Second Chorus *** (1940, Fred Astaire, Burgess Meredith, Paulette Goddard, Charles Butterworth, Artie Shaw) – Classic Movie Review 13,054

The 1940 musical film Second Chorus stars Fred Astaire, Burgess Meredith, Paulette Goddard and Artie Shaw. It has its charms but Astaire said it was the worst film he ever made and Artie Shaw said it put him off film acting.

‘They’re the tip-tops in toe-taps!’ ‘PAULETTE GETS HEP TO THAT SMOOTH ASTAIRE STEP… and they’re off on a whirling, swirling musical joy-spree!’

Director H C Potter’s 1940 American romantic musical film Second Chorus stars Fred Astaire, Burgess Meredith, Paulette Goddard, Charles Butterworth, and Artie Shaw. It has its charms but Astaire said it was the worst film he ever made and Artie Shaw said it put him off film acting, though he was Oscar nominated for Best Score and Best Original Song

Fred Astaire plays a 41-year-old college student, Danny O’Neill, who, along with his  perennial college chum Hank Taylor (Burgess Meredith), plays trumpet in a band managed by Ellen Miller (Paulette Goddard) — over whom they are soon fighting — when Artie Shaw (as himself) seeks her out to work for him. The two competitive trumpet players then scheme to get jobs with Artie Shaw’s band themselves.

And then there’s just the problem of Ellen Miller. As Fred’s the star, guess who gets the gal! In real life, however, it was Meredith who got the gal. He married Goddard in 1944.

What a shame that it’s a second-class musical, but Fred’s fine, Paulette’s perky (though, alas, she’s not Ginger Rogers on the dance floor), and Burgess is bouncy.

Plus there are fair songs by Johnny Mercer (lyrics) and Artie Shaw (who was Oscar-nominated for the score as well as appearing with his band), who come up with the Oscar-nominated hit number, ‘Would You Like to Be the Love of My Life’. Astaire and Goddard dance to the song and dance number ‘Dig It’. which was shot in one take, his last ever routine in a single take. Also Shaw plays his compositions ‘Everything’s Jumping’, ‘Double Mellow’ and ‘Concerto for Clarinet’.

Also in the cast are Frank Melton, Jimmy Conlin, Don Brodie, Marjorie Kane, Joan Barclay, Willa Pearl Curtis, Bobby Barber, William Benedict, Ben Hall, Charles R Moore, Spec O’Donnell, Hermes Pan, Charles Smith, Michael Visaroff, and Allen Wood.

The film’s dance director Hermes Pan appears as a clarinettist in the college band sequences.

The screenplay by Elaine Ryan and Ian McClellan Hunter is based on a story by Frank Cavett.

Astaire’s trumpet part is dubbed by Bobby Hackett.

Second Chorus is directed by H C Potter, runs 83 minutes, is made by Boris Morros Productions, is released by Paramount Pictures, is written by Elaine Ryan and Ian McClellan Hunter, based on a story by Frank Cavett, is shot in black and white by Theodor Sparkuhl, is produced by Boris Morros, is scored by Artie Shaw, and is designed by Boris Leven.

Ginger Rogers was starring in Kitty Foyle (1940) at the time and won the Oscar for Best Actress. Astaire sent her a telegram, saying: ‘Ouch’.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,054

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