Good News

1947

Good News

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

Good News Photos

View All Photos

Movie Info

This second film version of the DeSylva/Brown/Henderson Broadway musical Good News may not be the best of the Arthur Freed-produced MGM musicals, but it's certainly one of the peppiest. The film is set at Tait college during the Roaring 20s. The wisp of a plot involves Tait football-star Peter Lawford, who will be ineligible to play in the Big Game if his grades don't improve. June Allyson is the demure Tait coed who takes on the task of tutoring Lawford, while campus vamp Patricia Marshall takes action when she believes (rightly so) that she is losing Lawford to Allyson. The film is deftly stolen by comic relief Joan McCracken, who stops the show with her energetic rendition of "Pass That Peace Pipe"--which, like the famous Lawford/Allyson duet "The French Lesson," was specially written for this 1948 version of Good News. Retained from the original score is the rousing "Varsity Drag." Mel Torme, Tom Dugan and Donald McBride are among the familiar supporting-cast faces in this bubbly Technicolor musical, which was adapted for the screen by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Classics, Comedy, Musical & Performing Arts, Romance
Directed By:

Charles Walters
Written By:

Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Lew Brown, Frank Mandel, Buddy G. DeSylva, Laurence Schwab
In Theaters:

Dec 26, 1947 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

May 31, 2005
Runtime:

83 minutes
Studio:

MGM Home Entertainment

Watch it now

Cast

Peter Lawford
as Tommy Marlowe

June Allyson
as Connie Lane

Patricia Marshall
as Patricia McClellan

Joan McCracken
as Babe Doolittle

Ray McDonald
as Bobby Turner

Mel Tormé
as Danny

Donald MacBride
as Coach Johnson

Tom Dugan
as Pooch

Clinton Sundberg
as Prof. Burton Kennyone

Loren Tindall
as Beef

Robert E. Strickland
as Peter Van Dyne III

Connie Gilchrist
as Cora

Morris Ankrum
as Dean Griswold

Georgia Lee
as Flo

Jane Green
as Mrs. Drexel

Richard Tripper

Bill Harbach

View All

Critic Reviews for Good News

All Critics (5) | Top Critics (1)

[T]he pleasures of reminiscence which the picture affords are worthwhile.

Jan 28, 2006 | Full Review…

Bosley Crowther
New York Times
Top Critic
Here, despite the presence of rather over-age students June Allyson and Peter Lawford, Walters injects real verve and genuine joie de vivre into such numbers as Billion Dollar Baby and My Blue Heaven. A real treat for fans of musicals.

Aug 14, 2019 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Tony Sloman
Radio Times
Bouncy MGM college-themed musical sparkles with June Allyson.

Mar 8, 2008 | Rating: 4/5

Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com

View All Critic Reviews (5)

Audience Reviews for Good News

Apr 26, 2009

Sprightly, colorful and high spirited. Peter Lawford can't carry a tune to save his life but gives a game try, June is full of zest, Joan McCraken a marvel and Connie Gilchrist has an amusing small part. The dance numbers are fantastic.

jay n Super Reviewer