Bing Crosby

[moira finnie]

Okay, musical mavens, I've a question for you about Bing Crosby, (and it has nothing to do with his sometimes painful personal life). If you were trying to introduce Mr. C. to someone unfamiliar with his vocal accomplishments what movie might you recommend? Do you think that there is one film that captured his appeal as a singer better than others? Thanks in advance for any replies.

[bobhopefan1940]

Hmmm... I had a friend that I wanted to introduce to Crosby, but I am a major fan o his earlier work. So I showed them the comical yet outlandish We're Not Dressing then I showed them Going Hollywood (has some of his best ballads, IMO). I would show some of his pre-codes, because they are interesting enough to keep someone's interest who isn't used to Crosby.

Of his 40's movies, I would choose one of the Road pictures, like Morocco or Singapore. And for 50's, it's got to be High Society.

[feaito]

I would definitely choose "High Society".

[Ayres]

Though I love him in the 1940s (Holiday Inn and Bells of St. Mary's are faves of mine), I'd recommend some of his really early stuff, like Going Hollywood or We're Not Dressing. He was such a jazzy force in those, that you can see why Artie Shaw called him "the first hip white person born in the United States."

[mrsl]

Kinda depends on the age of your target. Late teens/early 20's, I'd go with High Society because he does quite a range of music in that one - the romantic 'True Love', the jazzy ones with Louis Armstrong, contemporary What a Swell Party with Frankie - all solid numbers with a beat that would appeal to a younger person.

If you're talking 30's/40's year old, Blue Skies would get them into a lot of other areas also because of Fred and Joan Caulfield, and White Christmas and Holiday Inn also fit in this category. they show that not all older movies are 'drab' black and white, or that old show music is boring.

For fun with a little seriousness mixed in, Top O' the Morning is good. I love Bing when he does Irish songs. In fact, except for his Christmas Album, his Irish album is the only other Bing Crosby CD I have. but Top O' the Morning has some good tunes, with Ann Blythe adding to the fun. Too bad it wasn't filmed on location, but you can't have everything!

Anne

[sandykaypax]

I would choose White Christmas. It's a great holiday film, and Bing gets to sing Count Your Blessings, and be hep, too, in the dialogue and numbers like Snow. His duet with Danny Kaye on Sisters is funny and endearing, too.

Second choice would be High Society. Bing and Louis Armstrong, plus Frank Sinatra? Forget about it! You can't get any hepper than that.

Sandy

[Ayres]

When Sinatra sings "You're Sensational" in HS I need a cold shower.

And I adore the song "That's Jazz," as I think it expresses what I've always thought: that rock 'n' roll was just an extension of jazz innovation.

[Ray Faiola]

I would definitely recommend Frank Capra's RIDING HIGH. Crosby gives one of his best and most natural performances and at least one of the songs is recorded live on the set - as opposed to being pre-recorded. It's also one of the few times when, IMHO, the remake is superior to the original (BROADWAY BILL).

[melwalton]

I liked 'She Loves Me Not' best of all his movies. I thought the scene where he and Kitty Carlisle sang 'Love in Bloom' was one of filmdom's most memorable moments.

[nightwalker]

For straight dramatic roles, there's MAN ON FIRE (1957), LITTLE BOY LOST (1953), the otherwise inferior remake of STAGECOACH (1966) and especially THE COUNTRY GIRL (1954). I also always liked him in WELCOME STRANGER (1947). He's great as Father O'Malley in GOING MY WAY (1944) and THE BELLS OF ST. MARY's (1945), which went a long way in "humanizing" the clergy. In fact, Bing received a letter from the pope complimenting him on doing just that after GOING MY WAY was released.

For examples of Bing's laid back approach to comedy, there's HIGH TIME (1960), which I've always liked even though it usually gets short shrift from most folks and virtually all of his scenes with Danny Kaye in WHITE CHRISTMAS (1954), not to mention (of course), the Road pictures with Bob Hope.

Musically, well, there's little I can add to what's already been said here by others. HOLIDAY INN, BLUE SKIES (both with Fred Astaire, and with that team, who cares about plot?), WHITE CHRISTMAS and HIGH SOCIETY are all good. To the list I would also add, EAST SIDE OF HEAVEN (1939), which includes a rhythm number set in a pawn shop where Bing sings and plays several musical instruments practically all at once! What a phenomenal talent that man had.

And, for something completely different, check him out in DR. COOK's GARDEN (1971) sometime.

[pktrekgirl]

I will try to contribute, even though I am NOT a fan - mainly because I can contribute a few films NOT to show him.

To those of us who really dislike Bing, many of us find him to be 'creepy'. And I'm not talking about his supposed personal life, because frankly, I don't even know anything about that except that I am aware of the fact that one of his kids wrote a book or something making sundry allegations about him being abusive or something (I've not read the book - I'm just giving you the backstory regarding the sum total of my knowledge of Bing - which as you can see approaches zero and is therefore not influencing my dislike of him).

Anyway, I thought he was okay in THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S. Kinda creepy...but not REALLY creepy. So that would be my suggestion. WHITE CHRISTMAS would be another.

However, one film I would NOT show is HERE COMES THE GROOM. I watched this film because I positively ADORE Franchot Tone and just think he is the cutest thing going. But I could barely get through this film because the 'creepy' air coming off of Bing is so strong in this film. To those of us who sense 'creepy' in this man, it is especially difficult to get through this one because he is around little kids so much in it. And frankly, if I had little kids, I wouldn't let Bing anywhere near them.

No evidence for this, mind you - like I said, I know very little about him. It's just a sense I have. And I know I'm not alone, because other film fans who I have confided this to have told me they sense the same thing.

My 'feeling' might very well be wrong. But where I am going with this is that if you want a person unfamiliar with Bing to like him, it might be a good idea to find a film that passes the 'creepy' test with some of us who struggle with this phenomenon...because if the person you are trying to reach turns out to be one of us, I'd hate for the first film he saw to be one of the ones that sends cold chills down my spine.

[feaito]

Perhaps that's why Julie Andrews turned down his marriage proposal?

He proposed to Julie Andrews?? I did not know that!!