Essentially there were two great dancers in Hollywood; Fred Astaire and all the rest. Gene Kelley appeared in arguably more prestigious movis than the likes of Gene Nelson, Bob Fosse and Michael Kidd but Donald O'Connor was seriously underrated. It may be that he was lumbered with a studio (Universal) not especially known for musicals compared to say, MGM, Fox, or Paramount, and slow to spend a buck promoting him, whatever, he just didn't make it. On the other hand he illuminated almost everything he was in and arguably got his best exposure in the fifties via Singin' In The Rain, Call Me Madam, I Love Melvin and There's No Business Like Show Business. He has little trouble 'carrying' this entry even saddled with liability Buddy Hackett and Janet Leigh keeps her end up. All in all a half-decent lightweight entry.
8 Reviews
Remember Lori Nelson.
jromanbaker29 December 2020
This mediocre film has a good cast, and loving Janet Leigh's early films this is one I have looked for for years. It looks as if it was made in the early 1940's and not 1953, and Donald O'Connor, not in a top drawer film still shows how fine he was both as an actor and a dancer. But watch the film for co-starring Lori Nelson who was not Tab Hunter's ex as this site says. The women in his life were covers for his homosexuality which of course was well hidden then by obliging actors such as Lori Nelson. He has written all this down and can be checked. Sadly Lori Nelson died this year and she brightened up any film she was in, even with films like ' Revenge of the Creature ', and at her best with Jane Russell and Richard Egan in ' Underwater ! '. I hope she will be remembered even for light hearted run of the mill musicals like this. The story is thin and no spoilers, but it passes a pleasant hour and almost a half. I like it for what it is and Janet Leigh is Janet Leigh. What higher compliment can I give her in praise of her shining bright beauty and a keen intelligent eye for right timing. Again I repeat sadly this is a review for Lori Nelson and her passing last Summer.
Call the Keystone Cops! The Scatman steals the show!
mark.waltz25 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
A step up from the low-budget teen musicals of the 1940s, this colorful Donald O'Connor film has a rather ordinary plot, some questionable comedy oh, but as a song and dance revue is difficult to find fault with. World War II GI O'Connor is a band leader who finds he can only get a job performing in, and conducting the orchestra, for a New Orleans style minstrel show. O'Connor, coming off his Golden Globe winning performance in "Singin' in the Rain", is at the top of his game, showing what he could do in his fabulous pair of tap shoes. Unfortunately, he has a bland leading lady in the young Janet Leigh who while lovey, lacks the movie musical screen presence that would strike some time a few years later. She sang and danced in several films (often dubbed), and is charming but no Grable or Gaynor or Garland.
There really is very little plot, only a shell of a family conflict involving O'Connor's parents who wanted him to pursue a career in opera. This what causes momentary conflict for him and Leigh who storms out of a family party, but the plot really is never fully developed. Comedy relief under the guise of the sometimes intolerable Buddy Hackett is completely hit or miss. The musical highlight is the upbeat title song, and several O'Connor specialties show him to great advantage.
But the best musical performances are given to the forty-three-year-old Scatman Crothers (made to look much older), playing a veteran performer with both a sense of sadness (brilliantly underplayed) and zest, yet filled with heart. He turns a basically minor part into truly something memorable. There's also a delightfully funny performance by the unbilled actress playing the eccentric opera teacher. This may not be quite the caliber of what O'Connor did the same year at MGM in "I Love Melvin", or the following year in "There's No Business Like Show Business", but it has enough highlights to make it an enjoyable time filler, even if it is nearly completely forgotten.
There really is very little plot, only a shell of a family conflict involving O'Connor's parents who wanted him to pursue a career in opera. This what causes momentary conflict for him and Leigh who storms out of a family party, but the plot really is never fully developed. Comedy relief under the guise of the sometimes intolerable Buddy Hackett is completely hit or miss. The musical highlight is the upbeat title song, and several O'Connor specialties show him to great advantage.
But the best musical performances are given to the forty-three-year-old Scatman Crothers (made to look much older), playing a veteran performer with both a sense of sadness (brilliantly underplayed) and zest, yet filled with heart. He turns a basically minor part into truly something memorable. There's also a delightfully funny performance by the unbilled actress playing the eccentric opera teacher. This may not be quite the caliber of what O'Connor did the same year at MGM in "I Love Melvin", or the following year in "There's No Business Like Show Business", but it has enough highlights to make it an enjoyable time filler, even if it is nearly completely forgotten.
