User reviews

And The Angels Sing is apparently Paramount's answer to Warner Brothers Lane Sisters and the series of films that they had starting with Four Daughters. The four of them are musical prodigies, but they're really not into singing. What they are into is earning enough money so their father Raymond Walburn can buy a farm.

Three of Paramount's best female stars, Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn played 3/4 of the Angel sisters, the fourth being given to Mimi Chandler whose father Senator Albert H. Chandler would shortly become baseball commissioner. Betty Hutton is the only one enthused about performing, but given this is Betty Hutton what else would you expect?

They get themselves all tangled up with bandleader Fred MacMurray who's a bit of rat quite frankly taking advantage of Hutton to get some money in order for his band to get traveling money to an engagement in Brooklyn. The sisters are up in arms and trail him to Brooklyn to get their money.

At some point MacMurray has to woo all of them more or less to some degree. The whole thing ends rather conventionally though.

The plot is really an excuse for the musical numbers and the score here was written by Bing Crosby's favorite writers Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. Although Betty Hutton gets the showier numbers on screen, the hit song from And The Angels Sing was sung by Dorothy Lamour, It Could Happen To You. And of course Paramount prevailed upon Der Bingle to record it and by all means get his record of it if you can find it.

And The Angels Sing provides a nice showcase for the musical talents of the cast. MacMurray who later played some nasty characters shows a bit of what Billy Wilder saw in casting him as a villain in Double Indemnity and The Apartment. The film is a pleasant enough diversion.

This typical bit of 1944 Paramount studio wartime fluff, expertly paced by George Marshall, features a first-rate comic performance by Fred MacMurray, best remembered for his dramatic roles in DOUBLE INDEMNITY and THE APARTMENT. MacMurray started as a saxophone player and can be heard playing one badly but briefly in a long shot. In typical Hollywood fashion, the jazz classic IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, a favorite tune of Sinatra and Chet Baker, the best of the songs here, gets only the briefest screen time, sung in the film beautifully by Dorothy Lamour who was not only lovely but could act. She affects a delightful Brooklyn accent in a delightful bit with Frank Faylen who later played the male nurse in LOST WEEKEND and the cab driver in ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE.

Paramount studio musical comedy (more music than comedy) directed by George Marshall (Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis films, etc...). Hutton, Lamour, Chandler and Lynn are a singing sister act wined and dined by band leader Fred MacMurray. Most of the film takes place at a nightclub (the sisters wear long gowns for the entire film) and there's not much of a plot, mainly an excuse for Hutton to do some songs. Fred MacMurray sings (though he's bit of a creep most of the time), and some rare scenes of piano prodigy Diana Lynn playing the piano (too bad not really featured in solo). Most of the lines and situations go to Hutton, Lamour, and MacMurray, the rest of the cast is just there to be working. Cute but definitely a lesser work. I'd watch Hutton, Lamour, or Lynn in anything but there was just too little film here for them to be cast in their roles.

The Angel sisters go to New York to get back $190 dollars that was taken from them by band leader Happy (Fred MacMurray). There are 4 of them - Nancy (Dorothy Lamour), Bobby (Betty Hutton), Josie (Diana Lynn) and Patti (Mimi Chandler). Once there, they find a job and 2 of the sisters also find love.

This film is saved by Fred MacMurray. His effortless humour drags this film past the OK mark. It's not enough to make this a good film, though. The music is terrible apart from the first song "The First Hundred Years". After that, it's downhill on the music front with a number of forgettable songs. Betty Hutton's 2 solo songs are enough to make you press the stop button and sling the film onto a reject pile. She delivers them in her typical brash and shouty manner. Still, I suppose you know what you're gonna get with her. And she steals every scene of the film that she's in coz she is so boisterous. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's grating. If the film was just about the sisters with them singing, it'd be a turkey. Thank God for MacMurray.

The cast are OK and there is an enjoyable dance sequence with Frank Feylan who plays "Holman". Lamour and Hutton find love in New York although I'm not sure what Lamour's boyfriend Oliver (Frank Albertson) would think about the situation. He seems to have been completely forgotten in the story. He just disappears!

Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn, and Mimi Chandler are the Angel Sisters, living in a small town in New York, and fathered by widowed Raymond Walburn. They do a musical act, but they each have their own ambitions, until after a $10 roadhouse gig, run up to $190 at the craps table by Miss Hutton, she gets clipped by Fred MacMurray, who needs the money to get his band to the Copa Club -- the one in Brooklyn. The Angel family pursues him for the money, but he and band member Eddie Foy Jr. Put them off and put them into the act as singers. Meanwhile, MacMurray romances Misses Lamour and Hutton.

It's an ok musical, enlivened by blackout sequences, George Marshall's comedy direction and a good score by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen. When the ladies aren't singing as a quartet, Miss Hutton gets the most solo numbers, including an energetic version of "His Rocking Horse Ran Away". Of course there's a big patriotic number at the end. While it's no world-beater, there's lots of good comedy set pieces to keep the audience amused.

What better way to fund his acquisition of a soya-bean farm than for "Pop" (Raymond Walburn) to get his singing daughters to get on stage and wow the crowd. Thing is, they just don't want to and given their differing personalities that's not really surprising. He does manage to get them to agree to an one-off performance though where "Bobby" (Betty Hutton) turns their ten dollar fee into $190! Meantime, band leader "Happy" (Fred McMurray) can't afford to pay the wages for his musicians so he taps up "Bobby" in a quid pro quo for a singing gig but before she has a chance to belt out a single note, he's done a bunk with her money! When she finds out where he's skedaddled to, they follow en-masse and find there chance for sweet revenge when the club will only employ "Happy" if the four girls accompany him! Along the way in this engaging theatrical romp, we have "Nancy" (an on-form Dorothy Lamour) serenading us with "It Could Happen to You" and, indeed, Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke have written quite a few decent numbers that Danny Dare has quite spontaneously choreographed with feathers and glittery costumes galore. There's also quite an enjoyable chemistry between the mischievous McMurray and just about everyone, but Hutton and Diana Lynn stand out as the comedy stays just the right side of the slapstick. It's light and fluffy, sure, and I doubt nowadays anyone would be allowed to get spanked without half a dozen "intimacy consultants" on set, but it's quite entertaining.

Apparently folks at Paramount held off releasing "And the Angels Sing" for a year...sure sign that they probably thought the film would bomb. Much of this might have been because Fred MacMurray played a real jerk...not the sort of guy he played in "Double Indemnity" but more of a cad who thinks nothing of stealing or sexually harassing ladies. I don't understand the studio making such a picture...and a few other things didn't help it either.

The Angel Sisters (Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn and Mimi Chandler) don't really like each other very much. In particular, Nancy (Lamour) is angry with Bobby (Hutton) because she won't get a job and the family could really use the money. Surprisingly, Bobby finally tells her family that she DOES have a job. She volunteered her sisters to sing with her on Saturday night at some club.

At the club, the bandleader, Happy Marshall (MacMurray) horribly sexually harasses Nancy the second he meets her. Well, it turns out this isn't the worst thing about Happy. Later, he promises Bobby a high paying job traveling with the band as their singer...and instead he steals her money and uses it to get his band to Brooklyn!! If this doesn't sound like a very good plot for a film...well, this sure had me thinking the same! So what's next when the four sisters set out for Brooklyn to confront Happy?

In addition to MacMurray's character who continues to be a total pig throughout the movie, it also loses points from me simply because I can't stand Betty Hutton. Her shtick is SCREAMING songs and occasionally screaming her dialog...and I have no idea how she ever became popular.

Despite all that, I must admit that I liked some of the music (NOT Hutton's solo...good grief, no!). As for the story...well, it's simply horrible. On balance, I can EASILY understand why they shelved this movie. With a few script changes (and gagging Hutton), it could have easily been better.

When this picture came out in 1944, I saw the previews. I was about 12 at the time. The previews showed the three girls being spanked -- which REALLY lit me up.

However, in the week between seeing the trailer -- and when the flick actually played at my friendly neighborhood theater -- I'd goofed up at home. I don't remember what "rock" I may have pulled -- but, it was enough to get me grounded for a week. And I MISSED seeing the movie.

