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Swing High, Swing Low

1937, Movie, NR, 92 mins

Swing High, Swing Low: Review

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This second film version of the play "Burlesque" is lifted somewhat above the mundane by its strong cast and technical personnel. In the original play, the first film remake, DANCE OF LIFE, and the third, WHEN MY BABY SMILES AT ME, the main character is a comedian-dancer. Fred MacMurray was no hoofer, however, so his character is a trumpeter in this version. MacMurray costars with Carole Lombard, who sings on-screen for the first time as Maggie King, a performer sailing from New York to Central America. She meets Skid Johnson (MacMurray) on the ship, disembarking with him in Panama, where they visit a local hot spot. There, a local rake (Anthony Quinn) makes a pass at Maggie, and Skid decks him, winding up in jail for his gallantry. With Skid's shipmate Harry (Charles Butterworth), Maggie gets Skid out of prison, and the trio move into a small place together. Skid gets a nightclub gig with Maggie's help and becomes a hit in the Canal Zone, marrying Maggie. Trouble looms, however, after Skid is offered a job back in New York and leaves Maggie in Panama to head north with Anita (Dorothy Lamour), a singer. He's a smash in the Big Apple and spends his off-hours with the tempestuous Latin on his arm, but hits the bottle and the skids after Maggie arrives, sizes up the situation, and leaves him. Later, she returns to help him sober up for an important audition, after which he finally realizes she's the only woman in the world for him. MacMurray's trumpet playing is actually that of William Candreva and Frank Zinziv. Songs from many writers include: "Swing High, Swing Low" (Burton Lane, Ralph Freed), "Panamania," "I Hear a Call to Arms" (Sam Coslow, Al Siegel), "If It Isn't Pain, Then It Isn't Love" (Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger), "Spring is in the Air" (Charles Kisco, Freed), "Lonely Senorita" (Robin, Julian Oliver). leave a comment
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