Good News

Plot synopsis:
The film is set in 1927 at fictional Tait College, where football is all the rage. ("Tait Song"/"Good News")
Tait's football star Tommy Marlowe (Peter Lawford) is a prime catch for the college girls. Tommy tells his friend and non-playing teammate Bobby Turner (McDonald) that the trick to attracting girls is to show no interest. ("Be a Ladies' Man")
New student Pat McClellan (Marshall) resists his advances, cutting Tommy down to size at a party. ("Lucky in Love") Pat is interested in French, so Tommy enlists part-time school librarian Connie Lane (June Allyson) to help him study the language. ("The French Lesson")
He gradually falls for Connie, who comes from a poor background, which does not bother her. ("The Best Things in Life are Free") Meanwhile, Babe Doolittle (McCracken) is seeking to leave a relationship with football player Beef (Tindall) so she can get involved with Bobby Turner.
At a local soda shop, Babe advises Pat not to lose her temper. ("Pass the Peace Pipe")
Connie grows attracted to Tommy, who she feels is not interested. ("Just Imagine") Tommy asks Connie to the prom, but reneges when Pat shows interest. He changes his mind again. In the end, Tait wins the big game, Tommy pairs off with Connie, Beef pairs off with Pat, and Babe pairs off with Bobby Turner. The college bursts out into song in a production number. ("Varsity Drag")

Tags: psychological

Review:
Great MGM color musical from 1947 that boasts terrific performances from June Allyson and Peter Lawford as the stars and Joan McCracken, Ray McDonald, Patricia Marshall, Connie Gilchrist, Donald McBride, Mel Torme, Tom Dugan, Clint Sundberg, and Jane Green in support.
It seems to have only 3 cuts in it and it's an amazing production numbers full of color and energy.Allyson and Lawford have so much fun in the "Varsity Drag" number on a huge stage that it's infectious (but watch for the female dancer in pink who falls).
Good songs throughout from the 20s stage show like the title song as well as "Lucky in Love," "The Best Things in Life Are Free," "Lady's Man," "Good News," "The French Lesson," and the sad song "Just Imagine" Allyson sings.
While leads June Allyson and Peter Lawford are no Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney (who ironically, were the original considered leads for this movie version years ago), they sing and dance entertainingly enough for one to not notice after a while.
Another underrated talent showcased here is one Joan McCracken who shines in the opening number and the later made-for-film specialty "Pass That Peace Pipe", which was eventually nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song.
P.S. Among the extras on the DVD are two numbers from the 1930 film version of Good News, the title number and "The Varsity Drag", both performed energetically and athletically by a young woman named Dorothy McNulty, later to be known as Penny Singleton from the Blondie movies.
Aside from Peter Lawford and June Allyson, no great stars came out of this classic movie.
I waited for nearly 50 years to see it again and when I finally got the chance, I did watch that great dance sequence of "Bury that hatchet and pass that peace pipe, like the Chocktaw, Chipawah, Chatanoogah, etc.".
In 'Good News', which I saw today for the third time, I figured I would melt in tears when she & Peter Lawford did the scene of 'The French Lesson'.
Neglected MGM musical has some great things going for it.For one thing, it has an amusing Adolph & Green script, some dazzling dance numbers choreographed to perfection, and a simple plot (two gals in love with the same fellow) that never gets in the way of the well staged song-and-dance numbers.
It gives a charming look at college life in the 1920s--in non-realistic fashion, of course!June Allyson's singing voice never impressed me but she's a good dancer and here she proves it in the "Varsity Drag" number.
Peter Lawford is surprisingly good considering he's miscast as the football player (where was Van Johnson?) Joan McCracken almost steals the show with her frantic dancing amid talented chorus boys in the "Pass That Peace Pipe" number in a drugstore, a highlight among the dance routines.
Allyson and Lawford are terrific on "The French Lesson" and she is properly wistful in her rendition of "The Best Things In Life Are Free".
Some of the humor falls flat and dates the picture badly, particularly the overdone scene with Connie Gilchrist repeating words June has written for her.All in all, a fun-filled, tuneful college comedy about academics and football with an early glimpse of Mel Torme.
