It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
Hollywood Barn Dance (1947) – Musical #740

Studio:
Screen Guild Productions

Director:
Bernard B. Ray

Starring:
Ernest Tubb as himself, Lori Talbot, Helen Boyce, Earle Hodgins, Frank McGlynn Sr., Phil Arnold, Larry Reed, Anne Kunde, Betty Mudge,
Performers: The Texas Troubadours, Red Herron, Jack Guthrie, Dotti Hackett, Dorothy and Lewis Swan, Leon and Jimmie Short

Plot:
Ernest (Tubb as himself) has dreams of performing music with his band, but meets opposition from his Pa (McGlynn), who thinks it’s a waste of time. When Ernest and his musician friends, The Texas Troubadours, accidentally burn down the local church, they set out on the road to perform and earn money to rebuild the church. The band gets hooked up with a manager, Francis Cartwright (Hodgins), who mismanages their money.

Trivia:
• The film title is based on a CBS radio program of the same name, which aired from 1943 to 1947.
• This is one of five films that Ernest Tubb appeared in either as an actor or himself. This was his last film appearance until his final film appearance in “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1980). While Tubb plays himself, this isn’t a biographical film. This was Tubb’s only leading role, according to his biographer.
• Lori Talbot’s first film. She acted in a total of three films.
• Written and directed by Bernard B. Ray
• Working title was “Western Barn Dance.”
• Jack Guthrie’s only film appearance.
• To promote the film, Ernest Tubb made personal appearances at movie theaters, according to his biographer.

Highlights:
• The butter close up
• The roping performer

Notable Songs:
• “Walking The Floor Over You” performed by Ernest Tubb
• “You Hit the Nail Right On the Head” performed by Ernest Tubb
• “Oakie Boogie” performed by Jack Guthrie
• “I’m Riding That Long, Long Trail” performed by Lewis and Dorothy Swan
• “Let’s Pretend” performed by Dorothy Swan
• “Topsy Turvey” performed by Helen Talbot
• “There’s a Little Bit of Everything in Texas” performed by Ernest Tubb

My review:
Not every film can be qualified as essential viewing or an award-winning picture. But sometimes a lesser known, low budget film can offer something else interesting. For me, “Hollywood Barn Dance” introduced me to country singer and songwriter Ernest Tubb.

This film was Tubb’s only starring role in a film, though he made other film appearances. His acting is passable, but when he sings it’s excellent (similar to Roy Orbison in “The Fastest Guitar Alive”).

Tubb plays himself in the film and the film begins when his character is a teen, but this movie isn’t autobiographical. The film stars with young Ernest wanting to play music and meeting opposition from his dad, who thinks he should pursue a more practical career like farming. Time passes (transitioning Ernest into an adult) and he’s still playing music with his pals. While practicing in the community church, the musicians accidentally burn down the church while lighting a kerosene lamp. To help rebuild the church, Ernest and his friends (the Texas Troubadours) set out to perform and earn the money to help. Ernest gets in hot water with the fire with his dad, who honestly just acts like a jerk in the movie.

The film is chockful of 13 songs, including Tubb’s famous theme song, “I’m Walking the Floor Over You.” All of the songs were great, the only one I didn’t enjoy was “Listen to the Mockingbird” which included a high pitched violin representing the bird.

Other performers who appear include Jack Guthrie (cousin of Woody Guthrie. Jack also died in 1947), Dorothy and Lewis Swan, and Leon and Jimmie Short.

I didn’t care for the character played by Helen Boyce, Esmerelda, who sang comedic country songs with wild eyes. But I do think it’s interesting that this wasn’t typically her performing shtick. Boyce’s acting career was varied, including performing as a dowager in “Above Suspicion” (1943) or a German woman in “Arch of Triumph.”

Overall, this 72 minute movie was an interesting study of country music performers I was unfamiliar with and the introduction was welcome.

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