Sing as You Swing (1937) User Reviews

Valuable record of variety acts

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 4 February 2016]

Ignore the wafer thin story and enjoy what is an enjoyable record of music hall acts.There is Billie Carlisle who with her partner Mindy were part of the original crazy week at the London Palladium which metamorphosis into the Crazy Gang.Claude Dampier was an early success in radio with his silly ads act.Clapham and Dwyer were big on the BBC,but watching them now they are virtually incomprehensible.They certainly aren't funny.The Mills Brothers had an act which would last well into the era of television.Nat Gonella was one of the top British jazz trumpeted of the thirties.I had the good fortune to see him perform in a music hall rescue in Jersey in the 1970s.So yes the production may be pretty basic but no more so than say many British films of the seventies and eighties.

Passable time tapper, for ears, eyes, and toes.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 16 March 2023]

American viewers of this British musical will find it interesting for the presence of the Mills Brothers, but there's so much more, some good production numbers, a few comedy bits that Supply a few laughs and a bit of a plot that includes a romance and the leading female performer's finding sudden success. The title song is the highlight, and alomg with other musical moments, has a look which is slightly less lavish than some of the big A musicals coming from Hollywood. The leading female character is an Alice Faye type with a higher pitched voice, and the comic moments are equivalent to the type of corn that the Rotz Brothers, Three Stooges and other comedy teams would add in supporting parts. Definitely worth a look for historical and cultural purpose, even though a few moments are rather eye rolling.

Cobbled together variety show tests endurance but features a couple of important acts

[davidvmcgillivray-24-905811 · 2/10 · 20 December 2015]

This is a line-up of whatever variety acts happened to be available during the week of production. The classiest performers are the American quartet The Mills Brothers (who do their impressions of a dance band) and jazz man Nat Gonella. They're thrown together with radio favourites such as impersonator Beryl Orde (her impressions include Gracie Fields, Mabel Constanduros and Mae West) and conductor Mantovani, whose orchestra is in gypsy costumes. The performances are linked with God-awful comic business by three more radio turns, the often incomprehensible Clapham and Dwyer and silly ass Claude Dampier, who does at least have comic timing. It's surprising to find two writers credited for the script since what little narrative exists is completely incoherent. (This may be because the version currently showing on British TV runs well under an hour, not 82 minutes as listed here). The final sequence consists of a broadcast on the new-fangled television, but no TV cameras are in evidence.

Sing as You Swing review

[JoeytheBrit · 2/10 · 12 May 2020]

Rubbish British musical 'comedy' with forgettable musical numbers from a host of forgotten acts. The so-called comedy is provided by the woeful Clapham & Dwyer, a double act with no chemistry or screen presence whatsoever. Professional twit Claude Dampier is at least faintly amusing.

Fantastic film!

[PlasticActor · 9/10 · 25 August 2021]

Real acts, Real music, DO sing & swing. If people would only get off NETFLEX might understand real art. This move is a classic goldmine with virtuoso music performances and singers.