Film Snail

Wake Up and Live
Wake Up and Live

5.3

Wake Up and Live

NR·1937·91m

Summary

Satire on radio, built around the supposed feud between bandleader Ben Bernie and journalist Walter Winchell.

Crew

Director

Sidney Lanfield

Novel

Dorothea Brande

Story

Curtis Kenyon

Writer

Harry Tugend

Writer

Jack Yellen

Reviews

Geronimo1967

Geronimo1967

April 4, 2022

5

Legend has it that wireless gossiper Walter Winchell and band leader Ben Bernie really did have a running feud. This film somewhat puts that myth to rest, but is does so in quite a quickly paced and amusing fashion. It all centres around "Eddie Kane" (Jack Haley) whom "Alice" (Alice Faye) tricks into singing for Bernie's band. Winchell sees a chance to show up his rival as the would-be singer won't pick up a live microphone so is monikered "The Phantom". Can she get him to fulfil his true potential and, of course, can he get the gal? Winchell, especially, is on good form here with some solid one-liners (though it is very easy to see why he was a radio star; he has virtually no facial expression at all) and the musical numbers are entertaining as the film progresses. The plot is entirely predictable, and the film far too long - but it does take a engaging swipe at radio in the 1930s, with everything sponsored by a soap, or a body lotion - all at the behest of the all powerful Hooper ratings that demonstrated just how powerful radio was as a medium for marketing then. The film is largely forgettable fayre, but at times it does raise a smile.

Media

No Videos to show.

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Keywords