Janet is sexy but Buddy can't Hackett
F Gwynplaine MacIntyre13 August 2003
'Walking My Baby Back Home' is a pleasant low-budget musical, featuring a score largely cobbled together from other sources. The opening credits feature a choral rendition of the (familiar) title song, over a shot of a young couple's feet: the boy is walking the girl back home. This reminded me of a much better movie musical: 'The Barkleys of Broadway' opened with a shot of a man's and a woman's dancing feet ... then the camera quickly moved upwards to reveal that these dancers were Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, reunited on screen after 10 years apart. During the opening credits of 'Walking My Baby', I expected the camera to move upwards to reveal that these dancing feet belonged to Donald O'Connor and Janet Leigh, the personable young leads in this movie. When no such thing happened, I was forced to conclude that these people in the opening shot were dance doubles, filling in for the leads ... which gives us a taste of things to come.
This movie is pleasant but nothing much. (Except for the bizarre 'Top of the Town', Universal Studios' musicals were never impressive, and always low-budget.) O'Connor plays an eager young guy just out of the army with his buddies, and determined to succeed in showbiz as a bandleader. Janet Leigh plays his supportive girlfriend: attractive, a lithe and sexy dancer, but given little to work with here. She has one good number, in which she sings a new lyric written to the old Stephen Foster tune 'Camptown Ladies', but with two extra beats written into the jazzed-up melody line. I found this song annoying for two reasons: Universal's front office was obviously using a public-domain tune to save money ... and, having made this decision, they then tinkered with a beloved popular tune by bunging a few extra notes into it in the hope of making it more 'jazzy' for a 1950s audience.
The gross and vulgar Buddy Hackett plays O'Connor's army buddy, although Hackett is much too fat to be plausible as a guy who just got out of the service. Shortly before this movie was made, Hackett had attracted a lot of attention with a nightclub routine in which he impersonated a Chinese waiter. That routine is excruciatingly enacted here, in an early scene when O'Connor and his army buddies decide to get some lunch in a Chinese takeaway, but find the place deserted. 'We need a Chinese waiter,' says Hackett. 'Why don't YOU be a Chinese waiter?' O'Connor replies. This is Hackett's cue to tie a string across his eyelids (ostensibly making him look 'Chinese') while he babbles pidgin English in a singsong voice. I found this routine offensive and laboured, and it doesn't build to a punchline. Buddy Hackett's shtick here is the most offensive impersonation of an Oriental I've ever seen BUT ONE ... the all-time worst is Robert Ryan's ying-tong routine in 'Clash by Night'.
I'll rate 'Walking My Baby' 4 out of 10, mostly for Janet Leigh's gorgeous looks and lithe moves. Trivia note: more than 20 years after this movie was made, Janet Leigh (still with a great figure!) guest-starred in an episode of 'Columbo' as an old-time movie star who commits a murder. A couple of sequences from 'Walking My Baby Back Home' were inserted into the 'Columbo' episode to represent film clips from the career of the fictional movie star Leigh was playing. That 'Columbo' episode is a lot more entertaining than this weak movie. It's astonishing to realise that 'Walking My Baby Back Home' was directed (very limply) by Lloyd Bacon, who previously directed one of the greatest movie musicals of all time: '42nd Street'.
This movie is pleasant but nothing much. (Except for the bizarre 'Top of the Town', Universal Studios' musicals were never impressive, and always low-budget.) O'Connor plays an eager young guy just out of the army with his buddies, and determined to succeed in showbiz as a bandleader. Janet Leigh plays his supportive girlfriend: attractive, a lithe and sexy dancer, but given little to work with here. She has one good number, in which she sings a new lyric written to the old Stephen Foster tune 'Camptown Ladies', but with two extra beats written into the jazzed-up melody line. I found this song annoying for two reasons: Universal's front office was obviously using a public-domain tune to save money ... and, having made this decision, they then tinkered with a beloved popular tune by bunging a few extra notes into it in the hope of making it more 'jazzy' for a 1950s audience.
