SING YOU SINNERS
US, 1938, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Bing Crosby, Fred Mac Murray, Donald O’ Connor, Elizabeth Patterson, Ellen Drew.
Directed by Wesley Ruggles.
Sing You Sinners is an entertaining musical, 1930s style. It was directed by Wesley Ruggles who directed quite a number of comedies and dramas in the 30s, and written by director Claude Binyon.
It is a surprise to see Bing Crosby, Fred Mac Murray and Donald O’ Connor as brothers (Mickey Rooney was initially contracted for the film but, having to make another film, Donald O’Connor? stepped in).
The three are the singing Beebe brothers (although Fred Mac Murray’s character dislikes the singing – preferring to work in his garage and support the family). Bing Crosby plays the lackadaisical type, more interested in horses and singing than in any kind of responsibility. Donald O’ Connor wants to grow up like him. Elizabeth Patterson is their concerned mother and Ellen Drew is Fred Mac Murray’s fiancée.
The film offers a great deal about home life in America in a small town in the 1930s. It holds up the ideals of regular work and responsibility rather than gambling and racing. However, the film has a lot of racing sequences and a presentation of the racing industry of the time.
Each of the three leads has an opportunity to sing. Bing Crosby had a lot of hits from this film. Donald O’ Connor shows the dancing flair which was to mark his career, especially in the 1950s and Singin’ in the Rain. He was to appear with Bing Crosby in the 1956 version of Anything Goes.
1. The film as an example of thirties entertainment? The values and the quality?
2. The impact of the stars, Bing Crosby and his singing?
3. The popular ingredients for American comedy? successes and failures, the pursuit of wealth and happiness? Traditional American values, their embodiment here?
4. The picture of small?town life, the town itself, people, the Beebe family, each of the individuals and their work, Joe's lack of work, the family relationships, Martha? Work, churchgoing etc.?
5. The film's theme of work and responsibility, preparing for the future, hopes and the need for money and security?
6. The film's comment on the kinds of work done by men? The reaction to playing music for a living? Working in a garage as being manly? Money and coming from horse?training? The comment on the seal lecture and Joe's getting Martha away from it etc.?
7. How well characterized was Joe? Bing Crosby's style, lack of work, burden on the family, attitude towards Martha? The reason for his decision to go to Los Angeles? The buying of the horse? His high hopes? The comedy in his various winnings on his first
arrival?
8. The film's presentation of the theme of family pride?
9. How important was the race climax, the hopes, the bribe, Joe's advice to Mickey, the final fight?
10. The final discussions about the future, how realistic? The mother's comment on the music, the horses, security?
11. The characterizations of Dave, Mickey, the mother, Martha? Credible and real characters?
12. The contribution of the music? The film as an example of the values that people stood for in the thirties, the picture of people and society, the impressions now?
