SWING IT PROFESSOR

Pinky Tomlin

SWING IT PROFESSOR (1937). Director: Marshall Neilan. 

Professor Artemis J. Roberts (Pinky Tomlin) doesn't much care for swing music, but the members of the board of the music college where he is employed -- all of whom are significantly older than him -- think he's not very hip and fire him. Through circumstances not that interesting to tell, Artemis winds up being front man for a nightclub owned by Lou Morgan (Milburn Stone of Inside Job). There he catches the eye of singer Teddy Ross (Paula Stone), while Artemis' former pupil, Joan (Mary Kornman), finds herself the object of Lou's personal interest. 

Milburn Stone and Paula Stone

None of this leads into anything terribly exciting, even when a gangster named Randall (Bill Elliott) shows up with his thugs in tow. There are, however, some pleasant song numbers, including "Old-Fashioned Melody;" and "Richer Than a Millionaire." An admittedly charming bit occurs when some hobos start singing opera -- rather well, in fact -- and then join in for the latter tune. There is a trio of Three Stooges imitators who are called "The Gentle Maniacs;" they are terrible, and, mercifully, only appeared in one other movie. A climactic bit of business with a dozen cabs taking off in pursuit of Artemis does not engender any laughs. Milburn Stone and Paula Stone were cousins in real life. Paula was not especially pretty and she only had a few credits.

Musician/actor Pinky Tomlin has an unassuming, pleasant if highly un-dynamic personality and a singing voice that can best be described as okay and nothing more. Despite her terrible moniker, the undistinguished Mary Kornman amassed quite a few credits while Bill Elliott appeared in over 260 vehicles. 

Verdict: Gotta love that Pinky! **.