Second Chorus

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User Ratings: 955

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Movie Info

In this musical, Fred Astaire and Burgess Meredith appear as two rival trumpet players who would like to join the Artie Shaw Orchestra, and who'd each like to become the beau to the lovely Paulette Goddard. She agrees to be the two fellas' manager and is not so interested in love. She eventually falls for Astaire. [In real life she married Burgess Meredith.] There are plenty of musical numbers featuring Astaire and the Artie Shaw Orchestra.

Rating:

G
Genre:

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

Frank Cavett, H.C. Potter
Written By:

Johnny Mercer, Ian McLellan Hunter, Frank Cavett, Elaine Ryan
In Theaters:

Jan 1, 1940 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Jul 25, 2006
Runtime:

83 minutes
Studio:

American Pop Classics

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Cast

Fred Astaire
as Danny O'Neill

Paulette Goddard
as Ellen Miller

Burgess Meredith
as Hank Taylor

Artie Shaw
as Artie Shaw

Charles Butterworth
as Mr. Chisholm

Frank Melton
as Stu

Jimmy Conlin
as Mr. Dunn

Adia Kuznetzoff
as Boris

Michael Visaroff
as Sergai

Joseph Marievsky
as Ivan

Don Brodie
as Hotel Clerk

William 'Billy' Benedict
as Ticket Taker

Willa Pearl Curtis
as Scrubwoman

Ben Hall
as Western Union boy

Adia Kutznetzoff

Jerry Jerome
as Tenor Sax Player

Hermes Pan
as College Clarinetist, College Clarinetist (uncredited)

Charles Butterworth

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Critic Reviews for Second Chorus

All Critics (1)

Second-rate Fred Astaire film.

Feb 9, 2007 | Rating: C | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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Audience Reviews for Second Chorus

Oct 16, 2018

Or: The Artie Shaw Movie, wherein Artie plays and (kind of) acts, gamely supported by Fred, Paulette, and Burgess in some hastily put together "rivals competing for the same girl" anecdote (of which poor Burgess gets the goat, eh?). Charles Butterworth, inserted into the thing like the proverbial square peg, actually does better than everything but Shaw's music. It's interesting, sort of, watching Fred and Burgess pretend to play trumpet. Goddard does okay in her one dance routine with Fred.

Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
Jan 17, 2010

Strictly minor league musical despite Fred's presence. This is one of a couple low rent films he did between splitting with Ginger and landing at MGM.

jay n Super Reviewer
Jun 23, 2007

There's a hole in the plot you could drive a truck through, but of course, Fred is Magic.

Valerie G Super Reviewer