Good News (1947 film)

Good News is a 1947 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film based on the 1927 stage production of the same name. It starred June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Mel Tormé, and Joan McCracken. The screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green was directed by Charles Walters in Technicolor.

Good News
Poster for the 1947 film
Directed byCharles Walters
Produced byArthur Freed
Screenplay byBetty Comden
Adolph Green
Based onGood News
1927 musical
by Lew Brown
Laurence Schwab
Frank Mandel
Buddy G. DeSylva
Ray Henderson
StarringJune Allyson
Peter Lawford
Patricia Marshall
Music byConrad Salinger
CinematographyCharles Schoenbaum
Edited byAlbert Akst
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • December 26, 1947 (1947-12-26) (New York City)
  • July 27, 1948 (1948-07-27) (United States)
Running time
93 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,715,000[1]
Box office$2,956,000[1]
June Allyson and Peter Lawford

Three additional songs were written for the film: "The French Lesson", "Pass That Peace Pipe", and "An Easier Way", the last of which was cut from the released film.[2]

Good News was the second adaptation of the stage musical, after the 1930 film Good News. The 1947 film was a more sanitized version of the musical; the 1930 version included Pre-Code content, such as sexual innuendo and lewd suggestive humor.

Production

Good News and Summer Stock were also originally planned to become part of the backyard musical series. Summer Stock was released three years later.

Plot

The film is set in 1927 at fictional Tait College, where football is all the rage ("Tait Song"/"Good News").

Tait's football star Tommy Marlowe (Peter Lawford) is a prime catch for the college girls. Tommy tells his friend and non-playing teammate Bobby Turner (McDonald) that the trick to attracting girls is to show no interest ("Be a Ladies' Man").

New student Pat McClellan (Marshall) resists his advances, cutting Tommy down to size at a party ("Lucky in Love"). Pat insults Tommy in French, so Tommy enlists part-time school librarian Connie Lane (June Allyson) to help him study the language ("The French Lesson"). He gradually falls for Connie, who comes from a poor background, which does not bother her ("The Best Things in Life are Free"). Meanwhile, Babe Doolittle (McCracken) is seeking to leave a relationship with jealous football player Beef (Tindall) so she can get involved with Bobby Turner.

At a local soda shop, Babe advises Pat not to lose her temper ("Pass the Peace Pipe"). Tommy's newly learned French fails to impress Pat and he leaves dejectedly. Babe, concerned that Tommy's frame of mind will cause him to lose the big game, revives Pat's interest by (untruthfully) telling her Tommy comes from a wealthy family. Connie grows attracted to Tommy. Tommy asks Connie to the prom, but reneges when Pat shows interest. Connie is heartbroken ("Just Imagine"). Tommy is failing French and begs for help from a reluctant Connie - he belatedly realizes his true feelings for her although Pat has pressured him into proposing.

In the end, Tait wins the big game, Tommy pairs off with Connie, Beef pairs off with Pat, and Babe pairs off with Bobby Turner. The college bursts out into song in a production number ("Varsity Drag").

Cast

Soundtrack
  • "Good News"
  • "Tait Song"
    • Music by Ray Henderson
    • Lyrics by Lew Brown and Buddy G. DeSylva
    • Performed by Joan McCracken and chorus
  • "Be a Ladies' Man"
    • Music by Ray Henderson
    • Lyrics by Lew Brown and Buddy G. DeSylva
    • Performed by Peter Lawford, Ray McDonald, Mel Tormé, and Lon Tindal
  • "Lucky in Love"
    • Music by Ray Henderson
    • Lyrics by Lew Brown and Buddy G. DeSylva
    • Performed by Patricia Marshall, Joan McCracken, Mel Tormé, June Allyson, and Peter Lawford
  • "The French Lesson"
  • "The Best Things in Life Are Free"
    • Music by Ray Henderson
    • Lyrics by Lew Brown and Buddy G. DeSylva
    • Performed by June Allyson
    • Performed also by Mel Tormé
  • "Pass That Peace Pipe"
  • "Just Imagine"
    • Music by Ray Henderson
    • Lyrics by Lew Brown and Buddy G. DeSylva
    • Sung by June Allyson
  • "Varsity Drag"
    • Music by Ray Henderson
    • Lyrics by Lew Brown and Buddy G. DeSylva
    • Performed by June Allyson, Peter Lawford, and chorus

Deleted song

"An Easier Way", sung by June Allyson and Patricia Marshall, was filmed but cut from the released version. This musical number survives and is included as an "extra" on the DVD.[2][3]

Reception

Box office

The film was a box office disappointment, earning $2,545,000 in the US and Canada and $411,000 elsewhere, recording a loss of $7,000.[1][4][5]

Awards

Edens, Martin and Blane were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Pass That Peace Pipe".

References
  1. The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. Good News at DVD Verdict Archived 2007-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
  3. June Allyson and Patricia Marshall - audio pre-recording of "An Easier Way" on YouTube
  4. Eyman, Scott (2005). Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer. Robson. p. 401.
  5. "Top Grossers of 1948", Variety 5 January 1949 p 46
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