Sweet Rosie O’Grady

Sweet Rosie O’Grady (1943) starring Betty Grable, Robert Young, Adolphe Menjou, Reginald Gardiner

Synopsis of Sweet Rosie O’Grady

In Sweet Rosie O’Grady, a snobby star feuds with a reporter who exposed her burlesque past.

Review

In short, Sweet Rosie O’Grady is a very enjoyable romantic musical. It deals with a not-quite-honest reporter, played by Robert Young, who’s reporting on Madeleine Marlowe. Played by Betty Grable she’s about to marry an English Duke. Until the reporter exposes her past as vaudeville dancer Rosie O’Grady. Which wouldn’t do for English society…

This leads to some very funny back-and-forth as each of them teases, embarrass, etc. the other. All the while, they’re starting to fall for each other. And each determined to “top” the other. A funny, fast-paced musical romance with lots of good music and acting.

Cast of characters

• Madeleine Marlowe / Rosie O’Grady (Betty Grable, Week-End in Havana). A talented singer & dancer, embarrassed by her past. She’s initially engaged to the Duke of Trippingham. She does care for him … But cares for his title and position more. She’s not simply a social climber. She simply wants respect. Which Sam Magee keeps getting in the way of!
• Sam Magee (Robert Young, Maisie). A young reporter, working for a tabloid newspaper. He’s not above lying to Rosie to get an exclusive interview. Or publishing the true story of her past. He doesn’t think about the consequences of it. He’s truly sorry after her engagement is broken. But … by that time, he’s falling in love with Rosie himself.
• Thomas Moran (Adolphe Menjou, Roxie Hart). Sam’s unscrupulous publisher, who fires him multiple times throughout the film. he’s not above stealing love letters between Rosie and the Duke, if it will give him a sensational story. Unless Sam can stop him …
• Charles, Duke of Trippingham (Reginald Gardiner, The Great Dictator). A nice, slightly stuffy, Englishman with a title, but very little money. Which is part of the reason that he’s engaged to Rosie. He’s legitimately attached to her, but not truly in love. In a very funny scene, he and Sam become close friends … after Sam’s caused the breaking of the engagement. They drown their sorrows in drink, and Sam points out that Rosie’s friend, Edna, is sweet on Charles as well.
• Edna Van Dyke (Virginia Grey, House of Horrors). Rosie’s best friend, who’s sweet on Charles. And there’s always love on the rebound …
• Joe Flugelman (Sig Ruman, A Night in Casablanca). As Flugelman, he gave Rosie her “big break” in vaudeville. And when Sam brings “his fiancée” back to Flugelman’s … could she sing a song?

Songs

• Get Your Police Gazette, Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Mack Gordon
• Goin’ to the County Fair, Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Mack Gordon
• My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?), Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Mack Gordon
• My Sam, Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Mack Gordon
• Sweet Rosie O’Grady, Written by Maude Nugent
• Where, Oh, Where Is the Groom? Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Mack Gordon
• The Wishing Waltz, Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Mack Gordon
• Waiting at the Church, Written by Frank Leigh and Harry Pether, Sung by Betty Grable and Chorus
• Throw Him Down McCloskey, Words and Music by J.W. Kelley,
• Little Annie Rooney, Words and Music by Michael Nolan, Sung by Betty Grable, Robert Young, Frank Orth
• Heaven Will Protect The Working Girl, Music by A. Baldwin Sloane, Words by Edgar Smith, Sung by Betty Grable and Robert Young
• Two Little Girls in Blue, Words and Music by Charles Graham, Sung by Betty Grable and Robert Young