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Good concept, poorly executed.

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Family picture from Warner Bros. hasn't enough comedic or dramatic elements to make an impression. A vaudevillian song-and-dance couple, barely surviving on one mediocre bill after another, finally hit pay dirt after bringing their precocious son into the act--but when the husband gets discouraged and hits the bottle, it may mean the end of his marriage. Jack Carson adds a little kick to the proceedings, but it's a half-empty star-vehicle. Production is surprisingly low-rent, while the athletic boy-star hardly seems the type to lay theater audiences in the aisles. Carson and Ann Sothern appear to have a rock-solid marriage (with lots of backstage smooching), so the addition of a potential romantic replacement for the husband is ludicrous. This scenario was ripe for satire and bite, however the handling is as mawkish and musty as the music. *1/2 from ****

The Happy Tymes are flopping as a vaudeville act until they add their 12-year old son to the musical act. But then the family runs into trouble causing a brief split.As long as the three principals are on stage singing and shaking legs, the movie shines, and that's despite the rather dour b&w. The melodramatic side, however, is overdone for a musical, especially the acrobatic fistfight that reminded me of a cowboy matinée. Then there's that really ill-advised impersonation of a midget, that, as another reviewer aptly put it, comes across as tasteless. Still, little Bobby Ellis is remarkable as the third Happy Tyme. His utter fluidity as a teen dancer made me think I have a deficient gene. As the two adult Tymes, Sothern and Carson are real troupers, their chemistry unforced and lively. Carson was really an underrated actor, adept at drama, comedy, and musicals, as he shows here. I'm not sure, however, that Alan would be proud of dad Robert Alda's role here as a sneaky opportunist. And, of course, no musical of the period would be complete without that giggling marshmallow, Cuddles Sakall. No, the musical may not be anything special, but it does have its musical moments. (In passing—I caught several episodes of the old TV series Meet Corliss Archer (1954-55) that also featured Bobby Ellis, then about age 20. There he shows what an excellent comedic actor he was, in addition to his musical talents. In short, he made that show work, short-lived though the series was. I suspect his short stature and average looks prevented his eventually reaching stardom. Nonetheless, he certainly had the talent.)

I am an inveterate movie fan and am astonished that this little gem of a flick managed to escape my attention. I only saw it today (10/26/03) for the first time. Although Warner's Forties period musicals ("Shine On, Harvest Moon," "Daughter of Rosie O'Grady," et alia) couldn't quite match those of 20th Century-Fox's, especially those of Grable and Faye, this was a a valiant effort and totally watchable. The 15-year-old Billy Ellis' portrayal of the 12-year-old Small Tyme was a stretch, but he was such winning presence and so talented that one can forgive the producers for not making the character closer to the actor's true age. Sothern was wonderful. Even Jack Carson, an actor whose screen personality can often be grating, performed winningly in a starring role. Robert Alda rounded out the cast in a not very sympathetic part. This film gets my thumbs up.

When I think of April Showers, I think of my late aunt. It was one of the songs she sang to me. I also think of this movie. It's too bad that so many actors in this movie have died, even the kid that played Small Tyme. And now last year, even Ann Sothern. I saw Jack Carson as second banana in other movies, especially as a sidekick of Dennis Morgan, that it is good that Jack could be the leading man for a change (in "April Showers"). It's too bad he had to play such a drunk, but I guess that's real life. I always love to watch The Tymes dance in this movie. I could watch them forever. I hate the part where Billy Shay beats up Small Tyme, although the part about Robert Alda with all the glamourous ladies is nice. I love old time tap dancing, but in today's tap classes I take at Ohio State University the emphasis is on modern rhythm tap, with a lot of hip-hop added in. Females wear flat oxfords, and emphasis is not on "Broadway tap". That's a shame. I am of the old school, from the days of vaudeville & the old movie musicals.