Can't Help Singing

Director: Frank Ryan Frank Ryan

Overview

In this musical western, a young woman heads for California to find her errant lover and en route finds herself tempted by romance with another. This was the first Technicolor film in which Deanna Durbin appeared. Jerome Kern and E.Y Harburg penned the memorable songs that include: "Cal-i-for-ni-ay," "Elbow Room," "Swing Your Sweatheart," and "Any Moment Now."

Product Details

Release Date:	10/12/2016
UPC:	0025192384363
Original Release:	1944
Source:	Universal Mod
Language:	English
Time:	1:31:00
Sales rank:	50,378

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Deanna Durbin	Caroline Fist
Robert Paige	Johnny Lawlor
David Bruce	Lt. Robert Latham
Akim Tamiroff	Prince Gregory Stroganovsky
Leonid Kinskey	Koppa
Ray Collins	Sen. Frost
June Vincent	Miss MacLean
Andrew Tombes	Sad Sam
Thomas Gomez	Carstairs
Clara Blandick	Aunt Cissy
Olin Howlin	Bigelow
George Cleveland	Marshal
Roscoe Ates	Actor
Chester Conklin	Actor
Edward Earle	Actor
Frank Lackteen	Actor
Almira Sessions	Actor
Jerome Kern	Composer
H.J. Salter	Composer

Technical Credits

Frank Ryan

Lewis Foster

Felix Jackson	Producer
Frank Ryan	Director,Screenwriter
Lewis Foster	Screenwriter
Bernard Brown	Sound/Sound Designer
Joe Lapis	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

On paper, Can't Help Singing has plenty of the makings of a classic movie musical. Yet something went wrong from paper to celluloid, making Singing moderately entertaining instead of a great treat. It's easy to say that the "something" that went wrong is the screenplay, and it's hard to argue with that. This is one of those by-the-numbers plots that one finds in so many musicals of the period. In addition, the dialogue is no great shakes and the characterizations are admittedly shallow. Yet better musicals have been made from material of a similar quality. Perhaps it's Frank Ryan's merely adequate direction that is to blame. Or maybe it's simply that the parts just didn't add up the way they should have; the chemistry just wasn't right. Still, Singing does have a couple of aces up its sleeve in its silver-voiced leading lady and its beautiful Jerome Kern-E.Y. Harburg score. Deanna Durbin sounds as gorgeous as ever, and she handles the light dramatic chores with aplomb. Kern's music is as gossamer as ever, and Harburg's lyrics are delightful, and especially felicitous in "Californ-i-ay." Throw in some yummy Technicolor and some nice location lensing, and there's enough to make Can't Help Singing fun -- just not a classic.