The gross and vulgar Buddy Hackett plays O'Connor's army buddy, although Hackett is much too fat to be plausible as a guy who just got out of the service. Shortly before this movie was made, Hackett had attracted a lot of attention with a nightclub routine in which he impersonated a Chinese waiter. That routine is excruciatingly enacted here, in an early scene when O'Connor and his army buddies decide to get some lunch in a Chinese takeaway, but find the place deserted. 'We need a Chinese waiter,' says Hackett. 'Why don't YOU be a Chinese waiter?' O'Connor replies. This is Hackett's cue to tie a string across his eyelids (ostensibly making him look 'Chinese') while he babbles pidgin English in a singsong voice. I found this routine offensive and laboured, and it doesn't build to a punchline. Buddy Hackett's shtick here is the most offensive impersonation of an Oriental I've ever seen BUT ONE ... the all-time worst is Robert Ryan's ying-tong routine in 'Clash by Night'.
I'll rate 'Walking My Baby' 4 out of 10, mostly for Janet Leigh's gorgeous looks and lithe moves. Trivia note: more than 20 years after this movie was made, Janet Leigh (still with a great figure!) guest-starred in an episode of 'Columbo' as an old-time movie star who commits a murder. A couple of sequences from 'Walking My Baby Back Home' were inserted into the 'Columbo' episode to represent film clips from the career of the fictional movie star Leigh was playing. That 'Columbo' episode is a lot more entertaining than this weak movie. It's astonishing to realise that 'Walking My Baby Back Home' was directed (very limply) by Lloyd Bacon, who previously directed one of the greatest movie musicals of all time: '42nd Street'.
At Last : )
Dphilly52127 August 2006
November of 1985 was the first occasion on which I had the pleasure of seeing "Columbo: Forgotten Lady," the episode during which scenes from "Walking My Baby Back Home" are very prominently shown and add to the charm of the story. As unbelievable as this may sound, I very recently had to opportunity to see the movie "Walking My Baby Back Home" in its entirety--after more than 20 years of curiosity. The movie did not disappoint.
Janet Leigh and Donald O'Connor steal the show, with Buddy Hackett an excellent supporting sidekick. Although I must admit that the movie would mean very little to me if I were not such a "Columbo" fan, it is undeniable that "Walking My Baby Back Home" is a treat. I have watched it at least five times already since recently acquiring a copy from an e-bay seller and find it to be very entertaining and relaxing.
The movie has excellent musical numbers. The only negative is that the plot seems to be nothing much more than an excuse to lead into singing and dancing, which is fine with me. I wish they would make a lot more movies with the same quality, consideration, and dedication as obviously put forth in "Walking My Baby Back Home."
Janet Leigh and Donald O'Connor steal the show, with Buddy Hackett an excellent supporting sidekick. Although I must admit that the movie would mean very little to me if I were not such a "Columbo" fan, it is undeniable that "Walking My Baby Back Home" is a treat. I have watched it at least five times already since recently acquiring a copy from an e-bay seller and find it to be very entertaining and relaxing.
The movie has excellent musical numbers. The only negative is that the plot seems to be nothing much more than an excuse to lead into singing and dancing, which is fine with me. I wish they would make a lot more movies with the same quality, consideration, and dedication as obviously put forth in "Walking My Baby Back Home."
Who could resist walking Janet back home?
gpachovsky18 November 2007
Universal International's "Walking My Baby Back Home" may suffer when compared with the elaborate production values of the great MGM musicals but it is, nonetheless, a very likable piece of entertainment. It does not take itself too seriously and does not try to be anything more than what it is: a fun little movie. Its charm derives mainly from the sunny personalities of its two talented leads.
Donald O'Connor was one of the most versatile young performers in Hollywood during the early '50s. He could sing (passably enough for a musical), he could dance (no qualifiers needed here), he could do comedy (Who else could make pictures with a talking mule without looking ridiculous?) and he could do drama as he proved later in his career. Why he wasn't a bigger star is a mystery. Perhaps it was because he was too good-natured and looked to boyish to be taken seriously. But his role here, as the enthusiastic young bandleader who is looking for that "right" sound and eventually stumbles onto Dixieland-Jazz, suits his persona to a tee.
