Strike Up the Band (1940)

Synopsis: When eighteen-year old Judy Garland sings "Come On, Kids, Let's Put on a Show," you know its business-as-usual for her and boy-wonder Mickey Rooney. Mickey's taught his high school marching band to... When eighteen-year old Judy Garland sings "Come On, Kids, Let's Put on a Show," you know its business-as-usual for her and boy-wonder Mickey Rooney. Mickey's taught his high school marching band to swing, daddy, swing, and when he hears that the "King of Jazz" himself, Paul Whiteman, is hosting a contest out in Chicago, Mickey just knows his band can win if they could only raise enough money to get there. Guess how they raise it? That's right, they put on a show. But just when everything looks peachy, an unforeseen catastrophe forces the kids to weigh their hunger for fame against their loyalties to each other. This was the second of the Mickey & Judy musicals that Busby Berkeley directed for MGM, and it's a typically fun entry, notable for the swinging big band numbers. Songs include "Our Love Affair," "Drummer Boy" and "Nobody." The big show-stopper is Mickey and Judy tearing up the floor as they "Do the La Conga." [More]

Starring: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Paul Whiteman, June Preisser

Starring: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Paul Whiteman, June Preisser, William Tracy, Ann Shoemaker, Francis Pierlot, Margaret Early

Director: Busby Berkeley

Director: Busby Berkeley
Producer: Arthur Freed
Screenwriter: Herbert Fields

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