Mister Big

As a fan of musicals in general and Donald O'Connor in specific, I was all set to enjoy my first dive into the teen musicals he made with Universal in the 1940s. Mister Big turned out the be incredibly enjoyable in some respects, and incredibly cringe-worthy in others.

On the one hand, the performances are generally top-notch, the one-liners are that wonderful mix of hokey and enjoyable, and Donald wears some ridiculous clothing. (Am I the only person who wants to tell him to stop trying on his father's suits? They all look so big on him!) The entire movie is worth buying just for the opportunity to watch Peggy Ryan kick Donald O'Connor in the face in "Rude, Crude, and Unattractive"--the play violence is half the gimmick in their dancing, but that song goes above and beyond the usual. O'Connor's interpretation of Hamlet's soliloquy is likewise charming, and Gloria Jean's solos are a delight.

On the other hand, there are some painfully racist scenes--I'm honestly surprised the other reviews haven't mentioned them. There's an entire number in blackface, and a group of black children are allowed the opportunity to perform with the lily-white main cast in the final number...from a hayloft. Because, of course, people of colour performing in a stable-like setting doesn't imply that they're animal-like at all. Insert eye rolling here.

I'd love to see Mister Big and all the rest of the hep musicals released on commercial DVD someday in a proper boxed set. Even if they're imperfect, these films need to be preserved for study and enjoyment (because really, the less racist moments are worth watching multiple times). However, if the other titles in the O'Connor/Ryan/Jean catalogue contain such blatant racism as is found in this one, I can understand why Universal's been hesitant to put these to press.

My 8/10 rating is for the parts of the film that didn't make me cringe from the unrepentant blackface and marginalization of the blacks in the cast. Including those parts, my rating goes down significantly.

Originally titled, "School of Jive", this movie is one of the standard "Hep" musicals that were popular with the young crowd during the WW2 years. It features the popular Gloria Jean, Donald O'Connor, and Peggy Ryan in a swinging, breezy, upbeat production that runs at a frantic pace for the full 63 minutes.

The plot is simple: Teens, in a school that teaches the arts, would rather perform popular music of the day. They overcome their stuffy highbrow sponsor's objections by performing a Swing musical instead of the classical work that's requested. Of course, the kids' version is a big success.

The movie features jazz and swing music, and popular bands of the era appear. A lot of the dialog, while dated to that day and age, is nonetheless entertaining. O'Connor and Ryan are their usual energetic selves and, of course, perform their zany songs and dances. Gloria Jean is charming as always and sings beautifully. Several other kids and adults perform as well, including a very talented six-year-old Elinor Donahue (who later played Betty in "Father Knows Best" and has many other TV and screen credits).

I haven't seen this movie on TV for over 25 years, and it's hard to find a good copy of it. However, you can buy a quality copy of it from Gloria Jean herself at her website. IMDb policies forbid the posting of URL's, but you can find her site by using your favorite search engine and her full name of "Gloria Jean Schoonover".

II love this Donald O'Connor/Peggy Ryan musical. .This is definitely the best musical that teamed Donald O'Connor with Peggy Ryan and Gloria Jean .but why were two of the really great,totally hep songs written for "Mister Big"-for the singing and tapdancing talents of Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan-"Kitten With My Mittens Laced" and "The Boogie-Woogie Sandman"-cut and edited out of this films-and just used as piano accompaniment for a backyard group jitterbug dance and as background music to accompany a generic,elementary beginner tapdance routine for Mary Eleanor Donahue? I have three photos of the"Kitten With My Mittens Laced"comedy song & tapdance routine performed by Donald and Peggy in aarge,beauriful living room setting with the Jivin' Jacks and Jills in the background watching and enjoying Donald's & Peggy's singing & dancing .and these photos are definitely.still shots from the actual film..but this O'Connor/Ryan routine is not in the print that I have on dvd .which I did purchase from Gloria Jean herself a few years ago. Does this routine that was cut from "Mister Big"hopefully still exist on a DVD format! I knos they both did this same song a little later on in the 1944 Film-"Follow The Boys"-and it is really sensational .but I wouldovecto find the version that was filmed for"Mister Big"- and would also love to see the other song & dance routine:The Boogie-Woogie Sandman" that was also written for-but cut from this movie..and only a recorded orchestration of the music from this song was used as a brief music accompaniment for Mary Eleanor Donahue's rehearsal tap routine. I do have the sheet music for"The Boogie-Woogie Sandman"-so that's how I am familiar with this song .but wouldkve to see if it was actually filmed for"Mister Big"-as a song & dance for Donald & Peggy! And O' onnor's brief so dance moments is his routines with Peggy Ryan and The Jivin' Jacks & Jills on this film are really great!

This utterly delicious hilarious swing musical is terrific. Made as part of a series at Universal that seem to be the dance version of those MGM Andy Hardy films; instead (and better) here we have the dynamic and effervescent talent of Donald O'Connor with gorgeous Gloria Jean and zany Peggy Ryan who make a trio of song and dance talent that is an entertaining as it is astonishing. MISTER BIG is completely engaging for its 63 minutes and with sensational tap numbers from the jivin' Jacks and Jills solid Universal production values and a roster of house actors, this film deserves renewed appreciation on DVD. It would be appropriate for Universal to box-set all these teen 40s musicals with Donald O'Connor and the Jivin Jacks and Jills and set them before a very appreciative public again. The group tap numbers are real musical dynamite; O'Connor is simply hilarious; the music numbers are fun and the sets and art direction is excellent. The other titles in the series are: GET HEP TO LOVE.... CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK... PATRICK THE GREAT... GIVE OUT SISTERS... PRIVATE BUCKAROO... and WHAT'S COOKIN'.... all of which I now am keen to enjoy. What a teen talent Donald O'Connor was! I have never seen his early comedy films and this intro into the 40s musicals he made has me enthralled to see more. MISTER BIG is the sort of musical with acrobatic group tap dance numbers you could only dream of, and here is a 63 minute musical with 7 songs and routines, better than I could have wished for. MISTER BIG is just great. My dollars are ready for the whole box set, when Universal care to plonk it on a shelf in a DVD store anytime soon.

At the Davis School of the Theater, run by Jeremy Taswell, where teenagers learn drama and serious art, instructors Johnny Hanley and Alice Taswell are in love. Students, including Donald, Patricia and Peggy, secretly want to be singers. Patricia's aunt, Mrs. Davis, who owns the school, disapproves. Donald wrote a musical comedy for the class piece of the year that students want to do; but Mrs. Davis selected it and insists they make Sophocles' "Antigone." Taswell agrees that the kids will play Donald's show. Donald manages to keep Mrs. Davis away on the day of the show, and when the Broadway producers present are flooded with Donald's play, she will be a supporter.