It Happened in Brooklyn (1947) - Star of the month... Frank Sinatra

"It doesn't have to be classical art as long as it comes from the heart" - Jimmy Durante (as Nick Lombardi in 'It Happened in Brooklyn')

'It Happened in Brooklyn' is a 1947 musical directed by Richard Whorf and starring Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante, Gloria Grahame & Marcy McGuire. The film contains 6 songs written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, as well as a few opera arias.

Watch the trailer:

Danny Webson Miller (played by Sinatra) has been in the army for four years, and returns to his one true love: the city of Brooklyn. Before his return he meets a shy young composer, Jamie Shellgrove (played by Lawford). Jamie's grandfather asks Danny to help make Jamie more social by introducing him to some girls in Brooklyn. After returning to Brooklyn Danny meets schoolteacher Anne Fielding (played by Grayson) and is reunited with an old friend, Nick Lombardi (played by Durante).

Musical program

• "Whose Baby Are You?" - Frank Sinatra
• "The Brooklyn Bridge" - Frank Sinatra
• "The Bell Song" - Kathryn Grayson
• "I Believe" - Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante & Bobby Long
• "The Song's Gotta Come From the Heart" - Frank Sinatra & Jimmy Durante
• "La Ci Darem La Mano" - Kathryn Grayson & Frank Sinatra
• "It's the Same Old Dream" - Frank Sinatra
• "It's the Same Old Dream (Reprise) - Students ensemble
• "Time After Time" - Frank Sinatra
• "Time After Time (Reprise)" - Kathryn Grayson
• "Whose Baby Are You? (Reprise)" - Peter Lawford

Song: "The Song's Gotta Come From the Heart" - Frank Siantra & Jimmy Durante

Song: "Time After Time (Reprise)" - Kathryn Grayson

Song: "La Ci Darem La Mano" - Kathryn Grayson & Frank Sinatra

Song: "I Believe" - Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante & Bobby Long

Did you know...

• This was Frank Sinatra's third MGM film, and the third time he & Kathryn Grayson appeared in the same film
• The piano music played in the film was played by an unseen 17 year old Andre Previn, who had just joined the MGM musical department

Closing remarks

One of the weaker MGM musicals with a moderately bad script and very little substance. The film was primarily designed to showcase the vocal talent of Frank Sinatra - which is what the majority of Elvis Presley's filmography would endeavour to do. I'm not a fan of the ending and the way in which the film just cuts off.

There are some good songs in the film, "Time After Time", "I Believe" & the Sinatra/Durante duet "The Songs Gotta Come From the Heart". 

I find Jimmy Durante carries the film pretty much on his own and at the same time shows us what vaudeville greatness is.

Chandler (1971)

Star birthday... Warren Oates

Star birthday... Warren Oates

Warren Oates was born on 5 July 1928 in Depoy, Kentucky. He began his career appearing in plays for the University of Louisville Little Theatre Company in the early 1950s before being selected to appear in an episode of TV's 'Studio One' in 1957. After appearing in a number of TV shows, he made the transition to film. He had a prolific film career over 25 years before his death from a heart attack on  2 April 1982.

Recommended viewing

• The Wild Bunch (1969)
• Chandler (1971)
• The Hired Hand (1971)
• Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
• Badlands (1973)
• Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
• Race With the Devil (1975)
• Stripes (1981)

Chandler (1971)

"Chandler, there's a dead body in my room"

Warren Oates and Leslie Caron

'Chandler' is a 1971 spy crime film starring Warren Oates and Leslie Caron, with Mitch Ryan and Gloria Grahame in a small role as Selma.

Hardboiled detective Chandler (played by Oates) is hired to watch and protect a missing government witness, who happens to be beautiful French woman, Katherine Creighton (played by Caron). Chandler becomes a dead man walking as he and Katherine learn no one can be trusted, not even the government.

Closing remarks

Sadly the film is very slow and dull. It pretty much goes nowhere, and the most exciting part of the film is at the 85 minute mark, when it finishes. The film is so bad, the director later apologized for it, and alleged he was denied access to the editing process, where it was recut without his permission, adding in scenes he intended to delete, and removing others. 

The concept of the film was good, and with a better script could have become a popular film franchise. 

Chandler (1971) - Star birthday... Leslie Caron

Star birthday... Leslie Caron

Leslie Caron in a publicity still for 'Gigi'

Leslie Caron was born in France on 1 July 1931, and began her career as a ballerina. She was discovered by film legend Gene Kelly, who brought her to Hollywood and cast her in 'An American in Paris' (1951), making her an International star overnight. 

She is one of few classic Hollywood stars who are still active in their profession, appearing in the 2011 short film 'L'age Parfait'.

Recommended viewing

• An American in Paris (1951)
• Lili (1953)
• The Glass Slipper (1955)
• Daddy Long Legs (1955)
• Gigi (1958)
• Fanny (1961)
• The L-Shaped Room (1962)
• Valentino (1977)
• Chocolat (2000)

Chandler (1971)

"Chandler, there's a dead body in my room"

Warren Oates and Leslie Caron

'Chandler' is a 1971 spy crime film starring Warren Oates and Leslie Caron, with Mitch Ryan and Gloria Grahame in a small role as Selma.

Hardboiled detective Chandler (played by Oates) is hired to watch and protect a missing government witness, who happens to be beautiful French woman, Katherine Creighton (played by Caron). Chandler becomes a dead man walking as he and Katherine learn no one can be trusted, not even the government.

Closing remarks

Sadly the film is very slow and dull. It pretty much goes nowhere, and the most exciting part of the film is at the 85 minute mark, when it finishes. The film is so bad, the director later apologized for it, and alleged he was denied access to the editing process, where it was recut without his permission, adding in scenes he intended to delete, and removing others. 


The concept of the film was good, and with a better script could have become a popular film franchise.