As the two leads, Peter Lawford and June Allyson keep their characters likable and sympathetic with solid performances.The setting is a 1940s conception of what a 1920s college campus was like, and it is thus something of a mythical world that never actually existed.
Patricia Marshall plays a rather innocent version of a campus vamp.The musical numbers fit well with the story, and while neither contains anything particularly memorable, they are entertaining.
"Good News" is a musical comedy about life at Tait College in 1927.
The songs, written by Henderson, Brown and DeSylva, are similarly uneven, but they include "The Best Things in Life Are Free", which gets the classy treatment of Mel Torme.The story centers around sorority girl Connie Lane (June Allyson) who--despite her best intuitions--develops a crush on BMOC Tommy Marlowe (Peter Lawford).
The lensman must have used all the gauze in the set's first aid kit achieving the relentless soft focus for Allyson (who was age 30).The show is stolen by Joan McCracken, who plays Babe Doolittle--the vivacious ball of energy who leads the electrifying dance sequence for "Pass That Peace Pipe".
Generally speaking, "what you are in for" is a pretty corny movie, really dated, and sub-par song and dance numbers.Allyson's old-fashioned wholesomeness is appealing, and the college atmosphere was refreshingly the same (contrast that to today where they invite dictators who want to destroy us to speak)......but that's about it.
Just kidding there, folks!) Actually, the good news about "Good News" is that this Technicolor Musical/Comedy from 1947 does, surprisingly enough, feature 3 outstanding and really swinging musical numbers, which are - Pass The Peace Pipe, Varsity Rag and the film's opening sequence.But, on the other hand, the bad news about "Good News" is that, no, these 3 high-energy musical numbers do not in any way, shape, or form, come anywhere near to compensating the viewer for having to endure the drab and clichéd triteness of the rest of the film.This picture's predictable, little story concerns the activities of a bunch of super-preppy rich kids in the late 1920s who are attending Tait University.When these "golly-gee" brats aren't singing up a storm (sometimes quite out of tune), they spend most of their time either partying and/or gossiping about who's dating who.These spoiled-rotten, whipper-snappers seem to have very little concern about their studies, their grades, or their finances.
(But, hey, to each his own, is what I always say) One of this film's biggest let-downs was that its 2 big-name stars, Peter Lawford and June Allyson, couldn't carry a tune even if their lives depended on it.
The 1940's sensibility added to the Roaring20s theme makes for some anachronistic moments, but June Allyson iswonderful in the lead, Peter Lawford is surprisingly good as the football hero.
Joan McCracken is superb in "Pass That Peacepipe," one of my all- time favorite dance numbers, with Ray McDonald also excellent.
Allyson and Lawford are fine in the "Varsity Drag" finale and Allyson does a nice job on "The Best Things in Life Are Free."  Great Technicolor, costumes, etc give Good News a BIG, bright look and takes it miles from the 1930 version, which starred Bessie Love and Penny Singleton.
Honestly, I do not see why this film is so highly rated.Apart from "The Best Things in Life Are Free" and the final Varsity ensemble number, the songs are real duds.
In fact most of the big song and dance production numbers are embarrassingly sub-standard for screen musicals of the time, especially the opening number.
at one point when June Allyson is giving Lawford his first French Lesson (actually one of the clever moments in an otherwise BORING musical) she mispronounces the word "BAISER" pretty badly.
No wonder we worry for the hero who later on in the film has to pass a French Exam.Peter Lawford's character is such a DUMB CAD that any self-respecting intelligent female college student would NEVER bother with anyone so stupid..
Peter Lawford, June Allyson, Joan McCracken, Ray McDonald, and Patricia Marshall star in "Good News," a 1947 MGM musical about life at Tait University.
Allyson is Connie Lane, working her way through college and living in a sorority house when she meets the big man on campus and star football player, Tommy Marlowe (Lawford).
When she thinks Lawford has it, she turns her attentions to him, and he cancels his date with Allyson to the prom - on the night of the event.Had I been Allyson, the story would have ended right there, but this is 1947 and a movie, and it's a wonderful one - energetic and fresh, with good music and fabulous dancing from Broadway star McCracken and McDonald.
