Judy and Mickey prove they have got rhythm!

Girl Crazy was the last of the Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland Backyard Musicals. It was preceded by Babes in Arms (1939), Strike Up the Band (1940) and Babes on Broadway (1941). Each movie served as an excuse for its young stars to show off their many talents. They always culminated with a local talent show designed to raise money and/or awareness for a worthy cause. These talent show ideas always started with Mickey saying some variation of the line, “Hey kids, let’s put on a show!”

In Girl Crazy (from the George and Ira Gershwin stage musical which had already been made into a movie by RKO in 1932) the kids decide to do a Western Rodeo in order to increase enrollment at the college Mickey attends. He plays the son of a wealthy New York publisher who spends his evenings chasing girls in night clubs and making scandalous headlines. Sick of his son’s antics his father ships him out west to an all male school in Arizona, where he meets and immediately falls for Judy Garland, the dean’s granddaughter.

At first Mickey is a fish out of water. He expresses surprise that the students wake up at six a.m., not go to bed at that time. But as this is an MGM musical you just know that everything will work out neatly in the end.  This set up, which was already pretty thin back in 1932, was positively transparent by 1943. It only works because of the remarkable talents of and chemistry between Rooney and Garland. They could do it all, sing and dance, go from comedy to drama in the blink of an eye, you name it.

Mickey even did impressions. In one scene Mickey and Judy go to see the Governor about the school’s being closed down. While they wait Mickey does an impromptu routine in front of a microphone to amuse Judy. His manic energy and split second timing are a wonder to behold. He was Robin Williams before Robin Williams was.

And don’t get me started on the magic that was Judy Garland. Witness how easily she breaks your heart when she sings the line, “They’re writing songs of love... but not for me.” She also belts out a full tilt rendition of “I’ve Got Rhythm” that will knock your socks off.

The supporting cast includes Guy Kibbee, Nancy Walker and June Allyson (who gets to sing one song), while Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra provide the music. If you pay close attention you may notice a very young Peter Lawford; he gets one line of dialogue.

When Girl Crazy wrapped production in May of 1943 Rooney was 22 and Garland a month shy of her 21st birthday. This was their 8th movie together (beginning with 1937’s Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry and including 3 Andy Hardy pictures) and would be their last costarring vehicle. They would share the screen just one more time performing the song “I Wish I Were In Love Again” in the 1948 Rodgers and Hart biopic Words and Music.

Girl Crazy features legendary stars performing immortal songs. It’s just too bad they’re stuck in this trite, rehashed story. 70 years after their heyday one indisputable fact remains. Every teenager since, that has ever dreamed of singing, dancing and acting, owes a debt to Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.
 

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