DVD Review: The Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection

By Frankie Dees Nov 5, 2007, 19:23 GMT

Babes in Arms Stars Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Charles Winninger, Guy Kibbee, June PreisserDirectors: Busby Berkeley Theatrical Release Date: October 31, 1939Genres: MusicalSynopsis Mickey Moran, son of an old vaudeville-team puts on his own show to avoid being sent with other vaudevillians\' children to a work farm, but that isn\'t that easy. Babes on Broadway Stars Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Fay Bainter, Virginia Weidler, Ray McDonaldDirectors: Busby Berkeley Theatrical Release ...more

In an Ultimate Collector’s Edition Boxset, WB gives classic film lovers a treasure of a set that includes 4 of Rooney & Garland’s most beloved pics in a deluxe package that also includes a hardbound collector’s book, a packet of studio stills and a bonus disc of special features.

Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland were one of cinema’s first successful screen pairings and practically invented the teen genre. Both bred for stardom from a young age where they started in vaudeville almost from infancy, Mickey Rooney found fame earlier with his successful run of Andy Hardy pictures (Judy Garland would join him for the first time in the fourth of the 17 Hardy pics ‘Love Finds Andy Hardy’ in 1938) that single-handedly made him one of the top-ten box-office stars of the late thirties.

Judy Garland had a slower start but once 1939’s ‘The Wizard of Oz’ came out, she quickly went on to more success but her star was cut shorter than it should have with her early death in 1969 while Rooney continues to work to this day with one of the longest careers in film history (over a whopping 300 films including a few lined up for next year)!

The duo will always have these first films together, though, where musical producer Arthur Freed had the good sense to build films around these two great performers with Rooney being only 18 and Garland only 16.

First up is 1939’s ‘Babes in Arms’, their first musical pairing with direction from the legendary Busby Berkeley. Based on the 1937 Rodgers and Hart Broadway play, the script was refitted to the stars’ strengths with only two songs from the original play making the cut. A huge hit in an era that needed teen entertainment, Rooney ended up with a Best Actor Oscar nomination as well as the films score.

Rooney and Garland star as the talented musician offspring – Mickey Moran and Patsi Barton - of vaudeville parents. When their parents run into financial issues, they band together to stage a fund-raising show to help out which of course allows them to end up on Broadway with a big show to quench their dreams. Will Mickey and Patsi find time for love when the show must go on?

The plots for these type of pics are usually just hangars on which to hang lively musical numbers and this one is no different with a fun assortment of numbers from the title song to the big finale ‘God’s Country’. Watch for the wicked witch Margaret Hamilton in a small role who starred in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ in the same year.

Next is 1940’s ‘Strike Up the Band’, a pic so joyous that one viewer proclaimed at the time “You might show this to Hitler – It might cheer him up!” – that’s a lotta cheer! This flick has our happy little pair starring as two music-loving kids in school who convert their run of the mill marching band into a modern dance orchestra – a move that propels them to a nationwide band contest conducted by their idol Paul Whiteman. Along the way, though, moral and emotional trials provide hardship at every turn with financial problems, an illness of a close friend and a new gal in town!

Busby Berkeley directs again, this time trying to top himself with the extremely ambitious five-minute dance number ‘Do the La Conga’ which could only be filmed in one take. Oscar-nominated for Best Song, Best Score and a win for Best Sound Recording, the box office success also compliments the reception the film got from the U.S. Navy, who were in war at the time.

A Lt. Commander wrote “I have never seen any audience of Navy Men give any picture the ovation received by Strike Up the Band. I have been in the Navy twenty-four years; this is the first item I have ever witnessed such a demonstration”. A complete lack of cynicism was obviously something to be treasured back then…

Busby Berkeley also directs our next entry, 1941s ‘Babes On Broadway’. As our favorite two hoofers grow older, so do the themes of the pics. A natural progression from the two previous flicks about youngsters chasing their dreams, ‘Babes on Broadway’ plants Rooney and Garland in New York City where an already jaded Tommy Williams (Rooney) along with his two dance partners can’t seem to get the attention of Broadway. When he blows an audition due to loyalty, his career troubles take a backseat to a new development: Penny Morris (Garland), a bleeding heart singer he enlists into his band.

With Morris’s convincing, and his own selfish reasons, Williams puts on a charity show for orphans but when Broadway comes calling, will Wiliams listen to his heart and Penny or opt for quick route to stardom? Both Rooney and Garland show tougher exteriors here and it’s a welcome change.

Their first pairing based on an original script with new music; one can tell the music plays to their strengths more than past efforts with Rooney getting a chance to show his effortless attempts at comedy and impersonations. The climax will raise a few eyebrows for contemp viewers as the big finale is based around a minstrel show complete with blackface – something to consider if watching with kids.

Our last pic in the set is 1943s ‘Girl Crazy’ which takes the fun out west. When the wealthy, spoiled playboy Danny Churchill (Rooney) enjoys all the wine, women and song NYC has to offer, his publishing magnate father decides to ship him out west to an all-male college.

But of course, temptations are never far away, as he falls for the Dean’s granddaughter Ginger Gray (Garland). With the school under financial pressure, Churchill plans a rodeo (?) and beauty contest to help keep the school open and impress Ginger but with the governor’s daughter – who has the power to keep the school open – joining the beauty contest against Ginger, what’s a conflicted playboy to do?

A remake of the 1930 George and Ira Gershwin hit, most of the songs remain the same. Apparently, Berkeley who originally was supposed to direct, got handed his walking papers after going over budget on the ‘I Got Rhythm’ dance sequence and was replaced by studio journeyman Norman Taurog. Probably their most fun picture all in all, it would be their last starring film together until one singing sequence in 1948’s ‘Words and Music’.

The impressive special features including the packaging and layout is outstanding. Inside the collection includes a folder ‘Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland Portfolio’ that contains 20 behind-the-scenes photographs printed as lobby cards and a 47-page hard-bound book that holds a bonus disc with over three hours of special features. The book contains histories for all the pics included with the addition of scene selections and an array of poster art for each film. Extremely well done.

In addition to the bonus disc that includes the 40-minute ‘Private Screenings with Mickey Rooney, hosted by TCM’s Robert Osborne’, the ‘Mickey and Judy Trailer Gallery’ and ‘The Judy Garland Songbook’ which features around 20 of her musical numbers from the span of her career, each film has its own special features that break down as follows:

‘Babes In Arms’ includes an ‘All-new intro by Mickey Rooney’, a ‘Commentary by historian John Fricke’, an Little Rascals short ‘Duel Personalities’, a classic cartoon ‘The Mad Maestro’, a 1939 newsreel, trailer, and some bonus audio features. ‘Strike Up the Band’ includes an ‘All-new intro by Mickey Rooney’, a Pete Smith short, a classic cartoon ‘Romeo in Rhythm’, a trailer and 4 audio bonus features.

‘Babes on Broadway’ includes an ‘All-new intro by Mickey Rooney’, a Pete Smith short, a classic cartoon ‘Dance of the Weed’, a trailer and 3 bonus audio features. Lastly, ‘Girl Crazy’ includes the intro from Rooney, commentary from historian John Fricke, a Pete Smith short, a classic cartoon ‘The Early Bird Dood It’, and the trailer.

This set is a no-brainer for fans of Rooney & Garland, musicals or classic cinema in general. All four flicks are entertaining, optimistic pictures with not an ounce of cynicism. With the wealth of special features, this amazingly excessive package comes highly recommended.

The Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.