Singin' and Dancing Back in Time.: She is Working Her Way Through College (1952).

Monday, March 28, 2011

She is Working Her Way Through College (1952).

She is Working Her Way Through College (1952). Cast: Virginia Mayo, Ronald Reagan,Gene Nelson, Don DeFore, Phyllis Thaxter and Patrice Wymore .

The story begins when, Professor John Palmer goes to New York, to observe a burlesque show to prepare for the theater arts class he teaches at a Midwest College. He happens to see one of his former high school students, Angela Gardner, performing as, "Hot Garters Gertie." Angela invites him to her dressing room and tells him she has been saving money to attend college, because she wants a writing career. John has always encouraged her, so she decides to attend Midwest College, where he teaches. After John leaves, a mink coat is delivered anonymously to Angela with an invitation to meet later at a hotel room. Thinking it came from John, she takes a taxi to the hotel room to return the mink, only to find there an older man looking for a good time.

Later, at Midwest College, Angela makes friends with Don Weston, the school's quarterback, which makes "Poison" Ivy Williams, the leading lady of past college productions, jealous.

John and his wife Helen rent a room to Angela, who comes up with ideas to help the poorly attended dramatic arts department put on a wonderful musical show... but, some one's discovered her secret past. Will the show be cancelled and will Angela be expelled?

This film caught my attention because of the actress Virginia Mayo, who gives a wonderful performance as Angela. Gene Nelson, is an excellent dancer and Patrice Wymore, gives a perfect performance as"Poison Ivy". The musical numbers are a lot of fun, especially "With Plenty of Money and You", "I'll Still Be Loving You".

Soundtracks:
•"With Plenty of Money and You"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Performed and Danced by Virginia Mayo (dubbed by Bonnie Lou Williams) and chorus

•"All Hail to Midwest State"
(uncredited)
Music by Vernon Duke
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed by chorus

•"We're Working Our Way Through College"
(uncredited)
Music by Richard A. Whiting
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Performed by chorus, Virginia Mayo (dubbed by Bonnie Lou Williams), Gene Nelson

•"I'll Be Loving You"
Music by Vernon Duke
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed and Danced by Virginia Mayo, Gene Nelson
Mayo's voice dubbed by Bonnie Lou Williams

•"Midwest Fight Song"
(uncredited)
Music by Vernon Duke
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed by chorus

•"The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of"
Music by Vernon Duke
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed and Danced by Virginia Mayo (dubbed by Bonnie Lou Williams), Gene Nelson (dubbed by Hal Derwin)

•"As Time Goes By"
(uncredited)
Written by Herman Hupfeld
Sung on record by Bonnie Lou Williams
Sung in part by Phyllis Thaxter

•"Love Is Still for Free"
Music by Vernon Duke
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed by Patrice Wymore, Blackburn Twins, and chorus
Reprised as "Love is Not for Free" by Virginia Mayo (dubbed by Bonnie Lou Williams) and chorus

•"Am I in Love?"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Sung and Danced by Gene Nelson

•"(You've Got to) Give 'em What They Want"
(uncredited)
Music by Vernon Duke
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Performed by chorus and Patrice Wymore

•"Baby Face"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Akst
Lyrics by Benny Davis
Sung off-screen by the chorus when Prof. Palmer visits backstage with Angela

•"Gee, But Your Swell"
(uncredited)
Music by Abel Baer
Lyrics by Charles Tobias
Sung off-screen by the chorus when Prof. Palmer gets up to leave Angela's dressing room

•"For You"
(uncredited)
Music by Joseph Burke
Played when Angela is showered with gifts after her last performance

Virginia Mayo (November 30, 1920 – January 17, 2005). Tutored by dancing instructors, she performed in the St. Louis Municipal Opera chorus and then performed with six other girls at an act at the Jefferson Hotel. There she was recruited by vaudeville performer Andy Mayo, to perform in his act (as ringmaster for two men in a horse suit), taking his surname as her stage name.

Mayo continued her career as a dancer, then signed a contract with Samuel Goldwyn and performed in several of Goldwyn's movies. With Danny Kaye she performed in comedies: Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947). In her Hollywood heyday, it was said that she "looked like a pinup painting come to life," and she played just such a role in film, The Girl from Jones Beach (1949).

In 1949's White Heat she took on the role of the treacherous "Verna Jarrett", opposite James Cagney. She was also cast against type as a gold digger in the film,The Best Years of Our Lives. Her film career continued through the 1950s and 1960s, frequently in B-movie westerns and adventure films. While she also performed in musicals, Mayo's singing voice was always dubbed.

Virginia and her husband, actor Michael O'Shea, co-starred in the films: as Tunnel of Love, Fiorello, and George Washington Slept Here. She has also starred in the film, Cactus Flower, How the Other Half Loves, and Good News.

1 comment:

Jazz danceMarch 29, 2011 at 3:40 AM
"I'll be loving you" is delightful.
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