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:
Melody in Spring (1934) – Musical #772

Studio:
Paramount Pictures

Director:
Norman Z. McLeod

Starring:
Charlie Ruggles, Ann Sothern, Mary Boland, Lanny Ross, George Meeker, Herman Bing, June Gale, Joan Gale, Jane Gale, Helen Lynd, Thomas E. Jackson,

Plot:
Singing hopeful John Carddock (Ross) is hoping to meet with radio advertiser Warren Blodgett (Ruggles). However, John hurts his chances of a job singing for his radio program, after John and Warren have an unfortunate run in while Warren is trying to collect a souvenir bedpost. When the family, travels to Switzerland on holiday, John follows to try to wear Warren down, and also woo his daughter, Mary (Sothern).

Trivia:
• First feature film of Lanny Ross. Ross was only in four feature films.
• June, Joan and Jane Gale were three singing sisters. While Joan and June went on to appear in other films, this was Jane’s last and only feature film. June and Jane were twins, and Joan had a twin named Jean, who did not appear in this film.
• Based on the story “The Bells of Waldenbruck” by Frank Leon Smith published in 1933.

Highlights:
• The start of the film, showing a sleepy small town

Notable Songs:
• “Ending with a Kiss” performed by Lanny Ross
• “The Milking Song” performed by the chorus
• “Melody in Spring” performed by Lanny Ross
• “The Open Road” performed by Lanny Ross

My review:
When it comes to convoluted plots, this one may take the cake. The plot of MELODY IN SPRING (1934) may seem pretty straight forward, but I had to boil it down just to simplify.

The plot is filled with seemingly minor details that actually bog down the plot. A major part of the plot is that Lanny Ross’s character, John, lies that he has a hobby of carving his name on things. This includes climbing to the top of Mt. Ildenhorn and carving his name on top of a mountain. Charles Ruggles’s character, Warren, becomes obsessed with doing the same, and then also finding an authentic sheep bell.

Meanwhile, while the Blodgett family travels through Europe, John keeps popping up … singing. It all gets to be a bit much.

The film begins with a lovely setting of children playing outside in springtime, and then Lanny Ross singing along to a radio, and then it all goes downhill from there.

Aside from the zany, convoluted plot, is that the producers of this film were trying so hard to build up newcomer Lanny Ross that they do so at the expense of this film. This was Ross’s first feature film and he only made a total of four feature films. Ross has a beautiful voice, but is a stiff actor.

The thing is, the rest of the cast of Charlie Ruggles, Ann Sothern and Mary Boland are great! They are funny and their usual excellent selves. If only they had made Ross a smaller role with a few songs with the rest of the actors carrying the plot.

I feel like this plot is very specific to the 1930s where someone wants to sing (or dance or entertain) so badly that they follow someone around, popping up in the least expected places and singing.

When this movie ends, you will be ready to never hear Lanny Ross sing again – which isn’t hard since he didn’t do much after this film.

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