He is helped in no small part by the very pretty, and equally enthusiastic, Janet Leigh. Leigh, who must surely have had one of the most disarming smiles in cinema history, had begun her career with MGM and, although she had been taught to sing and dance at the studio, she could not make a dent in Arthur Freed's high-powered talent pool. "Walking My Baby Back Home" gave her the rare opportunity to star in a musical and she acquits herself nicely (she would make a bigger impression two years later in Columbia's "My Sister Eileen"). Her "Camptown Races" number, in which she is dressed only in top hat, bow tie, one piece swimsuit, white gloves, and high heels is a treat for the eyes, especially for Janet Leigh fans.
The comedy, provided mostly by O'Connor and Buddy Hackett, is breezy and only adds to the fun. O'Connor's second opera-singing lesson with Madame Grinaldo is a little forced but right in keeping with the lighthearted nature of the film. And the laryngitis scenes, in which O'Connor's facial expressions run the gamut from euphoria to despair, are hilarious. As for Hackett, he is fine as O'Connor's ex-army pal and wannabe musician. I do not find his Chinese waiter routine offensive, merely too long (He is definitely not helped by the man who plays the drunk!).
Again, the musical routines are not in MGM's league, but they are pleasant enough. The film's highlight is the dance number in which O'Connor and Leigh gambol, to the title tune, through a toy-like playground which is set against a backdrop that looks like a child's drawing. It is a nostalgic reminder of the sweetness and innocence of young love.
I once had the delightful experience of meeting Janet Leigh. In the course of our conversation, I mentioned that "Walking My Baby Back Home" was one of my favorite musicals, to which she enthused: "Oh, I loved that movie!"
You couldn't ask for a better endorsement than that.
Donald O'Connor was one of the most versatile young performers in Hollywood during the early '50s. He could sing (passably enough for a musical), he could dance (no qualifiers needed here), he could do comedy (Who else could make pictures with a talking mule without looking ridiculous?) and he could do drama as he proved later in his career. Why he wasn't a bigger star is a mystery. Perhaps it was because he was too good-natured and looked to boyish to be taken seriously. But his role here, as the enthusiastic young bandleader who is looking for that "right" sound and eventually stumbles onto Dixieland-Jazz, suits his persona to a tee.
He is helped in no small part by the very pretty, and equally enthusiastic, Janet Leigh. Leigh, who must surely have had one of the most disarming smiles in cinema history, had begun her career with MGM and, although she had been taught to sing and dance at the studio, she could not make a dent in Arthur Freed's high-powered talent pool. "Walking My Baby Back Home" gave her the rare opportunity to star in a musical and she acquits herself nicely (she would make a bigger impression two years later in Columbia's "My Sister Eileen"). Her "Camptown Races" number, in which she is dressed only in top hat, bow tie, one piece swimsuit, white gloves, and high heels is a treat for the eyes, especially for Janet Leigh fans.
The comedy, provided mostly by O'Connor and Buddy Hackett, is breezy and only adds to the fun. O'Connor's second opera-singing lesson with Madame Grinaldo is a little forced but right in keeping with the lighthearted nature of the film. And the laryngitis scenes, in which O'Connor's facial expressions run the gamut from euphoria to despair, are hilarious. As for Hackett, he is fine as O'Connor's ex-army pal and wannabe musician. I do not find his Chinese waiter routine offensive, merely too long (He is definitely not helped by the man who plays the drunk!).
Again, the musical routines are not in MGM's league, but they are pleasant enough. The film's highlight is the dance number in which O'Connor and Leigh gambol, to the title tune, through a toy-like playground which is set against a backdrop that looks like a child's drawing. It is a nostalgic reminder of the sweetness and innocence of young love.
I once had the delightful experience of meeting Janet Leigh. In the course of our conversation, I mentioned that "Walking My Baby Back Home" was one of my favorite musicals, to which she enthused: "Oh, I loved that movie!"
You couldn't ask for a better endorsement than that.
