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It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

George Archainbaud directed this B Musical, produced by Hal Roach, which features an Oscar nominated Score from Edward Ward and the Academy Award nominated Song "Pennies for Peppino", with lyrics by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright; Louis S. Kaye and M. Coates Webster wrote the screenplay. The story (between the songs) that holds it together is pretty lame:A debutante, played by Marjorie Woodworth, travels by clipper plane to the Caribbean with several of her comely girlfriends (Claudia Drake, Jane Kean, Jayne Hazard, and Dorothy O'Kelly aka Kelly) to find a Latin lover she'd written to that had sent her an autograph picture. Her father funded the trip because she'd convinced him that it would be strictly an education excursion; he sent a chaperon (Norma Varden) along, and hired an elderly guide to make sure. But the first person the girls meet is Harry Bernard (George Givot), a younger man with an annoying giggle who's on the run from the law (Edward Gargan) and poses as the older guide (Byron Foulger, uncredited), who'd been too afraid to fly in any case. Meanwhile, the plane's pilot (William Marshall) woos the debutante while the lawman's efforts are hindered by a half-pint shyster (Jerry Bergen).Thankfully, the comedy's running time is barely 45 minutes.

When I noticed that EDWARD WARD was responsible for the musical score, I had an additional reason for wanting to view FLYING WITH MUSIC, which I understood was a low-budget musical from the Hal Roach studios--without any well-known stars. Another factor was the Oscar-nominated song: "Pennies for Peppino." (Ward wrote the background scores for films like Universal's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ('43) and THE CLIMAX ('44)).Well, I was disappointed on both counts. The score is not that impressive and the song was unworthy of an Oscar nomination in a year when "White Christmas" and "Love Is A Song" (from BAMBI) were the front-runners.Despite obvious drawbacks, FLYING WITH MUSIC is a better than average programmer that is like a time capsule of the '40s-era pop music scene with a Latin beat. The only charmer among the songs is the "Pennies for Peppino" number, nicely rendered by a bunch of native kids.Other than that, the weak plot is a real hindrance. GEORGE GIVOT is a man on the lam who poses as a tour guide in Florida. He takes a group of young women on an island tour which leaves time for a few nightclub songs and some badly executed comedy routines. MARJORIE WOODWORTH is just passable in the leading femme role but is certainly photogenic.NORMA VARDEN has a brief role as the chaperone for the girls and there's a very inept performance from handsome WILLIAM MARSHALL which shows why he never made it into star territory.It's one of those harmless trifles that's entirely forgettable with Ward's music only occasionally making some noteworthy sounds. "Song of the Lagoon" at least gets a production number with a Caribbean touch and a pleasing, languid melody.But the whole film is strictly small-time stuff and not diverting enough to call for any special attention. GEORGE GIVOT overdoes the mugging routines in the central role and EDWARD GARGAN does his standard schtick as a tax collector.Summing up: A more ambitious than usual production from a Povery Row studio like Hal Roach.

Okay, so it isn't Oscar material. Okay, so all the leads are completely unknown to today's audiences. Okay, so the plot is silly and laughable. But when you see the extent that was gone to, to put together this musical, with all the sets and the songs, you have to appreciate this really precious little minor musical. It's really a shame that movie makers don't have the impetus to concoct entertainment of this type any more. Commnents such as 'but it was an innocent time' don't deserve credence. It's all around us, the stuff that exists to put together something of this caliber. The girls are beautiful, the sets are interesting and colorful and the songs are a lot of fun. The musical is so reminiscent of it's era that is literally a time capsule of this nation in the grips of World War II and how it was being coped with. It's well worth the time spent viewing and should be converted to DVD to send the message.

A private collector has finally allowed me to see this almost forgotten musical -and it deserves to be forgotten. It is a 50 minute Hal Roach musical programmer that is grade B in every way - there is an erroneous official timing of 71 minutes that proliferates but I am trying to get that removed.The plot is almost non-existant. The characters are thinly drawn and the direction, acting and production values are beneath contempt. George Givot plays a man on the lam from a divorce and alimony. He disguises himself as a tour guide for five young socialites. The lead socialite, Marjorie Woodworth, is looking for love from a latin singer she idolizes - the reason for the trip - but is romanced by a pilot. Eventually all things end happily. The only bright spot is a midget, Jerry Bergen, who plays the comic foil for the detective who is trying to nail Givot. The score (five forgettable numbers) and the song PENNIES FOR PEPPINO earned Oscar noms - totally and irrevocably undeserved - these were the days when every studio could submit its "best" as nominees in the categories of sound, score, scoring, song and special effects. It took me over forty years to find this turkey and the result was not worth the effort. Note that lyricists Chet Forrest and Bob Wright went on to create SONG OF NORWAY and KISMET on Broadway.