. For that reason, Movie and Radio Guide hereby christens the number 'The Roogaronga.' This title is a
combination of the first three letters of Mickey's and Judy's last names, to which has been added the identifying dance classification."
- Movie and Radio Guide, 1940
Strike Up the Band is Metro's successor to 'Babes in Arms,' with Mickey Rooney, assisted by major trouping on the part of Judy Garland ... Picture is overall smacko entertainment ... and Mickey Rooney teamed with Judy
Garland is a wealth of effective entertainment."
- Variety, Sep. 18, 1940
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Memorable Lines
Jimmy: "Mary, look at me. Do I look like a doctor?"
Mary (taking a long look): "No, I guess you don't."
Jimmy: "You're as important to me as the brass section!"
Mary (sarcastically): "That's pretty important!"
Mary (to Annie): "You know, it does something to a girl's spirit to keep on fighting a losing battle to a snare drum."
Jimmy: "Aw... women to me are just people!"
Mary (to Jimmy): "Just because you have a pair of long pants on, you think you know everything."
Nell: "Merriwether, you've been gone for two years. Where is the money?"
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