Strike Up the Band

directed by Busby Berkeley
Category: "Musical"
Year of Release:1940
Date Added:04/23/2015
Date Watched:04/23/2015
Description:Jimmy Connors (Mickey Rooney) is a high school drummer who has an idea for a dance band. He and his friend Mary Holden (Judy Garland) approach the school principal and get permission to put on a concert. When it's a success, they decide to take their band to Chicago to audition for band leader Paul Whiteman. They perform at a dance and earn most of the money they need to go, but they can't get it all. Then they meet Paul Whiteman at a concert and audition for him there. He offers Jimmy a job with a band, but Jimmy doesn't want to abandon his friends. Whiteman loans Jimmy the rest of the money he needs to bring his band to Chicago to appear on a show. But then one of Jimmy's friends needs medical care and Jimmy gives all the band's money for that. A rich guy in town who owns a railroad gives the band free passage and they make it to Chicago and win the contest. Jimmy ends up with Mary, who loved him all along.
My Rating:5

Reviews for Strike Up the Band

Review - Strike Up the Band

The songs were mediocre, although I kinda liked "Nobody," sung by Garland who wasn't nearly as annoying here as she usually is. The plot was ridiculous. The band performed complex numbers with little or no practice and was able to put on a huge production with other bands they never performed with again. When the friend got sick, all the adults in town did nothing and it was up to Jimmy to give up the band's money so his life could be saved. But then a rich guy stepped up to give the band the money they needed. Why didn't he just save the kid?

Reviewed by Roger on 2015-04-23 18:29:37

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