Be Yourself!

1930

1h 5m

IMDb RATING

5.0/10

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Music

Comedy

Ethnic comedy of a nightclub entertainer trying to train a boxer.

Directors

Thornton Freeland

Writers

Stars

Fanny Brice

Robert Armstrong

Harry Green

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Top cast

Fanny Brice

Fannie Field (as Fannie Brice)

Jerry Moore

Harry Field

McCloskey

Lillian

Step

Lola (as Marjorie 'Babe' Kane)

Rita Flynn

Jessica

Jimmy Tolson

Blues singer (uncredited)

Directors

Thornton Freeland

Writers

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

I think this might be the first film I've ever seen with Fanny Brice and though it's perfectly watchable, it's really only designed to be a showcase for her engaging talents. She's successful entertainer "Fannie" (keep it simple) who has two potential suitors at her nightclub. One night tempers flare and some fisticuffs ensue between "Jerry" (Robert Armstrong) and the more substantial "Mac" (G. Pat Collins). The former comes off the worst but manages to further endear himself to the singer who decides that she is going to become his boxing trainer. He is keen, enthusiastic and successful - even if he does care for the odd nap mid fight, but as he starts to make the money he starts to attract the gals and their relationship starts to become just a little strained. There's a lovely scene towards the end with them having the daftest spat together with his new affianced "Lillian" (Gertrude Astor) that you know can only go one way and Harry Green chips in nicely as her somewhat dodgy lawyer brother "Harry". It is, though, really just an excuse for Brice to rattle her vocal chords and there are a couple of decent Billy Rose numbers to help her along too. It's a film that's part of the fabric of cinema history and as such, is worth a watch. Anything else? Well, no - not really.

Geronimo196726 Jul, 2024