Starring Bing Crosby, Jack Oakie, Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher, Harry Green, Judith Allen, Ned
Sparks
Directed by A. Edward Sutherland
Print: black/white
Runtime: 76 min.
Genre: musical
Print Quality: B
There can never be Too Much Harmony in a Bing Crosby picture, not even in a bucolic
backstage musical like this. Crosby plays Eddie Bronson, a big-time singing star stranded in
a one-horse town. Refusing to let any grass grow under his feet, Eddie combs through the
local talent, discovering comedians Benny Day (Jack Oakie) and Johnny Dixon (Skeets
Gallegher) and aspiring actress Ruth Brown (Judith Allen). He brings his new protegees with
him to Broadway, where Ruth becomes a huge success in spite of the machinations of
prima donna Lucille Watson (Lilyan Tashman). Featured in the cast as Benny Day's mother
is Jack Oakie's real-life mom Evelyn, who's absolutely terrific. A partial remake of 1929's
Close Harmony, Too Much Harmony features such catchy Crosby tunes as Thanks, Black
Moonlight and the self-parodying Boo Boo Boo.