For -- literally -- SIXTY YEARS, I looked for this movie. FINALLY found it on e-Bay a couple years ago. Paid the well-known arm and a leg for it. First VHS copy I got didn't play. I was CONVINCED that I'd NEVER see the picture. That the fates had DECREED that I'd remained frustrated! Fortunately, the guy sent me one I could view.

Found out that there was MUCH more to the flick than the triple-spanking (which, doggone it, didn't last long enough.) For instance, one of my all-time favorite songs -- over the years -- has been "It Could Happen To You". I'd not been aware of the fact that it came from this movie. Not till Dorothy Lamour began singing it to Fred McMurray.

I LOVE Diana Lynn! I'd sit and simply LOOK at a picture of hers. The cover of the "Piano Moods" album she made with Paul Weston's orchestra -- in the late-forties -- is, to my way of thinking, the most beautiful one ever made.

This was a GREAT movie. Was glad I'd finally tracked it down.

"And the Angels Sing" is a combination musical review and comedy romance. Made in early 1944, it was one of many light and fluffy films that Hollywood produced during World War II to help the folks at home take their minds off the war. The dance hall scenes have a few sailors and soldiers in uniform.

The plot for this film is weak, and the screenplay seems to have holes throughout. The technical production doesn't seem very well done for a Paramount movie. Four girls are the Angel sisters, whom their father, played by Raymond Walburn has taught and encouraged to sing and play music. The best known members are comedy actress Betty Hutton and singer/actress Dorothy Lamour. Most of the songs are forgettable, and their singing is little better than okay. The Andrews Sisters they are not. Lamour has one good number, "It Could Happen to You." Hutton's character is in her usual bouncy, very loud voice that always seems overdone.

Fred MacMurray is okay in a role that seems confusing. He goes back and forth as a lady-killer, earnest bandleader, nice guy, and addicted gambler. He plays Happy Morgan, a swing and dance bandleader. Was his name in this film a coincidence? One of the sisters, Patti Angel, was played by Mimi Chandler, daughter of a U.S. Senator from Kentucky at the time, named Happy Chandler? Chandler had been governor and would serve a later term as governor, but he's most remembered as the second commissioner of baseball (1945-1951). He is credited with integrating baseball when he approved Jackie Robinson as a player for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

One of the reasons to see this film is for Eddie Foy, Jr. He was the son of one of the most famous vaudeville singers, dancers, and performers. The funniest scene in the film is toward the end when Foy's character, Fuzzy, does a Bavarian two-step routine with Happy. MacMurray, particularly, is very funny in this scene.

There's no real romance in this film, and it's mildly entertaining. But nothing of the caliber or comedy of most of MacMurray's films.

Here are the best of the very few humorous lines in this film.

Happy Morgan, "But you know how I feel about taking money from women. It does something to me inside." Fuzzy Johnson, "Yeah, it keeps you from starving."

Nancy Angel, going into the powder room is crying and says, "I just became engaged to the most wonderful man in the world." Powder room attendant, "Don't cry about it honey. Maybe you can still get out of it."

Bobby Angel goes into the power room crying. The attendant asks, "What's your problem, honey?" Bobby says, "I just got engaged to the most wonderful man in the world." Attendant, "My, my. What are they puttin' in that food tonight?"

Pedestrian musical comedy about four singing sisters (Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn, Mimi Chandler) and their efforts to help out their dear old father, even though not all of them want a singing career. Enter ladies man bandleader Fred MacMurray, who's not above seducing women to get what he wants. He's not even above stealing from them. He's kind of a jerk, honestly. This is one of those movies where the plot is so flimsy the entire film hinges on the charisma of the stars and, if we're lucky, some great songs. We're fairly lucky in the latter regard, as there are some enjoyable tunes here, including "It Could Happen to You," nicely sung by Lamour. The female stars also offer some appeal, with Lamour the standout and Hutton her usual "take her or leave her" energetic style. MacMurray does his best but the part is just...well, "dated" is the kindest way of putting it. Also featuring Eddie Foy, Jr. as MacMurray's irritating sidekick.

AND THE ANGELS SING is a utterly entertaining comedy/musical starring Dorothy Lamour and Fred MacMurray with rising young actresses Betty Hutton and Diana Lynn in featured roles. This movie doesn't have much of a reputation thanks to the fact it curiously has been seldom seen in recent decades. It has never aired on any major national cable channel to my knowledge yet it was a major Paramount film and a big hit at the time.

