Girl Crazy (1943) starring Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland
In Girl Crazy, a teenage playboy is sent to a Western school by his father. There aren’t supposed to be any girls for miles around, but … Two lades, competing to be rodeo queen, compete for the young man’s affections. One of the best of the Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney “Let’s put on a show” musicals. Driven by a George and Ira Gershwin musical score.
Cast of characters
- Mickey Rooney (Babes in Arms) … Danny Churchill Jr.
- Judy Garland (The Wizard of Oz) … Ginger Gray
- Gil Stratton (That’s My Boy) … Bud Livermore
- Robert E. Strickland … Henry Lathrop
- Rags Ragland (Maisie Gets Her Man) … ‘Rags'(as ‘Rags’ Ragland)
- June Allyson (Two Girls and a Sailor) … Specialty
- Nancy Walker (Broadway Rhythm; Rhoda) … Polly Williams
- Guy Kibbee (Earthworm Tractors) … Dean Phineas Armour
- Frances Rafferty (Thousands Cheer) … Marjorie Tait
- Henry O’Neill (Best Foot Forward) … Mr. Churchill Sr.
- Howard Freeman (The Time of Your Life) … Gov. Tait
- Tommy Dorsey (Broadway Rhythm) … Tommy Dorsey
- Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (Dubarry Was A Lady) … Themselves
- Six Hits and a Miss (Springtime in the Rockies) … Vocalists
- The Music Maids … The Music Maids
Editorial review of Girl Crazy courtesy of Amazon.com
The plot has rich kid Rooney, energized as usual, sent away to a boys’ school in the Wild West as a way of containing his mania (see title). The only gal in town is Judy, the granddaughter of the school’s dean. The stars are affectionately matched, and musical fans will enjoy the young June Allyson belting out a spunky “Treat Me Rough.” Rooney’s comedy routine, imitating various radio personalities (including boxing champ Joe Louis), is one of those topical bits that will almost certainly puzzle viewers today.
The director is Norman Taurog, an MGM workhorse who would later helm many of Elvis Presley’s desultory vehicles. Busby Berkeley staged the rave-up finale to “I Got Rhythm,” but the most beguiling production number is “Bidin’ My Time,” sung by Garland and some cowpokes–a droll performance with surrealistic flourishes. Girl Crazy seems no better or worse than the average musical of the era, but it was a huge hit, and Rooney would never reach this pinnacle of box-office success again. –Robert Horton
Songs
- I Got Rhythm(1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Played during the opening credits
- Performed in the finale by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Six Hits and a Miss, The Music Maids, Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra and chorus
- Treat Me Rough (1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Performed by June Allyson, Mickey Rooney, The Music Maids, The Stafford Sisters and Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
- Could You Use Me? (1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Performed by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney
- Bidin’ My Time (1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Performed by Judy Garland, The King’s Men and chorus
- Embraceable You (1930)
- But Not for Me (1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Performed by Judy Garland
- Played also as background music
- Fascinating Rhythm (1924)
- From the stage musical “Lady, Be Good!”
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Performed by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra, with Tommy Dorsey on trombone and Mickey Rooney on piano (dubbed by Arthur Schutt)
- Sam and Delilah (1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Performed by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
- Happy Birthday to You (1893)
- Music by Mildred J. Hill
- Lyrics by Patty S. Hill
- Performed Rags Ragland and chorus
- Barbary Coast (1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Performed by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
- Boy! What Love Has Done to Me! (1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
- Performed by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
- When It’s Cactus Time in Arizona (1930)
- Music by George Gershwin
- Played as background music
- Home on the Range (1904)
- Music by Daniel E. Kelley (1904)
- Variations often in the score after Danny gets out west
