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 800. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.
This week’s musical:
Up in the Air (1940) – Musical #858
Studio:
Monogram Pictures
Director:
Howard Bretherton
Starring:
Frankie Darro, Marjorie Reynolds, Mantan Moreland, Gordon Jones, Lorna Gray, Tristram Coffin, Clyde Dilson, Dick Elliott, John Holland, Carleton Young, Alex Callam, Maxine Leslie, Ralph Peters
Plot:
When a primadona radio singer, Rita Wilson (Gray), is killed during a rehearsal, police try to figure out who shot her in the locked studio. Radio employees Frankie (Darro) and Jeff (Moreland) the police find the murderer, while also trying to boost new singer, Anne (Reynolds).
Trivia:
• Remade as “There Goes Kelly” (1945)
• Working title was “Sky’s the Limit”
• Mantan Moreland wrote the comedic radio audition sketch that he performs with Frankie Darro, according to the American Film Institute.
Notable Songs:
• “By the Looks of Things” performed by Marjorie Reynolds
• “Doin’ the Conga” performed by Lorna Gray
• “Oh Bury Me Now on the Lone Prairie” performed by Gordon Jones
• “Somehow or Other” performed by Marjorie Reynolds
My review:
A musical whodunit film can be harder to come by, but they are always great fun. This low budget Monogram Picture is no exception.
I also love a movie set in a radio station and UP IN THE AIR (1940) fits the bill.
It’s a simple and brief, 61 minute movie. In the film, prima dona radio singer, Rita Wilson (Gray), is killed during a rehearsal, and police try to figure out who shot her in the locked studio. Radio employees Frankie (Darro) and Jeff (Moreland) help the police find the murderer, while also trying to boost new singer, Anne (Reynolds).
The plot isn’t very new – a regular person does most of the footwork to solve a mystery while the detectives bumble along and suspect the wrong people. Even still, the film is a good time.
While actress Marjorie Reynolds is often cast in musicals, she usually didn’t perform her singing (including in HOLIDAY INN). I’m certain she is dubbed here, but could not figure who dubbed her.
Gordon Jones is always a highlight, but his role is much too brief.
As they do in several films, Frankie Darro and Mantan Moreland play well off each other. However, I should warn you that there is a black face scene where Darro and Moreland are auditioning to be in the radio program.
What’s interesting about this is that Moreland wrote the sketch the duo performs. I also liked when Moreland says, “You don’t expect me to speak in a dialect, do you?”
While the black face scene is a downside of the film, the rest of the film is a good time. The film does have an interesting twist, but it could have been even more intriguing if it had taken another turn.
If you enjoy whodunit musicals or films set in radio, UP IN THE AIR (1940) is thankfully easy to find. You can currently (as of Sept. 2026) find this one on Tubi.
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