Rhythm On The Range/Rhythm On The River

Customer Reviews:

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, just one more word about...Kelso's Cucumber Cream".......2007-03-14

RHYTHM ON THE RANGE (1936) and RHYTHM ON THE RIVER (1940) make a nice dvd combo for fans of the Bingster. Both films are now very dated, of course, but still have something nifty to offer, with RHYTHM ON THE RANGE showcasing an early, youthful Bing Crosby and the gorgeous Frances Farmer and also debuting the raucous Martha Raye ("Oh, boy!") while RHYTHM ON THE RIVER shines with the quartet of Crosby, Mary Martin, Basil Rathbone, and Oscar Levant. I was surprised at how much fun I had watching RHYTHM ON THE RIVER and, yes, I do like it better than RHYTHM ON THE RANGE which, while providing some meaty chuckles here and there, suffered from what I feel is its mostly lackluster repertoire of tunes.

RHYTHM ON THE RANGE is IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT done up with saddles and spurs. Here's the plot: Trying to earn enough money to purchase a prized bull named "Cuddles", cattleman Jeff Larrabee (Bing Crosby) competes in a New York rodeo contest and fares decently but is still short of the necessary funds. His last chance seems to lie in, wouldn't you know it, a singing cowboy contest. Being Bing Crosby in real life, Jeff wins handily enough and, with the help of his homespun-philosophisin' pard Buck (Bob Burns), he finally gets his bull.

Having safely stowed Cuddles on a box car heading back west to Arizona, Jeff bumps into (or, rather, pokes into) Lois (Frances Farmer), a hoity toity cook who'd stowed away on board. Sparks fly - literally. But what Jeff doesn't know is that Lois is actually Doris Halliday, a runaway heiress seeking to escape her wedding to a dismal groom. Jeff and Lois fight, fuss, and have escapades with Cuddles the bull. Naturally, they fall in love (Jeff and Lois, not Cuddles - there are rules about this). And, because of its musical/comedy genre, things end well, despite the low level machinations of three shifty hobos.

Meanwhile, we suffer thru slow and boring melodies, with two shining exceptions: Johnny Mercer's "I'm an Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande" (which features an early glimpse of Roy Rogers on the guitar and Louis Prima on the trumpet) and Martha Raye's lively signature song "Mr. Paganini." Crosby is predictably mellow here except, of course, when he's being annoyed with Farmer's character, who can't seem to desist from accidentally flashing a red scarf in front of the bull. Farmer herself is stunning (Gawd, her smile!) and seems very comfortable in her comedic role. Bob Burns does his aw-shucks rustic routine as well as Andy Griffith ever did it. Martha Raye doesn't waste time as she begins clowning seconds into her film debut. RHYTHM ON THE RANGE is a decent enough film, and I might even have doled out some dollars for it as a single feature release. But, now, we'll never know. Let's get to the real gem of the set.

RHYTHM ON THE RIVER: In the secluded and barely patronized Nobody's Inn, new acquaintances composer Bob Summers (Bing Crosby) and poet/lyricist Cherry Lane (Mary Martin) come to discover that they are both ghostwriting for popular songwriter Oliver Courtney (an unabashed Basil Rathbone, for once playing a non-sword-wielding villain). After confronting the underhanded Courtney, Bob and Cherry storm out and try to make a go of it as a songwriting team. However, they are immediately rebuffed by the song publishers for sounding too much like Oliver Courtney. Oh, bitter irony...

RHYTHM ON THE RIVER is a musical punctuated with some funny moments. A large chunk of the hilarity comes from the scenes of initial suspicion and animosity between the two leads. The sarcastic Oscar Levant offers some amusement, as well as the 6-piece swing band who relentlessly practices "Hold That Tiger" next door from Mary's ("Back to the pawn shop, boys!"). But what has me roaring in my seat are the exquisite scenes of the panicky radio announcer who is forced to take his live product placement to new heights of improvisation as he is made to stall on the air. I never knew that there were so many diverse uses for Kelso's Cucumber Cream...

Bing and Mary go well together as they show off an effortless chemistry in their scenes. Bing exudes his usual laid back charm and amiable on-screen presence; he graces several songs with his patentedly relaxed crooning style. Mary Martin is fresh-faced and very likable and can also hold down a tune. I love her terrific, saucy rendition of "Ain't It A Shame About Mame." The two other standout tunes for me are "When The Moon Comes Over Madison Square" and "Only Forever." Another interesting number is the one in the pawn shop with Bing showing off some freelance drumming as he sings the title song.

Bing Crosby made it to the big time on the strength of his natural charisma and his singing ability. He had an easy, personable way about him that just made it pleasant to watch him in his films. His sonorous singing style influenced many of the singers who followed him - Sinatra, Martin, and Como, to name a few. It's not a newsflash that Bing was a great singer and a wonderful phraser of lyrics. But he was also such a natural at performing in front of a camera and made it look so easy that his acting ability was taken for granted. Let's keep in mind that he did win the Oscar for GOING MY WAY. And if you think all he could play were laid back, easy going roles, then check out THE COUNTRY GIRL, MAN ON FIRE (1957), and even the STAGECOACH remake.