Lamour and Hutton are the main attractions in a sister singing quartet who get the shaft from sneaky band leader Fred MacMurray. Eventually Betty pursues Fred - and Fred pursues Dorothy. The songs in this film are sensational - Lamour croons the lovely "It Could Happen to You", Hutton stops the show with the outrageous "My Rocking Horse Ran Away", and the sister act sings a lot of songs in best Andrew Sisters harmony including the very charming "The First Hundred Years" and the sassy "Knocking On Your Own Front Door".

Too bad TCM didn't get this for their retrospective on Hutton films a few years ago - it's one of her best even if she does play second fiddle to Lamour (though she holds her own). And Dorothy Lamour gives one of her best performances, she can handle comedy and music with equal ease and of course is one of the best lookers ever in movies as icing on the cake.

Movies like this raised the spirits of war weary citizens during the 1940's. Well guess what? It will still lift your spirits today! You've probably read the plot and already know the story. Nevertheless, in a nutshell – The four Angel sisters (Lamour, Hutton, Lynn and Chandler) are chiseled out of $190 by band leader Happy Marshall (Fred MacMurray), pushed into doing it by his friend Fuzzy (Eddie Foy, Jr.). Happy and the band go to Brooklyn, with the girls following to retrieve their money – and some funny and musical things happen along the way. Lamour and Hutton both get goofy over MacMurray with resultant pandemonium. The story line was not meant to be deep, just fun and entertaining, and it met those goals. Dorothy Lamour and Betty Hutton dominate the talent in the movie and not necessarily in that order. Although Lamour, with fine acting and a wonderful voice had the lead, it was Betty Hutton's talent that stole the show hands down. Before Hollywood stardom, Dorothy Lamour was Miss New Orleans in 1931, and then she set out to be a singer. In one part of the movie she tries to gain entry to the Copacabana club in Brooklyn, but is turned away by the ticket seller because she does not have an escort. This type of scene interests me because, when I see a familiar face I like to do some checking, then report the findings here (which saves the reader from doing so). Notice the ticket lady was Louise La Planche who was Miss North America 1940. In 1996 she was the last surviving cast member of Lon Chaney's "Hunchback of Notre Dame". In this scene, as Dorothy is walking away, she meets a fellow in a zoot suit. He had a familiar face and his name was Frank Faylen. Familiar because he played the father of Dobie Gillis in the TV show and the cab driver in "It's a Wonderful Life". Frank and Dorothy did a great routine with an exaggerated Brooklyn-ese style conversation. Betty Hutton's energy and pizazz was evident from the start. When the Angel sisters walked down the street in the beginning of the film and as they came out on the stage singing they just walked calmly – except for Betty. She had that natural bounce to her step that is as much a part of her personality as rolling and blinking those expressive eyes. I don't know how else to put it – in a group of talented entertainers – she is the one you notice. Some might say she has an extraordinary talent that only comes along once in a lifetime. Ha! Try multiple generations! The third Angel sister was Diana Lynn, and when you saw her playing the piano in the movie it was apparently not a fake. In real life, she was a child prodigy who played piano for the Los Angeles Junior Symphony at the age of 12. The fourth sister was played by Mimi Chandler whom I don't recognize at all, so she is a mystery to me. Dorothy's boyfriend Oliver was played by Frank Albertson, brother of Jack Albertson (from Chico and the Man and Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka). The male lead was Fred MacMurray and I hate it when he plays a cad. He was great as a Scout leader in "Follow Me Boys" and as the father on TV's "My Three Sons", but when he plays a low life, I guess he does it too well as you just don't like him. Real life meets movie, as he plays a band leader in this movie and he started out playing and singing with bands early in his career. Eddie Foy, Jr. is his friend Fuzzy. Eddie played his father Eddie Sr. (famous as Eddie Foy and the Seven Little Foys) several times as in "Yankee Doodle Dandy". His parents actually had eleven children, but only seven survived and Eddie Sr. incorporated them into his act when their mother died. Eddie Jr. acted well in this movie and reminded me of a younger Harry Morgan. Those with a sharp ear will notice during the conversation between Eddie Jr, MacMurray and Hutton some name-dropping. Eddie says he has tried to get several singers and mentions Diana Shore, Harriet Hilliard and a name sounding like Boswell. As we know, Harriet Hilliard became the model for 1950's mothers in TV's Ozzie & Harriet with Dave and Ricky Nelson. An interesting person popped up when Fred and Dorothy go out night clubbing and end up at a Polish wedding. Notice the bride played by Hillary Brooke. Although a small part here, she became that "tall blonde with the British accent" who played opposite Basil Rathbone in a couple Sherlock Holmes movies and with Red Skelton in "The Fuller Brush Man" to name just a couple. The father of the Angel sisters was Raymond Walburn who usually played a comical stuff shirt official. He is described as a look alike for the caricature of Mr. Monopoly. In this movie, his favorite daughter is Betty Hutton, as demonstrated when she is the only one who appreciates his lamb stew cooking and he defends her for not finding a job. There were several such character actors in the film. All long time professionals such as Jack Norton who made a career out of playing staggering drunks even though he was a teetotaler in real life. As you can see, the movie had a wealth of acting talent to supplement the harmonious singing of the sister act with Betty Hutton and Dorothy Lamour in particular. As written on the screen at the start – the Angels did not have halos, harps nor wings, what they didn't have they didn't need! Although the story line is somewhat predictable, don't waste time analyzing it. Just relax and enjoy the laughs and music of "And the Angels Sing".

