Karry Best movie of this year hands down!

Rijndri Load of rubbish!!

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

richspenc I have one nitpick, the blackface routines near the end of the film. And the characters in this film chose to do a minstrel number just because they wanted to. At least in "Everybody sing", Judy did a blackface routine in that film because she didn't want her eccentric parents to recognize her because they were trying to ship her off to Europe. It was that era's biggest downfall. That downfall isn't such a problem today, but there are plenty of new ones now that weren't around then. Actually, people were nicer and more decent in almost every way back then compared to today with the big exception being racism. And I'm sure that many good hearted people of that time only acted racist because they were taught to and were pressured to by the smaller percentage of people that enforced racism to be part of that era's society. Anyway, the blackface numbers in this film is why I subtracted two points. All of the other parts of the film, I rate a 10. They were just as terrific as the other Garland/ Rooney musicals. I love Judy Garland. I love the singing, the sentiment and the passion in "Babes on Broadway". In some other reviews I've read on this film, they don't. I can understand them not liking incessant singing and dancing if it isn't that good. But with Judy Garland, it's wonderful. I like sentiment and passion in the innocent style of 1930s and 1940s musicals, and it was also more around back then in real life. And I love the way Judy displays it in her films. Judy, who was 19 in this film, sang "How about you" beautifully while dancing with Mickey in her apartment. I find it sort of similar to "Our love affair" in "Strike up the band" with her and Mickey and "Me and my gal" in film of the same name with her and Gene Kelly. "Chin up, cheerio, carry on" was also great. She sings her songs like an angel. And " chin up, cheerio, carry on" has an added wonderful touch to it with Judy taking care of the English children there escaping the blitz in WW2 England from Germany. It really tugs at the heatstrings and touched nerves on those who lived through WW2. I also liked the few theatrical numbers in this film that Mickey and Judy acted out to legends such as Sarah Bernhardt (who's been mentioned a lot in films during this era including in Judy's "Presenting Lily Mars"). The theatrical numbers here beared some similarity to the ones in "Strike up the band", except there it really happened in the story, here it was in Micky and Judy's imagination. The motive for Mickey, Judy, and the others putting on their block party so they could take the English children to the country was a nice touch. Many people today I'm sure will wonder what the big deal is about going to the country. I believe it was that smaller more simple pleasures in life pleased people more back then. Today, everyone feels entitled to so much more in order to feel satisfied, and takes things a lot more for granted. Back then, it was a real treat for poorer people who never before left the urbanization of the city to spend time riding through open fields, hills, and pastures. And to walk through babbling brooks and feel the wide openness and smell the fresh air of the rural beauty.

SimonJack "Babes on Broadway" is the third of four pairings of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in MGM musical revue films. And, it's a very good one. Besides the two stars, a number of other top actors and entertainers are part of this film. Fay Bainter, Donald Meek and James Gleason are the old-timers; and a number of young hoofers and singers add to the music show. Busby Berkeley also directs this one, and gives us some excellent samples of his music and dance extravaganzas. The film has several very good songs – many of them popular then or from the past. The "Hoe Down" number and routine are very good, and the closing finale is a showcase of talent for Rooney and company. In one scene, Mickey as Tommy and Judy as Penny daydream and imagine themselves playing scenes and numbers by famous entertainers of the past. Penny does Faye Templeton singing "Mary's a Grand Old Name," Blanche Ring singing "Rings on My Fingers and Bells on My Toes" (Irish brogue and all), and Sarah Bernhardt dialog in French. Tommy mimics Richard Mansfield in Cyrano de Bergerac, and plays Sir Harry Lauder, in kilt and cane, singing "She's Ma Daisy." He sings George M. Cohan's "Yankee Doodle Boy," and in the finale he does a hilarious mimic of Carmen Miranda. Besides his dancing and song, Rooney in this film plays the banjo and piano. His musical talents were as big as anyone's. He could also play the bass and drums – both like a pro. Some reviews think Rooney is overacting. But his mannerisms aren't hammy or mugging the camera. They are part of the energy and liveliness of his persona. While some people may not like it, that's what his character is and was meant to be, and most of the public in those days thoroughly enjoyed that type of entertainment.One or two reviews thought the British school kids scene wasn't necessary or was out of place. I don't think so. Remembering that this was during the war, and that England had been getting blitzed by Germany, I think this was a nice touch. Hollywood had a sense of patriotism and pulling together during the war, and it served our country and allies very well. If anything, this is a small tribute to the movie industry for its contributions in helping lift the spirits of people at home and abroad. This is a fun and enjoyable song and dance film. What's not to like? Today, people spend $50 to $100 for tickets to a single concert, few if any of which have near the variety of wholesome stage entertainment.

mark.waltz While not a sequel to Babes in Arms, it is so similar to it in so many ways as well as Strike up the Band!, Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland's second "Let's Put on a Show!" teaming. Here, they end up in New York and after some initial squabbling and romantic troubles end up putting on a show even bigger (with the help of agent Faye Bainter), so big in fact, you could call this the bionic musical.Mickey and Judy are exactly the same here, no different in any way. Therefore, it is the musical numbers which stand out, especially "How About You" and "Waitin' For the Robert E. Lee". Rooney scores in drag as Carmen Miranda, and Judy is touching in the otherwise patronizing "Chin Up, Pip Pip, Cheerio!", a tribute to British war orphans which comes out of left field. At least Judy doesn't have to sing a self-effacing song in this one. The other big number, "Hoe Down", is imaginative, if corny. Of the supporting cast, Virginia Weidler stands out, keeping the hammy Rooney on his toes.

moonspinner55 The third (and arguably least interesting) of the Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney musicals directed by Busby Berkeley, this time featuring Rooney in the more prominent role of a penniless supper-club hoofer in New York City who organizes a benefit for unfortunate children in order to attract Broadway producers; Garland, playing a failed telephone operator and singer, falls for Rooney despite the fact he's a selfish heel (which she calls him on). Fantasy youths in a fantasy New York putting on a fantasy show, but if you're attracted to overeager, ambitious kids who sing and dance tirelessly, it might be enjoyable. Rooney, who constantly has one eye on the camera and never stops playing to the back rows, has one very fine scene where he shows Judy his new watch; otherwise, whether dressed up as a Scottish rogue, a farm yokel, or Carmen Miranda, Rooney is brashly predictable. He's comfortable on-screen, all right--too comfortable. His pandering for praise begins to strike one as inhuman, and when he tries for a quiet moment it isn't too convincing ('show-stopping' performances such as this caused Rooney to fall out of favor in Hollywood for years). Following 1938's "Babes In Arms" (for which Rooney got an Academy Award nomination) and 1940's "Strike Up the Band", Busby Berkeley seems to have fallen into a trap himself; the musical numbers have no lift (just empty cant), and the patriotic slant the story soon takes is a mighty uncomfortable match. One classic song, "How About You?", garnered the picture its only Oscar nod (it didn't win, which is a crime). Margaret O'Brien has a funny bit, as does a little boy pianist who is funnier than all the older kids put together. ** from ****