Stand Up and Cheer! (1934)

61% of users liked it
(356 ratings)

Based on an idea by Will Rogers, the story concerns the efforts by the President of the United States to get the public's mind off the Depression. To this end, he appoints Broadway impresario Lawrence Cromwell (Warner Baxter) to the new cabinet position of "Secretary of Amusement." Wasting no time,… More Based on an idea by Will Rogers, the story concerns the efforts by the President of the United States to get the public's mind off the Depression. To this end, he appoints Broadway impresario Lawrence Cromwell (Warner Baxter) to the new cabinet position of "Secretary of Amusement." Wasting no time, Cromwell sets about to nationalize the entertainment industry, organizing singers, dancers, actors and other variety artists into batallion-like touring units. Cromwell is fought at every turn by a cartel of wealthy industrialists, who've been profiting from the Depression and have no desire to see America pull itself upward. Happily, every effort to bribe or cajole Cromwell into giving up his mission is thwarted and the Department of Amusement goes on to help the the country at a time when its citizens most needed it. Among the highlights are an energetic "revival-meeting" musical number by Aunt Jemima (Theresa Gardella), and 6-year-old Shirley Temple's rendition of "Baby Take a Bow." Originally released at 80 minutes, Stand Up and Cheer was edited to 69 minutes for reissue, then to 65 minutes (removing most of Stepin Fetchit's scenes) for television: it was this last version which was computer-colorized in 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: Hamilton MacFadden
Genres: Kids & Family, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 19, 1934 Wide
On DVD: Mar 27, 2007

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This movie is made up of song and dance numbers, stupid characters, and a silly plot that doesn't make much sense. I didn't enjoy this movie, and I don't recommend it.
Sarah P

The plot for this movie is really ridiculous, especially watching it in "this day and age" but it's charming.

Cast

            Warner Baxter as Lawrence Cromwell

            Madge Evans as Mary Adams

            James Dunn as Dugan

            John Boles as himself

            Shirley Temple as Specialty Number

            Ralph Morgan as President's Secretary

            Dick Foran as Specialty Number

            Nigel Bruce as Eustace Dinwiddie

            Stepin Fetchit as George Bernard Shaw

            Morris Ankrum
            
            George K. Arthur as Dance Director

            Aunt Jemima
            
            Lynn Bari
            
            Scotty Beckett
            
            A.S. Byron as Harley

            Wallis Clark
            
            Gilbert Clayton
            
            Dora Clement
            
            Ruth Clifford as Female Secretary

            Clyde Dilson as Correspondent

            Elspeth Dudgeon
            
            Harry Dunkinson
            
            Jack Durant as Senator Short

            Edward Earle as Secret Service Man

            Bess Flowers
            
            Tess Gardella as Aunt Jemima

            Carlton Elliott Griffin
            
            Dorothy Gulliver
            
            Arthur Stuart Hull as Senator

            Sam Hayes as Radio Announcer

            Aggie Herring as Irish Washerwoman

            Selmar Jackson
            
            Si Jenks as Rube Farmer

            Lila Lee as Zelda

            Lucien Littlefield as Prof. Hi De Ho

            Arthur Loft
            
            Wilbur Mack as Beamish

            Paul McVey
            
            Frank Melton as Fosdick

            John Miller as Hillbilly

            Frances Morris
            
            Dagmar Oakland
            
            Herbert Prior
            
            Roland Ray
            
            Jack Richardson
            
            Frank Sheridan
            
            Reginald Simpson as Male Secretary

            Paul Stanton
            
            Carl Stockdale as Quartette

            Phil Tead as Vaudevillian

            Lurene Tuttle
            
            Guy Usher
            
            Arthur Vinton as Turner

            Peggy Watts
            
            Lillian West as Stenographer

            Dorothy White as Dancer

            Gayne Whitman as President

            Lew Brown
            
            Bobby Caldwell as Gen. Lee

            John Davidson as Sour Radio Announcer

            Frank Mitchell as Senator Danforth

            Dorothy Dehn
            
            Joe Marba as Elephant Trainer

            Patricia Lee
            
            Harry S. Northrup as Reformers

            Tina Marshall as Boy's Mother

            Jessie Perry
            
            Glen Walters as Hillbilly's Wife

            Vivian Winston as Bits

            Angie Blue as Dancer
See full cast