Cowboy from Brooklyn (1938)

Too much of everything

To me, this movie is perfection.

The Worst Film Ever

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

From the outset, you can tell that this is NOT the gritty Dick Powell of the 1940s (when he appeared in such great Noir films as MURDER MY SWEET). No, this is clearly the 1930s Dick Powell--with lots of singing and not particularly deep plots. While the film is not his usual song and dance extravaganza, it still features Powell singing quite a bit--and was just the sort of film that Mr. Powell apparently hated to make. Fortunately, the tunes are lighter and the plot goofy enough that, while fluff, at least it's enjoyable fluff! The film begins with, what else, Powell and his friends singing. This time they are in a boxcar headed for California in the hopes of making it big in Hollywood. However, they are caught and, along with their instruments, are tossed off the train (literally). In the middle of the wide open West, they soon stumble upon a dude ranch where they are given jobs singing cowboy songs for the paying guests. The trouble is that Powell and his friends are from New York and Powell also is deathly afraid of animals. Despite this, when talent agent Pat O'Brien comes to the ranch, he's taken with Powell and sees him as the next Gene Autry--not knowing that Powell knows nothing about life on the ranch.The film's plot is rather silly (especially with the hypnotism scenes) but it also is quite fun--so despite some stupid aspects of the film (such as Dick Foran's poorly written and overacted character) and too much singing you can't help but enjoy it. I also think that the best performance in the film was that of O'Brien--who spoke a mile a minute and really seemed in his element as the talent agent.

Warner Brothers really worked Dick Powell. Between 1933 and 1935, he made 17 movies. In 1938, he "only" made four. And they are stinkers. This is the worst of the lot, one of the most silly and sappy Hollywood musicals ever made. The script is dreadful, the music is forgettable, the sets are embarrassing, and the acting is merely passable. Powell deserves an award of some sort for agreeing to appear in this turkey. But then, he was under contract. Moreover, he had worked with Ruby Keeler, so he was capable of great self-sacrifice.The opening scene sets the gravity of the film: three musicians singing on a moving train and being thrown off, piano and all. They find their way to a dude ranch, Powell sings, a visiting New York agent hears him, and he is on his way to New York and fame and glory. But first he has to appear to be an authentic westerner. He is not. And he is mortally afraid of all animals. So a local hypnotist, in New York at the time, gets him to briefly become the world's champion steer slinger. Happy ending.Pat O'Brien plays his stereotyped role. Ann Sheridan, all of 23, makes a very brief appearance. And Ronald Reagan is on hand, playing O'Brien's fast-talking press agent. Priscilla Lane tries to speak with a "western" accent. A disaster for all.

Dick Powell is a down on his luck musician/singer from Brooklyn who's looking for some kind of work at Priscilla Lane's dude ranch. She signs him on as a new singing cowboy although Powell has a deathly fear of anything on four legs. Visiting talent agents Pat O'Brien and Ronald Reagan hear Powell and immediately want to manage him. All of this ain't sitting too well with Dick Foran, Lane's sweetheart. Powell is moving in on him in the talent and love departments.Cowboy from Brooklyn is so typical of the wonderful entertaining nonsense that movies used to be about. But Dick Powell by this time was desperately trying to broaden his image. It was being continually cast in these kind of films that made Powell leave Warner Brothers two years later after his contract was up.Pat O'Brien made six features with Powell, more than anyone else except James Cagney. By this time he was playing fast talking press agents, managers, etc. in his sleep. He too would leave Warner Brothers in two years for greener pastures. Ronald Reagan before he left for even greener pastures said that the two best friends he made at Warner Brothers were Pat O'Brien and Dick Powell. He described both as being inordinately patient and kind with a new player just getting started. He never forgot the encouragement both gave him in his career.Dick Foran in Boy Meets Girl showed he had some hidden comedy talents in burlesquing his singing cowboy image. He does it again here, deliberately singing offkey and flat to contrast with Powell's tenor. Not too many performers would let themselves be deliberately upstaged like that. At the time he was the singing cowboy star at Warner Brothers and he too would be leaving them shortly.The gimmick here is how Powell turns into what O'Brien built him up as. It's pretty funny I have to say and here's a hint. Think Road to Rio.

While fairly average as far as musicals go, this movie is noteworthy for me because it is the only film that features my two favorite actresses, Priscilla Lane and Ann Sheridan.While they don't have any scenes together, unfortunately, there is a scene where Priscilla looks at a picture of Ann. It's not much, but I'll take what I can get!It's too bad The Cowboy from Brooklyn does not do a good enough job in showcasing Priscilla Lane in the female lead. And Ann Sheridan is barely featured at all.I can only imagine what could have been...