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Good News
review by Anthony D.
Not Rated
Studio: Warner
Starring: Juney Allyson, Peter Lawford, Joan
McCracken, and Mel Torme
Genre: Musical
Directed by Charles Walters
Retail Price: $24.99
Features: Production Notes, Theatrical Trailer,
Deleted Musical Number, Excerpts from 1930's "Good
News."
Specs: 1.33:1 Full-Frame, Technicolor, Dolby Digital
Mono English, English Subtitles, French Subtitles, Chapter
Search (32 Chapters)
With football season upon us, it's only fitting to take a
peak at M-G-M's collegiate football musical "Good News" as
presented on Warner Home Video. This 1947 production is set
at the mythical Tait College - -where everyone must be a
little slow, or doing massive graduate work - - a school
populated by students of questionable age groups. Here at
Tait, at the height of the Roaring '20's, the student body
seems more intent on singing and dancing than on the studies
at hand, much like your typical real colleges. Entering into
this lively environment is a pseudo-French woman, Pat
McClellan (Patricia Marshall) who promptly steals the heart
of the football hero, Tommy Marlowe (Peter Lawford), and
every other wealthy boy on campus. Trouble is that Pat won't
have a thing to do with Tommy because he is not a member of
the same society circle Pat would like to travel in. Tommy
decides that to win Pat's affections he must learn French,
and quickly. Tommy enlists the aid of assistant librarian
Connie Lane (June Allyson) who quickly develops her own
unrequited crush on Tommy. Tommy becomes fluent in French
through one French lesson (Chapter 11- an amusing duet
written for the flm), but because football and girls don't
mix, Tommy's grades fall drasitcally, to the point where he
won't be allowed to play "the big game" unless he aces his
French exam. But because Tommy has eyes for Pat, Connie
refuses to tutor Tommy any more. Add to that the fact that
if Tait wins the big game, Tommy will announce his
engagement to Pat, and you have the zippy world of "Good
News," a minor M-G-M musical adapted from a major Broadway
hit show from 1927. Musical numbers abound, and director
Charles Walters moves things along predictably with an
assist from the classic words and music of B.G.DaSylva, Lew
Brown and Ray Henderson.
Here's what should be a nice package of eye-candy: a
technicolor musical from M-G-M. Instead we are given colors
which are too muted, even if though the color scheme of the
film is positively pastel. The 1940's Technicolor here,
unlike "The Wizard of Oz," is not a mind-blowing experience
- - the fleshtones of "Good News" are just simply what one
would expect of a technicolor musical film of this age. Reds
are either pumpkin-toned or maroon. An occasional aritifact
will pop up, and a few signs of wear and tear, which do not
detract from the film's viewing. Contrast is very good with
little or no aliasing, bleeding or moiring. It's a transfer
that stresses the softness of the image resulting in a
relatively grain-free picture.
The audio is simply Dolby Digital mono. Nothing great,
the songs come through, and the dialogue is firmly centered.
This is where "Good News" really takes off. Warner has
included two scenes from the lost 1930 version of "Good
News," both presented in stark black and white with grain
and artifacts. In spite of the lack of quality, both numbers
are quite entertaining, and a necessity for musical lovers.
Representing the 1947 "good News" is June Allyson's deleted
"An Easier Way" but doesn't state why it was deleted. The
film only runs 83 minutes, and this song surely couldn't
have hurt the pacing. It's a delightfully catty piece of
music which pits two leading ladies against each other. Also
included amongst the extras are a Cast and Crew spotlight
which lists no filmographies, and only has bios for Peter
Lawford and June Allyson. The Theatrical Trailer is dark and
has a strident sound.
Now that Warner is trickling the M-G-M musicals to us,
it's nice to know that their cataloguing will include lesser
programs such as "Good News." This can only mean that a
"BandWagon," A "Barkeleys of Broadway," and hopefully, a
"Boy Friend" are on the way.
Not that there's anything WRONG with "Good News," it just
seems to be a minor-league M-G-M musical, and it's casting
reflects that. June Allyson, although she could have been,
was not given the deluxe M-G-M "star treatment" associated
with, say, Judy Garland. If Garland was the Queen of the
lot, Allyson was only a lady-in-waiting. June Allyson was
brought to Hollywood, from the Broadway stage, where she was
nominally known for playing second banana roles - - her work
at M-G-M sometimes gave her starring roles, but she rarely
appeared in an M-G-M classic - - on the lines of say "Royal
Wedding," - a role she could have easily done as well as
Jane Powell. "Good News" gave her a nice break, but paired
her with a vanilla leading man in Peter Lawford, who despite
his suave good looks, and his charming British accent, never
seems quite at home in the environs of the All-American Tait
College. Mel Torme, the Velvet Fog himself, is given very
little to do, but his vocal stylings on "The Best Things in
Life are Free" (Chapter 23) are smooth and delightful.
Thrown into the mix is a delightful gem of a performance
from Joan McCracken - - a Broadway veteran, she was the
original "Dream Laurie" in Rogers & Hammerstein's
"Oklahoma!" Joan's energetic singing and dancing bring the
life back into "Good News." Joan is given the title song at
the start of the film, and a song written for the film "Pass
that Peace Pipe," (Chapter 16) which results in a big time
dance number in a soda shoppe. Sadly, Joan only appeared in
two films, this and "Hollywood Canteen," before she died at
38 of cancer.
"Good News" is a film that I couldn't warm up to as much
as I thought I would. It's plot is so firmly rooted in the
past - - will Tait College win the big football game? - -
but the songs are pleasant, even the new ones for the film,
with a couple of standards buried beneath the brouhaha:
"Lucky in Love" (Chaper 9) is given a nice full-cast
presentation, Allyson works wonders with "The Best Things in
Life are Free" (Chapter 12) and finally, (Chapter 31's) "The
Varsity Drag" will have toes-tapping and viewers' dancing
right along - - "The Varity Drag" bears a remarkable
resemblance to "Rocky Horror's" "Time Warp," and if that
isn't enough reason for learning a new dance step...well, I
don't know what is!
All in all, Warner has done well by "Good News." Musical
theater mavens must have it for it's scenes from the
otherwise lost 1930 version; and M-G-M completists must have
it because it exists. Warner must be commended for bringing
out this film to the digital format, and if viewers buy it,
Warner will continue to produce quality packages such as
this of other more deserving ("Yolanda and the Thief" is at
the top of my wish list) M-G-M titles. Bearing that in mind,
I strongly urge fans of musicals - -you know who you are -
-to rush out and BUY, not RENT "Good News."
 (3.5/5, NOT included in
final score)
(3.5/5)
 (2/5)
 (3/5)
(3.5/5, NOT an average)
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