"Pass the Peace Pipe," a politically incorrect song by today's standards, is one of the best numbers.Allyson and Lawford make a great couple, and seeing Lawford so young and handsome, dancing and singing is not only a revelation but sad.
It's kinda sad that hardly anyone seems to remember her any more, or if they do, they think she was kinda corny.One of the best musical numbers in Good News is The French Lesson with Allyson and Peter Lawford.
Despite winning an Oscar for one of its songs, "Good News" appears to be a strictly second-tier sort of musical with little to distinguish it.
The plot hinges on whether the school's star quarterback (Peter Lawford) will pursue a snobbish new student (Patricia Marshall) or recognize how wonderful the assistant librarian (June Allyson) is.
Like all musicals, the film is chock full of singing as well as dance numbers.
Apart from Mel Tormé (who had a great voice), the singers are either adequate (such as Allyson) or pretty awful (Lawford--who NEVER should have been allowed to sing in a musical).
It is true that the costumes and hair-styles are more 1940s than 1920s, but they do look lovely, and numbers like "Pass that Peace Pipe" and "Varsity Drag" are filmed beautifully.
The music is wonderful, especially "Pass that Peace Pipe", "Varsity Drag", the title number, "Imagine" and the most famous song "The Best Things in Life are Free".
The choreography similarly dazzles, especially in "Pass that Peace Pipe" and "Varsity Drag", which are two of the energetic musical numbers of the 40s.Charles Walters directs excellently, hard to believe that this was his directorial debut.
Am not usually a fan of Peter Lawford, but while his singing is only adequate if even that he does give some charm to a rather caddish character and his dancing looks more comfortable than in other musicals he participated in.
With the exception of Mel Torme', who's in a supporting role here, there are no vocal powerhouses, but June Allyson and Joan McCracken put their songs over very well.
The film is full of little things the characters and director (Charles Walters) do to fill out the movie without increasing its running time.Of the great supporting cast, Joan McCracken is certainly the most valuable.
********* Good News (12/4/47) Charles Walters ~ June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Joan McCracken, Ray McDonald.
Good news is one of the all time great MGM Musicals.
Good News is one of my all time favorite MGM musicals.Great songs by wonderful performers.Ray McDonald in a part that shows his talent,Ray was one of the under exposed performers at MGM.June in one of her best performances ,its also one of her favorites.Peter miscast but does a good job.The first film directed by Charles Walters he went on to direct Easter Parade and many others.JoanMacCraken in one of the few films she made.Pat Marshall ,Mel Torme all add up to a great entertainment.When I met June Allyson I told her some scenes from the first version were shown .She wasn't aware there was an earlier one.I said Penny Singleton(the star) was no match for June Allyson.She chuckled at that.
A silly plot, which links a couple of good songs ("Lucky in Love," "The Best Things in Life are Free") with a few dull ones, ends with a rousing finale, "The Varsity Drag." That energetic production number is so lively and infectious, all the nonsense that precedes is forgiven.And there is a lot of nonsense to forgive.
Peter Lawford, egotistical football jock Tommy Marlowe, is an insensitive cad; except for his good looks, he is unworthy of a second glance from the likes of June Allyson's Connie Lane.
Instead of pursuing Connie, the shallow dim-witted Tommy is quickly smitten by gold-digging Patricia Marshall, a new coed, whose faux French includes the film's best line: "Quelle fromage." The musical numbers feature three performers who never quite made the big leagues on film, the afore-mentioned Marshall, Joan McCracken, and Mel Torme.
However, as he proved in other MGM musicals like "Easter Parade," Lawford could carry a tune and, certainly in "The Varsity Drag" number, could dance quite well.
While Allyson has only a passable voice, her innocence and sweetness get her a pass for anything she may lack musically, although she too does quite well in the big finale."Good News" is simplistic romantic fun with a few good songs and a terrific production number.
Although only 93 minutes in length, the film does drag a bit at times; "Pass that Peace Pipe" seems endless; the football game goes on and on; and McCracken's use of family millions to divert Marshall from man to man is a tiresome gag.
This great underrated musical has been criticized for the off key singing of Peter Lawford, June Allyson and Joan McCracken but it ain't grand opera, it's a musical comedy folks!
