''Swing High, Swing Low'' is a 1937 American romantic comedy drama film directed by

Mitchell Leisen James Mitchell Leisen (October 6, 1898 – October 28, 1972) was an American director, art director, and costume designer. Film career He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments. He directed his f ...

and starring

Carole Lombard Carole Lombard (born Jane Alice Peters; October 6, 1908 – January 16, 1942) was an American actress, particularly noted for her energetic, often off-beat roles in screwball comedies. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Lombard 2 ...

and

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

. It is the second film adaptation of the popular 1927 Broadway play ''Burlesque'' by George Manker Watters and Arthur Hopkins (after '' The Dance of Life'' (1929) and before '' When My Baby Smiles at Me'' (1948)).

Plot

Working her way as a hairdresser on board a liner traveling through the

Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the ter ...

, Maggie King (

) brushes off a brash young soldier, "Skid" Johnson (

), on his last day in the Army. However, he is persistent, and the next day she and her friend Ella reluctantly go on a double date with him and his piano player friend Harry ( Charles Butterworth) in Balboa. In a nightclub, she expresses her distaste of trumpet music, whereupon he impresses her with his amazing prowess with the instrument. When a man (

Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...

, speaking only Spanish) tries to pick her up at the bar, he and Skid end up brawling, which lands Skid and Maggie in jail. As a result, Maggie misses her ship back to the States. With no money left after helping pay the fine, she is forced to move in with Skid and Harry. She talks a skeptical Murphy (a woman) into hiring the unambitious Skid and her as a trumpet player and showgirl, respectively, at "Murphy's Cafe y Bar" by telling Murphy that they are married. She clashes with fellow showgirl Anita Alvarez (

Dorothy Lamour Dorothy Lamour (born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton; December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996) was an American actress and singer. She is best remembered for having appeared in the '' Road to...'' movies, a series of successful comedies starring Bing ...

), Skid's former girlfriend, but Anita soon leaves for a better job. Maggie and Skid eventually fall in love and marry. Maggie prods the reluctant Skid into going to New York City to play in a major nightclub, leaving her behind. She finds out afterward that Anita works there. He is a big success, teamed with songstress Anita. Fame and fortune go to his head. He neglects to send Maggie the fare to join him and does not answer her letters. Finally Maggie borrows the money from Murphy. Anita intercepts her telegram to Skid, telling him where to meet her boat. After waiting at the pier for a long time, Maggie calls Anita's hotel room on a hunch, and a drunk Skid answers (Anita invited him in for a nightcap after a night on the town together). Maggie divorces him. Ella finds out and tells her old boyfriend, wealthy rancher Harvey Howell. Mary plans to sail to France to obtain a divorce and marry Harvey. Skid is so devastated, he starts drinking and missing performances, costing him his job and his career. Finally, he tries to reenlist, but fails the physical exam. Then, he runs into Harry, who has been searching for him. Harry has gotten a band together for a live radio performance to audition for an important sponsor and (to help his old friend out) wants Skid to play with them. Skid's old agent Georgie tries to get Maggie, just returned from France, to pull Skid into shape. She rushes over and does her best. During the broadcast, Skid is terrible at first, but after Maggie tells him that she is sticking to him "til death do us part", he recaptures his old brilliance.

Cast

as Maggie King *

as Skid Johnson * Charles Butterworth as Harry * Jean Dixon as Ella *

as Anita Alvarez * Harvey Stephens as Harvey Howell * Cecil Cunningham as Murphy *

Charles Arnt Charles E. Arnt (August 20, 1906 – August 6, 1990) was an American film actor from 1933 to 1962. Arnt appeared as a character actor in more than 200 films. Arnt was born in Michigan City, Indiana, the son of a banker. He graduated from ...

as Georgie *

Franklin Pangborn Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' Interna ...

as Henri *

as The Don *

Charles Judels Charles Judels (August 17, 1882 - February 14, 1969) was a Dutch-born American actor. Early years Judels was born on August 17, 1882, in Amsterdam as a third generation in a family of actors. His grandfather owned several theatres throughout t ...

as Tony

Production credits (other)

Boris Morros Boris Morros (; January 1, 1891 - January 8, 1963) was an American Communist Party member, Soviet agent, and FBI double agent. He also worked at Paramount Pictures, where he produced films as well as supervising their music department. Life and ...

- musical direction * Al Siegel - vocal supervision *

Farciot Edouart Farciot Edouart, ASC (born Alexander Farciot Edouart; November 5, 1894 – March 17, 1980) was a motion picture special effects artist and innovator, a recognized specialist and innovator in the area of "process photography", also known as rear pro ...

- special photographic effects * Earl Haman - sound recording * Don Johnson - sound recording * Travis Banton - costume design * A. E. Freudeman - interior decorations *

Ernst Fegté Ernst Fegté (28 September 1900 – 15 December 1976) was a German art director. He was active in the American cinema from the 1920s to the 1970s, he was the art director or production designer on more than 75 feature films. He worked at Par ...

- art director

Reception

Frank Nugent, critic for ''The New York Times'', wrote "''Swing High, Swing Low'', like most Ferris wheels, doesn't go anywhere—at least, nowhere that you have not been. Its players really are worthy of better treatment."

Releases

In 1965, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication. ''Swing High, Swing Low'' was released on DVD (all regions) by Synergy Entertainment on May 15, 2007.

References

External links

* * * * * * {{Mitchell Leisen 1937 films 1930s romantic comedy-drama films American black-and-white films American musical comedy-drama films 1930s musical comedy-drama films American romantic musical films 1930s English-language films American films based on plays Films directed by Mitchell Leisen Films set in New York City Films set in Panama Paramount Pictures films 1930s Spanish-language films 1930s romantic musical films American romantic comedy-drama films 1937 comedy films 1930s American films