Certainly, records were not new in 1937, but many artists weren't making them, preventing audiences who didn't have access to seeing them live from hearing them sing. When mobster Leo Carrillo takes over a record company, he demands that new artists be signed, his employees scurry to find top talents. This leads to performances by Cab Calloway and his orchestra, Ted Lewis and his band, and the fantastic Kay Thompson and her ensemble, all able to be seen by Carrillo in his office on a devise which resembles early television.
Phil Regan is a temper-prone singer fired by the previous full owner, and secretary Ann Dvorak utilizes Carillo to help him get his job back. When Regan is ordered to sign Italian opera singer Tamara Geva to a recording contract, his romance with Dvorak is threatened as misunderstandings add up. One misunderstanding is pretty shocking considering this was after the Hays code refused to allow any type of gay reference in a film. After meeting Geva, Regan tells his pal James Gleason he had hinted to him to kiss Gevas's hand, then proceeds to kiss Gleason's hand. Two young ladies spot the kiss, make limp-wristed hand gestures and laugh before departing. How this got past the Hays code (made after some outrageous gay references in "Palmy Days" and "Wonder Bar", among others) is pretty surprising.
Gene Autry and Joe DiMaggio (singing!) make brief appearances as themselves, and while the plot may sometimes be tedious, it is made up by the number of musical acts in the film. Of course, there's a few acts that Carillo must watch that remind me of Ned Sparks' line in "Gold Diggers of 1933" where he says, "Let's get out of here before the acrobats and midgets arrive!". "Have You Ever Been to Heaven?" stands out amongst the songs, with Cab Calloway swingin' "Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm" right into your ears with delightful results.
Phil Regan is a temper-prone singer fired by the previous full owner, and secretary Ann Dvorak utilizes Carillo to help him get his job back. When Regan is ordered to sign Italian opera singer Tamara Geva to a recording contract, his romance with Dvorak is threatened as misunderstandings add up. One misunderstanding is pretty shocking considering this was after the Hays code refused to allow any type of gay reference in a film. After meeting Geva, Regan tells his pal James Gleason he had hinted to him to kiss Gevas's hand, then proceeds to kiss Gleason's hand. Two young ladies spot the kiss, make limp-wristed hand gestures and laugh before departing. How this got past the Hays code (made after some outrageous gay references in "Palmy Days" and "Wonder Bar", among others) is pretty surprising.
Gene Autry and Joe DiMaggio (singing!) make brief appearances as themselves, and while the plot may sometimes be tedious, it is made up by the number of musical acts in the film. Of course, there's a few acts that Carillo must watch that remind me of Ned Sparks' line in "Gold Diggers of 1933" where he says, "Let's get out of here before the acrobats and midgets arrive!". "Have You Ever Been to Heaven?" stands out amongst the songs, with Cab Calloway swingin' "Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm" right into your ears with delightful results.