Lively Don O'Connor-Janet Leigh musical comedy. Watch for Madame Grinaldo.
weezeralfalfa14 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Although his most famous role was in "Singing in the Rain", released the previous year, I think of '53 as the peak year in Don O'Connor's musical comedy film career, as he was the male star in 3 very good musicals, without being overshadowed by Gene Kelly. Strangely, these 3 films were produced by 3 studios: MGM with "I Love Melvin", Fox with "Call Me Madam", and his notoriously cheap home studio , Universal, with the present film, which may well be the best musical Universal produced in the '50s, if ever. His costars in these films included Debbie Reynolds, Ethel Merman, Vera-Ellen, and here Janet Leigh, along with film novice, Buddy Hackett. The latter was supposed to provide some laughs to D.O.'s mostly straight man, but is completely upstaged by the hilarious 'hands on' slapstick of 'Madame Grinaldo', in her brief appearance, where she is trying to get D.O. ready as a credible opera singer on very short notice. Incredibly, the actress playing this imposing matronly buffoon is not listed in the credits at this site nor in the film! Another scene you will likely remember is when D.O and Janet are arguing while their respective taxis are speeding(not really) side by side. D.O. eventually somehow transfers to Janet's taxi!
There are lots of songs and dances dispersed throughout the film, most in a jazzy or swing style. The film begins with Janet(as Chris Hall) singing and dancing to the Mill's Brothers standard:"Glowworm", sometimes accompanied in song or dance by 4 men, presumably the Sportsmen Quartet. The military-staffed band is headed by clarinetist Clarence 'Jigger' Millard(Don O'Connor). Then, things switch to a Chinese theme, with 'Blimp'(Buddy Hackett)impersonating a Chinese waiter. His pidgin gibberish was not amusing to me. Jigger follows with a song and furniture dance to a somewhat Chinese-themed "High Lee, High Low, I Love You So"
Jigger and Blimp are discharged from military service and go to Jigger's home in NYC. He is informed that he will inherit $100,000. from his recently deceased grandfather, if he has a successful opera performance within the next 6 months.(yes, pretty contrived!) But Jiggers has no interest in opera, so he organizes a jazz band. Alas, it can't attract patrons. He and Blimp go to a neighboring club where, serendipitously, Chris(Janet) is doing a song and dance in tights and top hat to a modified "De Camptown Races". They talk to Chris and the manager, southerner Col. Wallace(George Cleveland, of the TV "Lassie" series). Next thing we know, a minstrel song and dance is on stage with 2 blackface performers(presumably Don and Janet)singing "I Wanna Go Down South"(I think), wearing fancy plantation butler attire. Nothing real special, but this is the 4th and most recent instance I have seen D.O. in blackface in his films. This is extraordinary late for blackface in a non-period-themed film. It was not offensive to me.
Unfortunately, Col. Wallace's show folds, thus the gang are looking for work. Jigger walks Chris home in the dark. They sing and dance to the title song standard, in part, in a combo carousel and playground setting. This is one of the performance highlights. Later, they go to Smiley Gordon's(African American, Scatman Crothers) Dixieland Club, where Smiley sings "Honeysuckle Rose", with piano, in 'Fats' Waller-style. Jigger says he has a new idea for a future band: 'symphonic Dixieland'. Later, in the afterhours at the record shop where Chris now works, Jigger and Chris sing and dance to "Hop on the Band Wagon". His old band comes in the door, with The Modernaires. Jigger and Chris plus The Modernaires take turns singing "South Rampart Street Parade".
Jigger's 6 months are almost up, and he has to do an opera or lose his inheritance. His family says they need him to loan them the money to avoid bankruptsy. He doesn't want to do it, and must ignore his angry band to learn opera. But, after a solo dance alone in a room, he goes to Madame Grinaldo to learn opera, and gets punched about by her 'hands on' style. At his performance, he suddenly loses his voice. His band plus Chris unexpectedly show up, and they play the record he practiced from while he lip syncs on stage. This works for a while, but then problems with the record(a similar scene is in "Singing in the Rain"). He regains his voice and asks that his band be allowed to back another number. They do "Muskrat Ramble", while Jigger and Chris do some sophisticated dancing to this and another familiar tune. Presumably, this is Jigger's idea of 'symphonic Dixieland'. It ends as the duo again walk home to the title song.
Sound like fun? I certainly think so. Just Buddy Hackett was more of an irritant than a plus. D.O. didn't really need a shadowing buddy. Janet, as a non-musical specialist, was quite adequate for what she was asked to do. Incidentally, 'jigger' is slang for a Jew who likes AA culture, which could relate to his preference for jazz, Dixieland and blackface routines, although there is no indication that the Millard family was Jewish. Yes, there are many contrived coincidences in the story, but that's typical Universal.
