The Mayor of 44th Street (1942)
In this drama, an ex-vaudevillian dancer opens up a dance band agency and help street kids at the same time by hiring them to help out. Unfortunately, the local gang of hood's leader resists his attempts. More trouble ensues when the dancer helps a convict gain parole by hiring him. It later turns out that the ex-con is only interested in trying to use the agency as a front for extortion. Songs include the Oscar nominated "When There's a Breeze on Lake Louise," "Your Face Looks Familiar," "Heavenly, Isn't He?" "Let's Forget It," "You're Bad For Me," and "A Million Miles From Manhattan."
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Purely Joyful Movie!
Captivating movie !
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
This minor B drama mixed with comedy and a few big band numbers takes on the kids of 10th Avenue in an effort to particularly keep one kid out of trouble and to keep organized crime our of hoofer George Murphy's dance studio west of Times Square. The kid is Rex Dowling, a forgotten "Our Gang" actor who can dance as well and looks really good with his shirt off. Murphy's partner (Anne Shirley) doesn't approve of his mentoring Dowling, but when Murphy must take on protection racketeer Richard Barthelmess and his gang, she realizes that they've got bigger fish to fry.Overly long and often tedious, this doesn't really hold up interest past Freddy Martin's band and some funny moments from Mary Wickes (once again in a nurse's uniform) and her boyfriend, Millard Mitchell, who looks like an older version of Art Carney. The songs are just so-so and the story not interesting. By the time the plot thickens, you may find yourself checking out your watch.
This is part musical and part gangster film.Unfortunately neither really meshes with the other.Just when we are enjoying a musical interlude the rather routine gangster film comes crashing back in.It seems to me that they really could not make up their minds what sort of film they wanted this to be.The cast is quite interesting.Ann Shirley and Richard Barthelmess both make their swan songs.Also featured are the marvelous Mary Wickes and Millard Mitchell.In fact the exchanges between those two are the best part of the film.There is one rather strange scene when George Murphy asks the young gang leader to come and live with him instead of Ann Shirley.In the next scene Murphy and the boy are seen all hot and sweaty in his gym!I wonder if they were trying to tell us something?