The Gang's All Here

source: The Gang's All Here

Trailer—The Gang's All Here

The Gang's All Here

Of great historical interest for Busby Berkeley's first work in colour since 'Whoopee' in 1930, this time photographed by Technicolor veteran Edward Cronjager. For much of it's time there's far too much talk, but Phil Baker has a quietly cynical persona and there's ample compensation in a scene with Freudian giant bananas that somehow got past the Hays Office, Carmen Miranda in a turban with pom poms that make her look like Minnie Mouse and a kaleidoscopic finale with chorus girls in green leotards and tights waving pink fluorescent hoops above their heads and a sea of singing faces that makes you wonder if someone spiked your popcorn with acid.

The hilarious Carmen Miranda is really the star of this movie, even though she is relegated, as she was for most of her Hollywood career, to a clown role, or as Edward Everett Horton calls her, a "South American savage." Her talent and wit rise above the script, as she sings "Brazil" and "Paducah." With America in the midst of World War II, this patriotic crumpet was directed by Busby Berkeley and features his trademark choreography during "The Lady with the Tuti Fruti Hat" and "The Polka Dot Polka." Watch for the swing dancing as Benny Goodman sings "Minnie's in the Money," which makes TV's "Dancing with the Stars" pale in comparison, and Joan Greenwood's dance number is hilarious. Watch for the dancing Nicholas Brothers and Alice Faye singing the marginally memorable "A Journey to a Star." ---from Musicals on the Silver Screen, American Library Association, 2013

Basically plot less, and a vehicle for some mind-boggling Busby Berkeley numbers ... those bananas!!! ... and two leading ladies at 20th Century Fox, Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda. Both ladies have strong personalities and buoy this film up. It needs it, as there is no story to speak of, the characterisations are slight, and even Benny Goodman stretches the goodwill a bit. Family rivalries, chequered pasts, wartime romances, and a show of shows, and you have 'The Gang's All Here' in a nutshell (or a banana skin). Berkeley chorus girls were of course known for partaking of outlandish formations and musical numbers shot from all angles including above, but those rising and falling bananas, and Carmen Miranda cavorting about covered in fruit ... absolutely preposterous!

One of my ten all-time favorite films, primarily for the superb musical scenes, including the opening 'Brazil' and the closing 'Polka-Dot Polka' but the 'Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat' is just fantastic! The plot is simple, just enough to string together the musical scenes, a few laughs and some unintended poignancy. Of those young soldiers and sailors who gathered to listen to Benny and Carmen sing, which of these bright young lives were cast into the dustbin of war? For anyone who enjoys musicals, for anyone who appreciates psychedelia this film is the ne plus ultra. jHh

Great enjoyable and entertaining vehicle for Alice Faye. The comedy of Carmen Miranda and Edward Everett Horton is so funny, and she is the delight of the banana girls, and Busby Berkely's direction. They worked their butts off and it shows, really fantastic dancing routines in the Berkely fashion. The music is by that King of Swing, Benny Goodman and his orchestra. And, fabulous dancing by the Nicholas Brothers.

"The Gang's All Here" is just pure entertainment in the old-school musical style (before Oklahoma!). There's essentially no plot, and what story there is, is full of plot-holes. It's propaganda dressed up in a musical. Don't get negative about this; music and dancing predominate and, of course, the cause is good. Made during WWII it almost subliminally reinforces home front practices during wartime, such as buying war bonds, and staying true to your man in uniform. A lot of this is probably lost to most viewers fifty years later. But think about it, and remember that when this movie was made, the Allied victory was not a sure thing. And what about the music and dancing? Carmen Miranda in her tutti-frutti hat. Benny Goodman's swing band. Alice Faye. Busby Berkeley. If these people mean any thing to you, they are here in fine form.