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Mickey Rooney, Perry Como, June Allyson, Judy Garland, Lena Horne ... see more see more... , Gene Kelly , Ann Sothern , Tom Drake , Cyd Charisse , Betty Garrett , Janet Leigh , Marshall Thompson , Mel Tormé , Vera-Ellen , Jeanette Nolan , Richard Quine , Clinton Sundberg , Dee Turnell , Harry Antrim , Emory Parnell , Helen Spring , Edward Earle , The Blackburn Twins , John K. Butler , Ilka Gruning , Allyn Ann McLerie , Sig Frohlich , Joni Mitchell

The life stories of Broadway tunesmiths Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart are prettified for the screen in MGM's Words and Music. Billed fourth, the colorless Tom Drake plays Rodgers, but never mind tha... read more read more...t: the film belongs to Mickey Rooney, as the dynamic, self-destructive Lorenz Hart. Understandably, Hart's bisexuality is downplayed. According to MGM, his biggest problem in life is that he was never satisfied with his work. We are, however, especially when those great Rodgers & Hart tunes are performed by the likes of Judy Garland, Janet Leigh, Perry Como, Lena Horne, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Betty Garrett, Ann Sothern, Mel Torme, Allyn McLerie, Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen. The musical highlights include Garland's powerhouse rendition of Johnny One-Note, Kelly's Slaughter on 10th Avenue dance solo, Horne's interpretation of Where or When, Allyson's take on Thou Swell, and, best of all, Rooney's premiere performance of I'll Take Manhattan, which he allegedly had just written on the back of an automobile advertisement! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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65% liked it

861 ratings

Unrated, 2 hr. 2 min.

Directed by: Joan Tosoni, Norman Taurog

Release Date: December 31, 1998

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DVD Release Date: July 13, 2004

Stats: 37 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (37)

  • jjnxn
    April 4, 2007
    jjnxn
    When Judy shows up for her two numbers the movie lives, a very few of the other numbers are okay but the rest is some of the worst stuff MGM ever turned out. Mickey Rooney is just awful.
  • MovieGuruDude72
    July 18, 2007
    MovieGuruDude72
    If you're a fan of musicals this is a must-rent with a once-in-a-lifetime musical cast, including Gene Kelly, Judy Garland and Lena Horne
  • jennalynde
    April 25, 2007
    jennalynde
    A cavalcade of perfect casting! Rodgers and Hart's music is worth every second of scene time alone.
  • keishahosler
    March 21, 2007
    keishahosler
    Gene Kelly actually only has a small part in here, same with Judy Garland. Judy does do a scene with Mickey Rooney. Gene Kelly also does a great dance number, as usually is the case.

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February 23, 2012
Variety

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Words and Music Trivia

  • Which two actors starred in the movie "Three Little Words" (1950) which was based on the music of Kalmar and Ruby?  Answer »
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