It is, however, a fifty-year-old movie that can rekindle our memories of a softer, kinder time, when no matter how grim your own life might have been, you could embrace the possibility of happiness through vicariously enjoying the silliness of such musical numbers as, "Good News," "Pass that Peace Pipe," and the all-time football song, "Buckle-down-Winsocki!Although Peter Lawford was not anyone's dream date, June Allyson, with her sweet innocence and gift for laughter, despite her frequent tears of adolescence, carries this movie with a simple grace and talent that is more mainstream than other, more gifted, entertainers embody.
All of those songs made it as well as one of the great dance numbers of the Roaring Twenties, The Varsity Drag.The musicals of that era had the lightweight nonsensical plots which also was taken from the Broadway show.
It's a struggle, but you guess who he winds up with.This film is strictly about the music and dance numbers and it offers a rare opportunity to see Joan McCracken singing and dancing which she mostly did on the Broadway stage.
She introduces a song especially written for the film Pass That Peace Pipe which was a big hit in 1947 and won for Good News its only Academy Award nomination.
Joan McCracken died way too young as oddly enough her dancing partner Ray McDonald.Good News presents an idealized version of the Roaring Twenties and is the quintessential college musical which flooded Hollywood mostly in the years before World War II.
Perhaps the lack of "star power" is one reason the film is not better known.Nonetheless, really distinguishing the musical score is that great song and profound truth about the best things in life being free.
"Good News" Is Good Fun. Dopey as can be, and entirely winning.This musical comedy stars June Allyson and Peter Lawford as a dowdy librarian and star football player, respectively, at an insanely happy college where everyone sings and dances all the time and all the students look like they're in their forties.
The most well known of those is of course "The Best Things in Life Are Free," but a wonderful and totally politically incorrect song called "Pass That Peace Pipe" received a Best Original Song Oscar nomination, while the one I remember most was the only other one written expressly for the film, a little ditty sung by Allyson and Lawford when she's teaching him how to speak French.Good fun.Grade: B+.
Of course, June Allyson is called in to tutor him, the same girl he broke a prom date with so that he could escort the new girl on campus, a snob-seeking status girl, only interested in money.I just love these so called college musicals where academics is never really the focus, but rather good old fashion fun.What makes this film a delight is the singing and dancing.
Allyson, who was 30 at the time the movie was made, looks like a college co-ed all the way.Mel Torme has his moments as a college student as well..
MGM had filmed "Good News" before, in 1930, and 95% of it remains intact, featuring hysterically funny versions of the title song and "The Varsity Drag" as sung by the future "Blondie", Penny Singleton.
Seventeen years went by before MGM dug it out to give it a color treatment with Arthur Freed producing and Charles Walter directing, and because of the birth of Liza Minnelli in 1946, top star Judy Garland wasn't available, giving the leading role to their newest girl next door, June Allyson, and the role of the spoiled rich kid who can't pass French to the elegant and handsome Peter Lawford.
The basic story is slim: Tate college football star Lawford is failing in most of his classes, so he is is tutored by June Allyson, a student who works in the library, in French.
That leads to the song "The French Lesson", a clever duet between Allyson and Lawford, with music by Ray Henderson and lyrics by Lew Brown and Buddy G.
"Good News" is certainly their best known Broadway show, having had a long tour that briefly appeared on Broadway in the mid 1970's and was highlighted as a part of Sylvia Fine Kaye's "Musical Comedy Tonight" a decade later.Allyson and Lawford are surrounded by a memorable supporting cast, most notably Broadway singer/dancer Joan McCracken who steals every number she is in, particularly the razz-a-ma-tazz dance number, "Pass That Peace Pipe", which explodes with energy when she takes over the front of the line.
A musical set on a college campus starring June Allyson and Peter Lawford.
Directed by Charles Walters with a screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green that was based on a play by Lew Brown, Lawrence Schwab, Frank Mandel, Buddy DeSylva and Ray Henderson, this remake of the 1930 college Musical features the Academy Award nominated Song "Pass That Peace Pipe" and a cast that includes: June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Patricia Marshall, Joan McCracken, Ray McDonald, Mel Torme, Robert Strickland, Donald MacBride, Tom Dugan, Clinton Sundberg, Loren Tindall, and Connie Gilchrist (among others).