Bing Crosby At His Best

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 24, 25 November 1938, Page 16

Bing Crosby At His Best

[Sing, You Sinners.’ Paramount. Directed by Wesley Ruggles. Starting. Bing. Crosby, Fred MacMurray. First release: Wellington, November 25.] . : HE other day I had a visit from a Dunedin reader,’ a Bing Crosby fan of the deepest dye, who took me sternly to task for having said that ‘‘Double or Nothing"’ and "Dr, Rhythm’? represented Bing at his best. His complaint was that Bing didn’t do nearly enough: straight crooning in those pictures. : I’m afraid that fan and 1 will never agree-but his real grievance is with Crosby himself, who is steadily pursuing a policy of becoming more of an actor and less of a crooner. The success of that policy is strikingly demonstrated

in "Sing, You Sinners," whichdisregarding at least one protest from down south-I claim to be the nicest piece of entertainment Bing has ever made. As it happens, | made a rather interesting experiment with "Sing, You Sinners." I took with me to the preview, under protest, a person who ordinarily holds the opinion that all crooners, and Bing in particular, are one of the jowest forms of animal life. Yet that person thoroughly enjoyed the show.

No Girl For Bing

AND why not? It is a most ingratiating piece of entertainment, with Bing very neatly handling a real character role as the bad boy of an American family, who can never resist the temptation to "swap" everything in sight

. "Young and eager.’’ and furiously gamble the proceeds away. For a change, Bing has no heroine to interest him in this story. That is left to his stalwart big brother, an honest, hard-work-ing fellow (Fred MacMurray), who intends to marry Ellen Drew just as soon as the ne’er-do-well will find a steady job and cease being a drain on the family finances. Finally, Bing makes good by buying a racehorse, training it him- | self, and winning a big race. (The ‘horse, by the way, is one of Crosby’s own; the race-track on which he performs in a first-class finish is Crosby’s own pvrovertv at Del Mar.)

Family Feeling

‘THE musical side of "Sing, You Sinners" is logically introduced by a twist in the story, which makes Mother. Beebe (Elizabeth Patterson) determined that, having spent her money giving the boys a musieal education, they shall sing for their supper. Bing warbles willingly, but Brother Fred resents having to.-make ends meet as a public entertainer. Though still a trifle noisy on occasions, MaeMurray is quieter and much more likable than usual. His romantic relationship with Elien Drew is very pleasantly handled. She is a charming newcomer, young and eager. There’s also a very clever small boy, Donald. O’Connor,. who is the third of the Beebe brothers, and who figures- prominently in the comical and musical interludes. Three scenes -stand out-the | thrilling finish of the race, the comical sequence in’ which Bing "swaps" race tickets -with Tom Dugan and wins. every time, ‘and the rip-roaring fight in the finale. You may remember "Sing, You Sinners" for these moments or for 4 its music; but. f think’ you. are | probably most likely to remember it for the real feeling of family: life that permeates. so much-of the footage.