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Second Chorus

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5.8/10 • 35

1941-01-031h 24m

MusicComedyRomance

They're the tip-tops in toe-taps!

Danny O'Neill and Hank Taylor are rival trumpeters with the Perennials, a college band, and both men are still attending college by failing their exams seven years in a row. In the midst of a performance, Danny spies Ellen Miller who ends up being made band manager. Both men compete for her affections while trying to get the other one fired.

Directors
H. C. Potter
Writters
Ben Hecht
Editors
Jack Dennis

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Fred Astaire

    Fred Astaire

    Danny O'Neill

  2. Paulette Goddard

    Paulette Goddard

    Ellen Miller

  3. Artie Shaw

    Artie Shaw

    Himself

  4. Charles Butterworth

    Charles Butterworth

    J. Lester Chisholm

  5. Burgess Meredith

    Burgess Meredith

    Hank Taylor

  6. Frank Melton

    Frank Melton

    Stu

  7. Jimmy Conlin

    Jimmy Conlin

    Mr. Dunn

  8. Don Brodie

    Don Brodie

    Clerk

  9. Marjorie Kane

    Marjorie Kane

    Secretary

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Feb 15, 2025

6/10

This has some good ingredients but somehow the sum of the parts just misfires as even some lively Artie Shaw-led numbers just fizzle out. It doesn’t really help that there’s not much chemistry between Fred Astaire’s “Danny” and either his partner in crime “Hank” (Burgess Meredith) or their old pal/manager “Ellen” (Paulette Goddard). The two men have been exploiting the college band gravy train for almost a decade but have now finally been forced into the outside world to fend for themselves. They both play the trumpet and guess what… Artie is looking for a trumpeter! What he is also looking for is someone to take on the management of his popular orchestra and so the seeds are sewn for some song and dance comedy as the two men vie for both her and a job! It’s not a bad film, it’s just flat. The routines are all just a little pedestrian and even Johnny Mercer’s usually reliable pen can’t breathe much life into “Dig It” or “Would You Want to be…?”. There are a few decent moments as Shaw’s band manages to get toes a-tapping, and we are reminded that Astaire was no slouch on the piano, but even given it was made as the war was looming larger in the USA, this is all just a bit derivative and sloppily edited. It just goes to show that even the best and most accomplished stars can’t make an engaging double-act out of a sow’s ear.

Media

  • Second Chorus poster
  • Second Chorus poster
  • Second Chorus poster
  • Second Chorus poster
  • Second Chorus poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
dancingdancecollegemusicalromantic rivalrysingingblack and whitejazz band