dglink Director Charles Walters was no Vincente Minnelli or Stanley Donen, and June Allyson and Peter Lawford were no Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Thus, 1947's "Good News" is just a solid second-tier musical among the Arthur Freed productions at MGM. The MGM back-lot stands in for Tait College, an upper-crust haven for nattily-dressed collegiates with little besides romance on their minds. A silly plot, which links a couple of good songs ("Lucky in Love," "The Best Things in Life are Free") with a few dull ones, ends with a rousing finale, "The Varsity Drag." That energetic production number is so lively and infectious, all the nonsense that precedes is forgiven.And there is a lot of nonsense to forgive. Peter Lawford, egotistical football jock Tommy Marlowe, is an insensitive cad; except for his good looks, he is unworthy of a second glance from the likes of June Allyson's Connie Lane. Connie works in the library, studies hard, and, for some reason, fails to catch the eye of the male students. Instead of pursuing Connie, the shallow dim-witted Tommy is quickly smitten by gold-digging Patricia Marshall, a new coed, whose faux French includes the film's best line: "Quelle fromage." The musical numbers feature three performers who never quite made the big leagues on film, the afore-mentioned Marshall, Joan McCracken, and Mel Torme. Their failure was not for lack of effort; the three give it the old college try here, but Marshall has an unsympathetic role, McCracken is overly kinetic, and Torme lacks a face to match his voice. Although Lawford lacks a voice to match his face, evidently Hollywood values looks over other talents. However, as he proved in other MGM musicals like "Easter Parade," Lawford could carry a tune and, certainly in "The Varsity Drag" number, could dance quite well. While Allyson has only a passable voice, her innocence and sweetness get her a pass for anything she may lack musically, although she too does quite well in the big finale."Good News" is simplistic romantic fun with a few good songs and a terrific production number. Although only 93 minutes in length, the film does drag a bit at times; "Pass that Peace Pipe" seems endless; the football game goes on and on; and McCracken's use of family millions to divert Marshall from man to man is a tiresome gag. "Good News" is worth a view, and the "Varsity Drag" number is worth revisiting, but Tait College should have taught screen writing and lured higher caliber students.

sisbarrolouis The chance of waking up at six AM in a semi semiconscious state, flipping on my T.V. and seeing the 1947 film GOOD NEWS, well was such a wonderful surprise. The film of a fantasy life on a college campus sparked me into awaking on a happy positive note. Zany,yes Colorful,yes Lighthearted,yes ESCAPE,yes into a world that seem be be removed from our modern day world. Why shouldn't a Film, Broadway play allow you to slide back into a more comfortable Time and Place? Look theater and the film industry's job is to give us all a place to regenerate our joys and outlook of life. Some how the current films main purpose seems too be,to hang a dark cloud over the populous, retreat into the sanctuary of our home. Times are a changing! and bad in now good. Someone with Intelligence and Knowledge should pick up the script of GOOD NEWS! and run like deer to Broadway in good old N.Y.C. and get this gem on stage. The American public is ripe for some good,happy toe taping fun. I want to leave a theater and feel there is still hope for the human race.....Isn't that what entertaining is all about? But of course the non talented producers seem to not understand the needs of a American Renaissance. Is there something wrong leaving a theater with a smile on your face and a song in your heart". Or is that too plebeian? Lou Sisbarro

Dalbert Pringle The good news about "Good News" is that there really isn't any good news. (Ha! Just kidding there, folks!) Actually, the good news about "Good News" is that this Technicolor Musical/Comedy from 1947 does, surprisingly enough, feature 3 outstanding and really swinging musical numbers, which are - Pass The Peace Pipe, Varsity Rag and the film's opening sequence.But, on the other hand, the bad news about "Good News" is that, no, these 3 high-energy musical numbers do not in any way, shape, or form, come anywhere near to compensating the viewer for having to endure the drab and clichéd triteness of the rest of the film.This picture's predictable, little story concerns the activities of a bunch of super-preppy rich kids in the late 1920s who are attending Tait University.When these "golly-gee" brats aren't singing up a storm (sometimes quite out of tune), they spend most of their time either partying and/or gossiping about who's dating who.These spoiled-rotten, whipper-snappers seem to have very little concern about their studies, their grades, or their finances. (Well, what the heck could you expect from this bunch, anyways?) To be totally honest here, I thought that "Good News" (for the most part) really sucked. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. (But, hey, to each his own, is what I always say) One of this film's biggest let-downs was that its 2 big-name stars, Peter Lawford and June Allyson, couldn't carry a tune even if their lives depended on it. They really couldn't. (I really couldn't say much in favor of their dancing, or acting, either) And, that, my friends, is the good news, as well as the bad news, about "Good News".

ccthemovieman-1 You have to be kidding! People actually like this film and think is the music is great? They must be deaf! June Allyson and Peter Lawford are two of the worst singers you will ever hear on screen. Really! Hey, they're fine actors, but singers? No way. Dancers? Not really.The worst of the numbers are in the beginning of the film, which immediately make you wonder what you are in for the rest of the way. Generally speaking, "what you are in for" is a pretty corny movie, really dated, and sub-par song and dance numbers.Allyson's old-fashioned wholesomeness is appealing, and the college atmosphere was refreshingly the same (contrast that to today where they invite dictators who want to destroy us to speak)......but that's about it. This is not a good musical and not really fitting into a story about the 1920s. It doesn't quite have the '20s "feel."I hate to say this a for a nice film, but to be truthful: this movie is "bad news",,,,,,at least for your ears.