jacobs-greenwood This is not a great movie, but if you like its cast of singing stars – Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson (without Technicolor), Peter Lawford and Jimmy Durante – you'll enjoy it anyway (and as a bonus there's Gloria Grahame!). It was directed by Richard Whorf and scripted by Isobel Lennart (one of the four Sinatra films that she wrote) from a story by John McGowan.Sinatra plays a Brooklyn born soldier that returns home to find that he hadn't changed as much as he'd thought he had. He believed himself to be more confident. But he's influenced by Durante, his old high school's janitor, who takes him under his wing and encourages a would-be romantic relationship with the music teacher come opera singer Grayson.Sinatra's character discovers that he's happy helping others with their dreams. Lawford plays a shy fellow that Sinatra had met in England (during which Grahame plays a nurse, also from Brooklyn) just before his discharge from the Army. He's sent to Brooklyn to satisfy his Duke (Aubrey Mather) grandfather, who'd hoped that Sinatra could give him confidence.Lawford and Grayson make a better match. Everyone is hitting on all cylinders when they help a young pianist (uncredited Billy Roy, whose compositions are performed off stage by 17 year old André Previn, also uncredited) that wants to earn a scholarship.

jjnxn-1 Minor MGM musical with the usual lightweight framework providing the stars a chance to break out in song. If you enjoy that type of movie than this will be a pleasant diversion especially since it introduced the beautiful ballad *Time After Time" which is performed in various versions several times throughout the film. However if you're looking for any semblance of reality this isn't the picture for you. Frank Sinatra and Kathryn Grayson are in fine voice and Jimmy Durante his usual warm, wisecracking somewhat befuddled self. Gloria Grahame although prominently billed, due to a best supporting actress nomination that year, is in and out of the picture after the first five minutes.

tavm Before they became members of The Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra and Peter Lawford were both M-G-M contract players taking any picture offered them. So it was that one of their early teamings was in the studio's black-and-white musical entry, It Happened in Brooklyn. The other stars are Kathryn Grayson and the ever scene-stealing Jimmy Durante. The thin plots concern show biz aspirants in a romantic triangle helping an aspiring piano prodigy one age-17-shy of the requirement for a scholarship. That's pretty much it in a nutshell but despite that the acting performances, which includes another player from my favorite movie It's a Wonderful Life-Gloria Grahame-who plays an army nurse from Frankie's New York State hometown, are passably witty especially Durante who's hilarious whenever he starts talking in a falsetto. Among the nice original songs written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne was one called "Time After Time" which was nicely song by Sinatra and Grayson in separate segments. Grayson also has a beautiful fantasy sequence from the opera "Lakme" and Lawford warbles an entertaining swing number in front of a bunch of teenagers. Sinatra and Grayson also share an Italian opera number. The highlight, however, was Durante and Sinatra's duet on "The Song's Gotta Come From the Heart" with The Voice during his Schnozzola impression at the end. While the movie seemed a little longish at 103 minutes, I quite enjoyed It Happened in Brooklyn and the way things ended up. P.S. The "Time After Time" song here is definitely not the same as the one later sung by Cyndi Lauper in the '80s!

edwagreen Wonderful film with a stellar cast.Frank Sinatra and Peter Lawford shine as two quiet buddies who return to Brooklyn after World War 11 service in England. Actually, it's a first trip to Brooklyn.The film is so endearing due to its themes of clinging to your aspirations. Sinatra finds Kathryn Grayson and falls in love, but when she introduces Lawford to him, you know the rest.Jimmy Durante plays a rather subdued custodian in a school where Grayson teaches music. She is down as she wants an operatic career.The film is lifting when she and the 3 guys all join forces to make sure that a poorly financed student, who is brilliant at the piano, can continue his musical education after college. In Hollywood tradition, they succeed. Tamara Shayne shows her usual earthy appealing as the boy's mother.Sinatra belts out Time After Time and Grayson's operatic scene is memorable.This film is definitely heartwarming and a joy to watch.