Item: Here Comes the Band
Rating: 6
Author: Archivist John

Is this worth watching today? Yes, but mostly if you’re the kind of person who likes to leave the TV on a TCM marathon while you’re doing something else. It’s for people who love the clatter and bang of old-school radio energy. If you hate movies where people burst into song for no legal reason, you will probably want to throw your remote at the wall.

The whole thing starts with Ollie Watts, played by Harry Stockwell. He’s a songwriter who is basically too nice for his own good. He’s got this song, and he’s got Margaret (Virginia Bruce) who is the supportive girlfriend every 1930s lead needs. Then you have Mr. Simmonds, the publisher. He’s the kind of guy who probably steals candy from babies when the cameras aren't rolling.

Ollie gets his song stolen. It's a classic setup. But instead of just being a sad drama like The Painted Veil, it turns into this weirdly loud musical celebration. I say loud because Ted Lewis is in this. If you don't know Ted Lewis, he’s like a human spark plug with a top hat. He’s got this catchphrase, "Is everybody happy?" and honestly, after ten minutes, you kind of are.

The movie really finds its rhythm—literally—when Ted Lewis and his Orchestra take over. They do this version of "Me and My Shadow" that is just mesmerizing in a low-budget sort of way. The way Lewis moves is so strange. He’s not exactly dancing, he’s more like... vibrating with intent. It’s high energy, maybe too high for 10:00 AM on a Tuesday, but I couldn't look away.

Then we get to the courtroom. Oh boy. I have seen a lot of movie trials, but this one is a circus. It makes the legal proceedings in The Grey Glove look like the Supreme Court. People are shouting, the judge looks like he’s about to have a stroke, and there’s music everywhere. Legal ethics? Never heard of her.

There is a specific moment where they try to prove the song belongs to Ollie. They basically turn the courtroom into a concert hall. It’s completely ridiculous. I love how the extras in the back of the room look genuinely confused. One guy in the third row is just staring at the ceiling for about three seconds too long. I noticed him and now I can't unsee him. 🕵️‍♂️

Spanky McFarland shows up too. Yeah, the kid from the Little Rascals. He’s tiny here. He does his thing, and it’s cute, I guess? It feels like the director just grabbed whoever was in the hallway at the studio that day and threw them in. It adds to that bursty, unplanned feeling the movie has.

The pace is actually pretty fast. It doesn't linger on the sad parts for very long. Ollie loses his song, he gets mad, then boom, we’re at a nightclub. It’s very much a "don't think too hard about it" kind of flick. The script feels like it was written on a napkin during a very long lunch break. Some of the jokes are so old they’ve circled back to being funny again.

I have to mention Ted Healy. He’s the guy who originally managed the Three Stooges. He has this chaotic, slightly aggressive energy that makes every scene he’s in feel like it’s about to fall apart. It’s great. He’s playing a character named Pappy, and he’s just there, being loud and distracting. 🎺

The song at the center of it all is actually pretty good. It’s called "Headin' for Better Times." It’s one of those depression-era "everything will be fine" songs. It’s catchy enough that I caught myself humming it while making coffee this morning. That’s probably the highest praise I can give a 1935 musical.

Virginia Bruce is fine, but she doesn't have a whole lot to do. She mostly just stands there looking radiant and worried. It’s a bit like the roles in The Wharf Rat where the women are just there to react to the men doing stuff. But she has a nice voice when she finally gets to use it.

The ending is a bit of a rush. Ollie wins back his song and gets $50,000 in damages. In 1935! That’s a literal fortune. He could have bought half of Hollywood with that. But the movie treats it like he just won a nice dinner. Everyone is just happy the song is back.

There are some technical weirdnesses. The lighting in the publisher's office is really harsh. It makes everyone look like they haven't slept in three days. And the editing in the big finale is a bit choppy. One second the band is on stage, the next second they’re in a different formation. I don't think they had a continuity person on set that day. Or maybe they did and they were just tired. 😴

If you’ve seen Idle Chatter, you know how these short-form musical comedies can feel a bit repetitive. This one is longer, but it keeps that same "variety show" vibe. It’s not a deep dive into the human soul. It’s a movie about a guy, a girl, a hat, and a stolen tune.

Is it a classic? No. Is it better than most of the junk on streaming right now? Honestly, yeah. It has a soul. It’s a bit of a clunky soul, but it’s there. You can feel the actors trying to have a good time. Even the villain, Mr. Simmonds, seems like he’s enjoying being a jerk.

One last thing—the orchestra. They are really the backbone here. Without the music, it would be a pretty thin story. But when that brass section kicks in, it’s hard not to tap your foot. It reminds me of the energy in Going Great, just with more top hats.

I’ll probably forget most of the plot by next week. But I’ll remember Ted Lewis waving his arms around like a frantic bird. Sometimes that’s all you need from a movie. It’s a weird little time capsule that doesn't take itself seriously at all. Check it out if you’re in the mood for something light and slightly noisy.