mark.waltz
The teenagers of the early 1940's were presented on screen for the most part as decent kids. Even those late 1930's thugs, the Dead End Kids, lightened up their image thanks to a desire of Hollywood studios to promote the all American attitude that made the fact that without fathers around and many mothers working in war plants, it was the teenage boys who had to step up to the plate to be men. Such is the case with Donald O'Connor in this patriotic musical where he has to tighten down on studying to better his chances of success when his father (Richard Dix) is called into active duty, leaving him to aide mom Lillian Gish and provide guidance to younger sister Peggy Warren while courting the classical singer (Susannah Foster) next door, eventually helping out in putting on a show to work part time and entertain war plant workers and the other locales affected by family members being off in service to the fight for freedom.A combination of Andy Hardy style life lessons with the style that only Universal pictures could manage. Pathos are minimal but subtly present, with the focus on song and dance, which of course, O'Connor does a lot of, sprinkled with his comical antics, usually at the expense of sister Peggy. Anne Gwynne practically fades into the woodwork as the older sister, while Marcia Mae Jones is her typical snooty teen, playing a friend of Ryan's with an obvious crush on O'Connor, furious over his lack of interest in her. Ms. Gish is photographed and made up as if she was still doing silent films. The huge hearted Louise Beavers gets several great scenes as the good hearted maid who looks over the family as if it was her own. Ryan gets a good specialty, "Samba Sue", spoofing the craze for all things Latino. The camp Borrah Minovitch band also shows off their schtick. But all the success of this film rests on O'Connor's shoulders. .
weezeralfalfa
Judging from the few prior reviews, I wasn't expecting too much from this film, but it turned out to be one of the most entertaining of the Don + Peggy series for me. I say that having just watched the more highly acclaimed "Mister Big", and having seem most of the series that don't include The Andrew Sisters. Like most of the Don + Peggy series, this is now viewable at You Tube. Like their "Johnny Comes Marching Home" of the previous year, this film has a strong patriotic element, emphasizing the naval air force. True, Don's father, played by Richard Dix, at age 50, is implausibly long in the tooth for a volunteer navy pilot! In fact, sister Peggy initially assumed it was Don, age 18, who was called for this service.True, as another reviewer pointed out, Suzanna Foster, although only a year older than Don, and the same age as Peggy, seems much older and more sophisticated than either. Thus, she doesn't come across as a plausible girlfriend for Don. She starred in the status film of the year for Universal: "Phantom of the Opera". Thus, incorporation into this low budget B&W musical comedy seemed like quite a come down. She replaced Gloria Jean: several years younger than Don, in this series, as the 'good girl' operatic singing girlfriend for Don. She would play a similar role in "This is Your life", released the following year, alternating with a younger Ann Blyth in this series as Gloria's replacement. Of the 3, Suzzana had the most high powered voice, and could reach astronomical notes. She brings a sophisticated presence to an otherwise wisecracking and flag-waving-dominated film, basically similar to the 3-themed "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". All 3 of her songs were entertaining and well suited to her voice. Early in the film,at home, she sings "Wishing", attracting Don's attention as a new neighbor. Later, at a gathering, she sings probably Jurame(I'm not familiar with it), ending on a very high note, as usual. Then, in the finale extravaganza, she sings a gypsy song, presumably "Romany Life" and perhaps "Otchi Tchomiya"(Russian gypsy song), in a gypsy camp setting, followed by a clownish gypsy dance by Don, Peggy and others. This is arguably the performance highlight of the film, incorporating both sophisticated and clownish elements.This is not to slight the entertaining comedic elements by Don and Peggy, separately or together, nor the several harmonica or xylophone numbers by the Borrah Minevitch Rascals, nor the Count Bassie orchestra, nor the mellow rendition of "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams". by the Bobby Brooks quartet. Bobby, as a solo in this group, had a very unusual soprano-like(falsetto) singing voice. This group also had a number in several other of the Don + Peggy series("Mister Big" and "This is the Life") Richard Dix, as Don's father provides the line for the film title when he says to Don "From now on, you're the top man", meaning that since father was joining the navy, Don would have to take his place as the nominal head of the family(otherwise 4 women, including maid Louise Beavers). Part of the comedy relates to Don's attempts to do what his father normally would do as relates to the 3 women and boyfriends. Don's new responsibilities as top man of the house, along with his desire to impress his new girlfriend cause him to hit the books to greatly improve his grades, and ask about a possible after school job at the local military aircraft factory. Yes, the factory needs lots more workers to increase production. After some resistance, Don convinces many of the other guys and gals at his junior college into working there part time.Now, they feel they are doing their fair share in the war effort, while continuing their schooling. At the end of the show extravaganza, Mr. Fairchild gives a speech honoring Don, as the inspiration for the others, and his father follows with a flag-waving congratulatory speech.Don asks Suzanna to join him on stage as his original inspiration. Incidentally, the objection of a previous reviewer that 'children' were being hired to do men's work is not appropriate. These 'children' were attending a junior college, and the men were mostly draft-eligible.Incidentally, Don and the others were attending Burlington Junior College. Fairchild Aircraft did have a plant in Burlington, N.C.. It produced only combat trainer aircraft. Mr. Fairchild was played by Sam Hinds, who played the school principal in the prior "Mister Big" film of the series. He didn't start in theatrical roles until his '50s, after going broke in the '29 crash, and thereafter had many roles, usually as an authority figure, befitting his prior station as a lawyer.The story is more important in this film than in "Mister Big". Thus, Don and Peggy get fewer musical or comedy routines. Don has a mock-dance instructor comedy routine with Peggy asking wisecracking questions. Later, Peggy does one of her zany solo dance routines to "Samba Sue from Paducah". As part of the finale extravaganza, Don and Peggy have a great song and dance routine to "Git it. I'd like to see You Wit' it". It starts with their faces in a picture cutout, with them singing back and forth. They come out and do a vaudevillian-style clownish dance, including a couple of rag dummy dance partners. Great fun! In the latter part of the Gypsy scene, they join others in a clownish dance.
mggbikeluvr
"Top Man" is a cute movie. Decent and fun. But it's definitely not up to par with some of the other Donald O'Connor-Peggy Ryan musicals, like "Mister Big" or "Patrick the Great". The songs and dances in "Top Man" are alright. I particularly liked the gypsy number done by O'Connor and Ryan at towards the end of the movie. And Susanna Foster gets some nice songs, too. It was also a joy to see Lillian Gish in a talkie, since I've only seen her in silents.The only thing about this movie that bothers me is the cast. Yes, this sounds silly, since I was just praising the cast for their talent. And they are all very talented. But, take this for example. O'Connor was 17, and Ryan and Foster were 18. However, Foster looks as if she's in her 20's and sings like she's in her 30's. Thus, her being the love interest for O'Connor is a bit strange. Don't get me wrong. Foster has a gorgeous voice. In fact, she's one of my very favorite singers. But here's what I find very odd: The same year that "Top Man" was made (1943), Foster was in the lavish production of "The Phantom of the Opera", playing the lead, Chrstine. So, the same year Foster's in a very sophisticated and high class movie, they put her in a corny little teenage musical?Anyways, "Top Man" is cute and all. But if you want some better O'Connor and Ryan, check out "Mister Big", "Patrick the Great", or "The Merry Monahans", where O'Connor has better love interests.
