Going Places Review
Dick Powell is technically the star of Going Places, but the show really belongs to the irrepressible Louis Armstrong. His is definitely a supporting part, but he makes the absolute most of it, especially in the two songs he is given. "Jeepers Creepers" fits "Satchmo" to a "t," fitting just right in his voice and giving him a chance to strut his gravelly but amusing stuff with a song that has lived on through the ages. He has to do more sharing with "Mutiny in the Nursery," but neither Powell nor the swinging young Maxine Sullivan are able to take this jazzy riff away from its rightful owner. When he's not singing, Armstrong still brings his delightful personality to the role, even when called upon to suffer the casual racism that is typical of movies of the era. He may overshadow Powell, but the star does his best, in good voice in his songs and bringing conviction to a silly plot and character that doesn't utilize his talents to their fullest. Throw in some excellent character support from the likes of Walter Catlett and Harold Huber and Thurston Hall, and Places becomes worth watching, in spite of its pedestrian screenplay. Craig Butler, Rovi
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