But let's get back on track. This double feature dvd is well worth your money and, more importantly, your time. Fans of Bing Crosby will find much to enjoy in both the RHYTHM ON THE RANGE and RHYTHM ON THE RIVER. Funny bits, lovely songs, eye-catching female leads, and the Bingster himself, robust and crooning merrily. Mucho recommended.

Frances Farmer was always wonderful to watch........2007-01-05

The music could have been better and Bing Crosby needed a diet but Frances Farmer was wonderful.

RHYTHM OF THE RANGE "IS" GOOD.......2006-02-28

I don't know why Rhythm On The Range gets no love from the reviewers, but I thought it was just as good as Rhythm On The River. Rhythm On The Range is interesting for a couple of reasons. There is Farmer. If you watch this movie and then the movie Frances you can see the scene where Farmer complains to the director that her clothes are not dirty. The director tells here that noone will notice and he was right. You can also see the original "bazooka"(a homemade trombone)which, if I'm not mistaken, influenced the GI's in WWII in naming thier anti-tank weapon the bazooka. Then there's Bing. He's just too cool, even as a cowboy. For a movie made in 1936 it really hold up. Don't get me wrong Rhythm On The River is also good. Watch for Dennis O'Keefe as a drunk heckler.

A Double Dose of Bing.......2005-10-15

For fans of Bing, there is a lot to like here. The first film, "Rhythm on the Range," is a pleasant but forgettable film that will pass the time easily enough. Martha Raye is a hoot as the gal trying to rope a man out west and Bing is young and charming. There are a few funny gags and a chance to see Frances Farmer before things went so wrong for her. While it is probably only a three star film, the second film on this disc is the reason to buy it.

Bing really shines in "Rhythm on the River" and since it is only available by itself on vhs, you might want to pick this one up just to get the bonus of another film if you are a big fan of Crosby's easy charm.

Bing is in top form in this charming comedy musical based on a story by Billy Wilder and Jacques Threy. Director Victor Schertzinger wrote one of the songs himself and keeps a light and breezy tone to one of Bing's most underrated films.

Bob Summers (Bing) is an affable writer of tunes just trying to earn enogh money for a boat to sail around in and Basil Rathbone is composer Oliver Courtney, taking the credit for them. What Bob doesn't know is not only does Oscar have his melodies ghostwritten, but the lyrics as well! Mary Martin is a young poet from Tulsa named Cherry Lane, letting Oscar take the credit for her beautful words in order to pay the rent.

Nether Cherry or Bob are aware of this arrangement and it isn't until the two meet at his uncle's boarding house and fall in love that they figure it out and decide to strike out on their own. But Bing's melodies sound too much like the ones made famous by Oliver, of course, and when Cherry has a shot as a singer, he goes crawling back to Oliver to buy the dress she'll need for her big chance at Club Monaco.

But Cherry loves Bob more than music and when she discovers how he got the money, the whole thing may be off. Rathbone has fun hamming it up as Oliver and Oscar Levant nearly steals the film as Oliver's right hand. One scene has Levant reading his own book and calling it irritating! There is even an inside joke about Jack Benny's radio sponsor!

This one is a lot of fun and has an easygoing charm that matches Bing's personality. He and Mary Martin are very good together. Set during the Christmas season, the film has a nice feel to it. From Bob's old ferry boat named Arabella to his uncle's place in Terrytown, called Nobody's Inn, everthing is just right. There are some genuinely funny scenes and some great songs like "That's For Me" and "Only Forever" which make this one you'll watch time and again.

Pictures like Rythm on the River will remind you why it was actually Bing that was the big draw when he and Bob Hope were teamed up for those Road pictures. This film is a big bag of delightful charm and a great one for a Saturday morning.

If you are looking to pick up "Rhythm on the River" on dvd rather than vhs, then this is the way to go. You'll even get the bonus of "Rhythm on the Range" as icing on the cake. A good pick.

FRANCES FARMER GOES WEST!.......2004-06-28

FINALLY on DVD! THAT elusive little western with der Bingle and the blonde gal, and then sum!

Very predictable as the story goes,missing heiress, cowboy fresh from the rodeo, a temperamental bull, box cars, a ranch, etc. etc. Great songs [if you go for Bing] and a great little DVD - nary a scratch or hiss - nicely cleaned up!

Frances - legend has - experienced a problem or two on the set of this flick - not a whisper on the end product - she's a professional to the core and very very contemporary.

Great gowns by Edith Head!

MARTHA RAYE debuts spectacularly and the 'gal lookin' for a guy' - such an underrated career!

Great fun to see over and over again!

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