Now viewable at You Tube.
There are lots of songs and dances dispersed throughout the film, most in a jazzy or swing style. The film begins with Janet(as Chris Hall) singing and dancing to the Mill's Brothers standard:"Glowworm", sometimes accompanied in song or dance by 4 men, presumably the Sportsmen Quartet. The military-staffed band is headed by clarinetist Clarence 'Jigger' Millard(Don O'Connor). Then, things switch to a Chinese theme, with 'Blimp'(Buddy Hackett)impersonating a Chinese waiter. His pidgin gibberish was not amusing to me. Jigger follows with a song and furniture dance to a somewhat Chinese-themed "High Lee, High Low, I Love You So"
Jigger and Blimp are discharged from military service and go to Jigger's home in NYC. He is informed that he will inherit $100,000. from his recently deceased grandfather, if he has a successful opera performance within the next 6 months.(yes, pretty contrived!) But Jiggers has no interest in opera, so he organizes a jazz band. Alas, it can't attract patrons. He and Blimp go to a neighboring club where, serendipitously, Chris(Janet) is doing a song and dance in tights and top hat to a modified "De Camptown Races". They talk to Chris and the manager, southerner Col. Wallace(George Cleveland, of the TV "Lassie" series). Next thing we know, a minstrel song and dance is on stage with 2 blackface performers(presumably Don and Janet)singing "I Wanna Go Down South"(I think), wearing fancy plantation butler attire. Nothing real special, but this is the 4th and most recent instance I have seen D.O. in blackface in his films. This is extraordinary late for blackface in a non-period-themed film. It was not offensive to me.
Unfortunately, Col. Wallace's show folds, thus the gang are looking for work. Jigger walks Chris home in the dark. They sing and dance to the title song standard, in part, in a combo carousel and playground setting. This is one of the performance highlights. Later, they go to Smiley Gordon's(African American, Scatman Crothers) Dixieland Club, where Smiley sings "Honeysuckle Rose", with piano, in 'Fats' Waller-style. Jigger says he has a new idea for a future band: 'symphonic Dixieland'. Later, in the afterhours at the record shop where Chris now works, Jigger and Chris sing and dance to "Hop on the Band Wagon". His old band comes in the door, with The Modernaires. Jigger and Chris plus The Modernaires take turns singing "South Rampart Street Parade".
Jigger's 6 months are almost up, and he has to do an opera or lose his inheritance. His family says they need him to loan them the money to avoid bankruptsy. He doesn't want to do it, and must ignore his angry band to learn opera. But, after a solo dance alone in a room, he goes to Madame Grinaldo to learn opera, and gets punched about by her 'hands on' style. At his performance, he suddenly loses his voice. His band plus Chris unexpectedly show up, and they play the record he practiced from while he lip syncs on stage. This works for a while, but then problems with the record(a similar scene is in "Singing in the Rain"). He regains his voice and asks that his band be allowed to back another number. They do "Muskrat Ramble", while Jigger and Chris do some sophisticated dancing to this and another familiar tune. Presumably, this is Jigger's idea of 'symphonic Dixieland'. It ends as the duo again walk home to the title song.
Sound like fun? I certainly think so. Just Buddy Hackett was more of an irritant than a plus. D.O. didn't really need a shadowing buddy. Janet, as a non-musical specialist, was quite adequate for what she was asked to do. Incidentally, 'jigger' is slang for a Jew who likes AA culture, which could relate to his preference for jazz, Dixieland and blackface routines, although there is no indication that the Millard family was Jewish. Yes, there are many contrived coincidences in the story, but that's typical Universal.
Now viewable at You Tube.
Great Movie-Looking for copy
lakevixen9282 August 2009
Can someone please help me find a copy of this movie. I have an 8x10 glossy of Donald O'Conner singing in front of the band in the movie. My father was one of the band members and would love to find a copy of the movie as a remembrance and to add to my collection of movies he was in. Would love any help I can get. All in all, the movie was great I thought. You need to remember when the movie was made and most musicals of the day were a little plot challenged, but the music and clothes were what were the most fun and the sheer entertainment value of the times. The '50's were a lighthearted, fun era and the movies of the time reiterated that.
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