Song of the Open Road

Plot

The movie follows Tess, a teenage girl who dreams of becoming a singer but is overshadowed by her famous country-music star mother, Erica. Wanting a normal life and the chance to prove herself, Tess secretly joins her mother on a summer concert tour—disguised as a backup singer.

Cast

• Jane Powell as Jane Powell
• Bonita Granville as Bonnie
• Peggy O'Neill as Peggy
• Jackie Moran as Jack Moran
• Bill Christy as Bill
• Reginald Denny as Director Curtis
• Regis Toomey as Connors
• Rose Hobart as Mrs. Powell
• Sig Arno as Spolo
• Edgar Bergen as Edgar
• Charlie McCarthy as Charlie
• W. C. Fields as himself
• Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra as Themselves
• Frank, Harry and Steve Condos as Condos Brothers
• The Lipham Four as The Lipham Four
• Irene Tedrow as Miss Casper
• Pat Starling as Pat
• Hollywood Canteen Kids as Themselves
• Catron & Popp as Themselves

Production

Director S. Sylvan Simon had difficulty filming scenes with W. C. Fields because of Fields' alcoholism.

Although Fields often made fun of singers and singing in general, he had a fondness for the promising young singer Jane Powell and even referred to her (as "little Janie Powell") on one of his CBS radio broadcasts (preserved on transcription discs). Powell sang several songs in the film and made such an impression that MGM signed her to a contract to make a number of musical comedies for them, through the mid-1950s.

Location shooting was done in Palm Springs, California and at the Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles.

This was W. C. Fields's next-to-last film; his last (Sensations of 1945) would be released only 9 days after this film was issued. In the film, Fields—who began his career as an accomplished juggler—plays himself and juggles some oranges for a few moments. He remarks "This used to be my racket". Then, missing a catch, he drops the oranges and walks away muttering "used to be my racket, but it isn't anymore!"

The film also has a brief continuation of the long-running feud between Fields and woodenhead dummy Charlie McCarthy with a new twist: "Charlie McCarthy Jr." is a miniature version of the dummy that sits on the larger dummy's knee with Charlie as his ventriloquist. The sight of this has Fields throwing away his bottle and vowing to give up drinking.

The film's copyright was renewed in 1971.

Award nominations

References

References

1. ''Reel Memories: Jane Powell'', [[Turner Classic Movies]], 1995. Included on the DVD ''Classic Musicals Double Feature: Nancy Goes to Rio/Two Weeks with Love'' (Warner Home Video, 2008)
2. {{AFI film. 24174. Song of the Open Road