Pedestrian musical comedy about four singing sisters (Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn, Mimi Chandler) and their efforts to help out their dear old father, even though not all of them want a singing career. Enter ladies man bandleader Fred MacMurray, who's not above seducing women to get what he wants. He's not even above stealing from them. He's kind of a jerk, honestly. This is one of those movies where the plot is so flimsy the entire film hinges on the charisma of the stars and, if we're lucky, some great songs. We're fairly lucky in the latter regard, as there are some enjoyable tunes here, including "It Could Happen to You," nicely sung by Lamour. The female stars also offer some appeal, with Lamour the standout and Hutton her usual "take her or leave her" energetic style. MacMurray does his best but the part is just...well, "dated" is the kindest way of putting it. Also featuring Eddie Foy, Jr. as MacMurray's irritating sidekick.

I recently discovered a slew of Betty Hutton movies on YouTube-some of which, I guess, are in the public domain-so I'm now reviewing those I managed to find there in chronological order. In this one, she's one of the grown Angel sisters of which the others are Dorothy Lamour, Diana Lynn, and Mimi Chandler. They form a singing act though both Ms. Lamour and Ms. Hutton have solo turns as well. Fred MacMurray is the slick bandleader who's not very honest though he is fun especially when he pretend woos Betty and truly woos Dorothy. Mostly funny screenplay by Melvin Frank & Norman Panama and entertaining songs by James Van Heusen & Johnny Burke. Hutton has most of the funny lines and scenes but everyone gets to shine. So on that note, And the Angels Sing is highly recommended. P.S. Since I always like to cite when players from my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life-are in something else, here, it's Frank Faylen-Ernie Bishop the taxi driver in that one-playing a guy Ms. Lamour mocks when she talks to him in his Brooklynese accent. Also, Frank Albertson-Sam Wainwright in IAWL-plays Dorothy's initial boyfriend Oliver in the beginning scenes.

And The Angels Sing is apparently Paramount's answer to Warner Brothers Lane Sisters and the series of films that they had starting with Four Daughters. The four of them are musical prodigies, but they're really not into singing. What they are into is earning enough money so their father Raymond Walburn can buy a farm.Three of Paramount's best female stars, Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn played 3/4 of the Angel sisters, the fourth being given to Mimi Chandler whose father Senator Albert H. Chandler would shortly become baseball commissioner. Betty Hutton is the only one enthused about performing, but given this is Betty Hutton what else would you expect?They get themselves all tangled up with bandleader Fred MacMurray who's a bit of rat quite frankly taking advantage of Hutton to get some money in order for his band to get traveling money to an engagement in Brooklyn. The sisters are up in arms and trail him to Brooklyn to get their money.At some point MacMurray has to woo all of them more or less to some degree. The whole thing ends rather conventionally though.The plot is really an excuse for the musical numbers and the score here was written by Bing Crosby's favorite writers Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. Although Betty Hutton gets the showier numbers on screen, the hit song from And The Angels Sing was sung by Dorothy Lamour, It Could Happen To You. And of course Paramount prevailed upon Der Bingle to record it and by all means get his record of it if you can find it. And The Angels Sing provides a nice showcase for the musical talents of the cast. MacMurray who later played some nasty characters shows a bit of what Billy Wilder saw in casting him as a villain in Double Indemnity and The Apartment. The film is a pleasant enough diversion.

AND THE ANGELS SING is a utterly entertaining comedy/musical starring Dorothy Lamour and Fred MacMurray with rising young actresses Betty Hutton and Diana Lynn in featured roles. This movie doesn't have much of a reputation thanks to the fact it curiously has been seldom seen in recent decades. It has never aired on any major national cable channel to my knowledge yet it was a major Paramount film and a big hit at the time.Lamour and Hutton are the main attractions in a sister singing quartet who get the shaft from sneaky band leader Fred MacMurray. Eventually Betty pursues Fred - and Fred pursues Dorothy. The songs in this film are sensational - Lamour croons the lovely "It Could Happen to You", Hutton stops the show with the outrageous "My Rocking Horse Ran Away", and the sister act sings a lot of songs in best Andrew Sisters harmony including the very charming "The First Hundred Years" and the sassy "Knocking On Your Own Front Door".Too bad TCM didn't get this for their retrospective on Hutton films a few years ago - it's one of her best even if she does play second fiddle to Lamour (though she holds her own). And Dorothy Lamour gives one of her best performances, she can handle comedy and music with equal ease and of course is one of the best lookers ever in movies as icing on the cake.