I stumbled across this on late night TV and found myself laughing...a lot. A shining example of the uplifting wartime movie genre. Diana Lynn and Betty Hutton are great. All have perfect comedic timing proving ensemble cast concept is a timeless strategy. The lamb stew gag became a standing joke for along time amongst my crowd for years.

Even though she is billed third behind Lamour and MacMurray, Betty Hutton walks away with the picture. The plot is as old as the hills but the by play of the four Angel sisters is very amusing.

But the reason to watch the film is Betty Hutton. She is adorable in this film, has a couple of funny novelty musical numbers in addition to the ones she sings with her "sisters" and does a drunk scene that is one of the most hilarious that I have ever seen. Lamour had to do one later in the film and I felt sorry for her having to follow Hutton's performance.

I recently discovered a slew of Betty Hutton movies on YouTube-some of which, I guess, are in the public domain-so I'm now reviewing those I managed to find there in chronological order. In this one, she's one of the grown Angel sisters of which the others are Dorothy Lamour, Diana Lynn, and Mimi Chandler. They form a singing act though both Ms. Lamour and Ms. Hutton have solo turns as well. Fred MacMurray is the slick bandleader who's not very honest though he is fun especially when he pretend woos Betty and truly woos Dorothy. Mostly funny screenplay by Melvin Frank & Norman Panama and entertaining songs by James Van Heusen & Johnny Burke. Hutton has most of the funny lines and scenes but everyone gets to shine. So on that note, And the Angels Sing is highly recommended. P.S. Since I always like to cite when players from my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life-are in something else, here, it's Frank Faylen-Ernie Bishop the taxi driver in that one-playing a guy Ms. Lamour mocks when she talks to him in his Brooklynese accent. Also, Frank Albertson-Sam Wainwright in IAWL-plays Dorothy's initial boyfriend Oliver in the beginning scenes.

Fred MacMurray singing and dancing? Believe it or not. And he's surprisingly good at it.

Four young ladies of the Angel family get coerced into singing for their, and their daddy's, supper. In fact, they're, however reluctant, not only quite good but quite well received by their audiences.

Three of them are played by actresses very talented and well known for musical abilities. The fourth, Mimi Chandler, daughter of Kentucky governor "Happy" Chandler, made only one other movie. But no reason is given here at IMDb. Judging just by her performance in "And the Angels Sing," it was a great loss to the industry and to us.

The story is cute, most of the time, but gets silly and even annoying at other times as thwarted love and stalled career gets in the way.

But there is a lot more good, and I mean a LOT MORE good, than bad, and getting a chance to see Eddie Foy Jr. being other than goofy almost alone would make this movie worthwhile. Seeing him and Fred MacMurray as a nightclub act definitely makes this a must-see movie.

There is a very good print at YouTube and I highly recommend "And the Angels Sing."