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Simply Perfect

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Absolutely Fantastic

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

It's Mickey Rooney piloting a racecar, so which has more rpm's, the ultra-energetic actor or the racer hitting on all cylinders. This was a difficult period in the diminutive performer's career, trying to find a niche following MGM's primo Andy Hardy series. He's really quite good here, the son of a deceased race driver trying to prove his worth. As Billy, he starts off as a brash driver intent on running over those competitors getting in his way. This leads to the misperception that he caused the death of his best friend Happy (Brodie). Thus, relationships with his mechanic buddies and the money man (Lane) sours. Good thing his neglected girlfriend (Hatcher) stands by him. Now he's entered in the big Indie 500 and a chance to redeem himself, but can he.The movie's mainly for racing fans, with lots of live footage, especially of crack-ups. Fortunately, the process shots of driver Billy's close-ups are smoothly integrated into the live footage, creating the appropriate effect. The supporting cast is well-chosen, especially the obscure Mary Hatcher who's a perfect match-up with Rooney. I guess her diminutive height limited a leading lady career, but she's a good little actress as she shows here. And where would a better middle-age couple be found than the sprightly twosome of Byington and Mitchell. Some casting director had a shrewd eye.Anyway, the film's mainly for fans of Rooney and hot cars, though the overall effort is seamless enough for old movie fans.

In this one, Mickey Rooney reunites with two of his "Andy Hardy" series castmates: Spring Byington who played his mother there as Mrs. Emily Hardy in the first entry-A Family Affair-and plays his mother here as well. And Lina Romay who was in Love Laughs at Andy Hardy singing a couple of songs there and sings one here as well as also dance with Mickey here as she did in that Hardy movie a few years before. It also has a couple of stars from Gone with the Wind: Hattie McDaniel whose last feature film appearance this was for her and Thomas Mitchell who, as I always like to cite in these reviews, was also in my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life. I'll just now say this was quite an entertaining racing picture. Oh, and the leading lady is a Mary Hatcher whose mostly dressed as a mechanic with a cap covering her head but in one scene, she's dressed glamorously thinking she's on a real date with Rooney but the latter was thinking of something work-related during that time!

In the credits, my father, Jack Colin, not 'Jack Colon', which was the real spelling, appears as the track announcer. This was his only 'film appearance' but he was a newscaster at KFWB and KHJ in Los Angeles at the time when those stations were the number one and two rated stations in L.A. He burned he candle at both ends and in the middle. His style, high powered as it was, was the style of the day. Today it seems a parody. However, he was always on and seldom, if ever made a mistake. His style is over the top and it seems to mimic the acting style of the day. An interesting side note; Mickey Rooney was married, what, eight, nine times? My father went through 7 wives in the short span of 45 years. Actually, in the short span of 25 years. Should have just had girlfriends.

A look at the world of Grand Prix auto racing concerning about Billy (Mickey Rooney) , a young man bursting with raw energy and talent , he is hired by a garage owner named Carrell (Thomas Mitchell) as a mechanic . But Billy gets employment as a speedcar driver and quickly slipping in the rankings . He must learn to deal with his partners and he gets Indianapolis car race where his dad died long time ago . Meanwhile , he is emotionally involvement with attractive girls (Mary Hatcher, Alicia Romay) .This is a tale of speed and love where Rooney battles competitions , he has his own demons including a horrific , nearly deadly crashing where dies a pilot , being he blamed , besides the mummy fears his death . Car crashes abound and Rooney tempers flaring . There appears uncredited Denver Pyle , Monte Blue and Hattie McDaniel's last movie . The film is developed in top competitors circle , the world's most famous racing circuits as Daiton , Culver city and of course the home of ¨500 miles Indianapolis¨ . It's almost all over the road . The movie belongs to car racing sub-genre with numerous known titles as ¨Grand Prix¨ (by John Frankheimer) ; ¨Le Mans¨ (Lee H Kazkin) in which Steve McQueen does his own driving ; ¨Winning¨ (James Goldstone) where Paul Newman does equally his own driving ; ¨Days of Thunder¨ with Tom Cruise and ¨Driven¨ (Renny Harlin) . Here Mickey Rooney doesn't drive but there are documentary style race footage . The motion picture was well directed by Edward Ludwing . The flick is strictly for those who like cars racing round and round although nowadays dated ; including a brief drama and a good acting by Mickey Rooney .