Busby Berkeley's Babes in Arms is a snapshot of a time in American history when it was believed that a bit of gusto, enthusiasm, and commitment was all it would take to achieve success. When their cash-strapped Vaudevillian parents go on a reunion tour and refuse to take them along, Mickey Moran (Mickey Rooney) and Patsy Barton (Judy Garland) decide to write, direct, and put on a show of their own along with the other local "babes" to prove that they shouldn't be ignored or discounted merely because of their age. The framing device of a group of performers putting on a show is as good an excuse as any for Berkeley to lavish the audience with lengthy musical numbers, the best of which is the triumphant "Babes in Arms" that ends with a crowd of "babes" forming an impromptu rally and starting a massive bonfire. A long shot that captures the crowd throwing huge wooden crates and lit torches into a pile is more visually stimulating and expertly choreographed than any of the other numbers which range from the undeniably charming "Good Morning," the dreary "Where or When," and the cringingly unfortunate "Daddy Was a Minstrel Man." Rooney and Garland are adorable together, particularly during their duets where Rooney frequently becomes infected with a vivacious energy. But like with many of Berkeley's films, the moments of greatness fail to redeem the film as a whole. The plot and supporting characters are formulaic to the point of parody and the cinematography in many sequences seems almost overexposed, sandblasting the screen of shadows and depth.
6/10
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