Bing Crosby: Screen Legend Collection (1937)

Crosby Screen Legend Collection

These are enjoyable movies. Betty Hutton plays identical twins in "Here Come The Waves". Impressive special effects for the (pre-digital) times. Child star Gloria Jean plays opposite Crosby in "If I Had My Way". They duet several catchy songs. She has a great voice, not overshadowed by Crosby as you might expect. July 13, 2008

bing crosby collection

This is a great collection of Bing Crosby films.the prints are so clear,very good value.I am looking forward to seeing more of the bing crosby films on DVD.I would love to see Dixie become available and Sing You Sinners also.Sing You Sinners first indroduced Donald Oconnor to the movies.
Ken Barrett.Mooroolbark Victoria Australia January 19, 2008

A Mixed Bag

Bing Crosby has starred in some of my favorite, and least favorite, movies. Appearing in over 100 motion pictures, he was one of the most popular performers of his time. This collection showcases five of his lesser known efforts. While none of them are as excellent as his classics "White Christmas" and "Going My Way", most of them can be enjoyed for what they are - lively low budget musicals. The best in the set are both included on the second disc. Also featuring child star Gloria Jean, "If I Had My Way" has godfather Crosby attempting to provide for the orphaned girl of his best friend. My personal favorite of the set, "East Side of Heaven" is a hilarious comedy about two bachelors who get stuck with a baby when the mother skips town during a custody battle for the child. I found that the others, while pleasant, were fairly forgettable. Of course Crosby's easy going persona and rich baritone are winning in every film he appears in. Unfortunately, there are no special features. All in all, I'd say that this is set of early Bing Crosby movies that never became classics. August 1, 2007

poor bing

Bing Crosby is undoubtedly one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century and I am definitely a fan. I had seen most of his better known films from Going My Way to High Society, even Rhythm on the River and Birth of the Blues, but was not prepared for this box! These are not great films, not really interesting films, and not films I want to watch again. You would have to be a true-blue lover of the crooner before feeling justified in buying this set. Sorry Bing. May 24, 2007

Focus on the music

It is obvious that any purchaser of this DVD set must like Bing Crosby and his voice. If not, watch at your peril. The set consists of 2 early programmers from Paramount, 2 from Universal and one big budget wartime musical. The early Paramounts are the best because Bing's easy going charm seems genuine without any sign of the mechanical manipulation of the later Bing.

- "Double or Nothing" and "Waikiki Wedding" benefit from excellent scores, good supporting casts and witty screenplays with a degree of satire. Martha Raye steals scenes in both and the latter benefits from Shirley Ross who had one of the best voices of any screen vocalist of the thirties. There is a charming scene in the cockpit of a yacht when Bing and Shirley improvise the song "Blue Hawaii" and their warmth and rapport is a delight. The prints of both films are in good condition and have that pleasant "old film" patina.
- "East Side of Heaven" and "If I had My Way" move away from satire to the cornball sentimentality of the later Bing. Each has a hokey song which became a trademark for Bing but they leave me cold. The former is superior and Joan Blondell is a sprightly leading lady but completely wasted. The story is dumb, the art direction ordinary and the supporting cast variable. The latter is unbelievably corny and boring. This is the sort of film where the cast are laughing at their jokes while the audience stares in stony disbelief. Poor Gloria Jean is directed to grin all the time whatever the circumstances so you want to strangle her. Her voice is a light falsetto and hardly melds with Bing. The prints of both films are excellent and considerably brighter than the early Paramounts.
- "Here Come the Waves", with a first rate print, is wartime propaganda. Betty Hutton plays twins who join the Navy and is surprisingly convincing. All the scenes with both Huttons on screen are cleverly done. Bing plays a singer in the mould of Frank Sinatra with a squealing fan base of bobby soxers. If there is one thing Bing did not have, it was sex appeal and he is too old, as usual, for the part. There are some good songs, particularly "Accentuate the Positive" which has Bing and Sonny Tufts, of all people, in blackface and some of the most bizarre precision dancing to be seen on celluloid. This is one musical in which the leaden plot takes up too much screen time.

The DVD has no extras, except one trailer, which is reflected in the relatively low price. Also, the inability to select scenes is a pain as you fast forward through the poor plots to reach the songs. None of the films are classics, though "Double or Nothing" is a forgotten treasure but there are some entertaining songs, so if you like Crosby's voice, you'll be happy enough. March 27, 2007

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