This light-hearted fantasy/comedy/musical is basically a showcase for the many talents of Danny Kaye. Those who particularly like the simple and wholesome humor of Danny Kaye will be well entertained. Even those who don't should find some good low-key laughs and be generally amused throughout. The dialogue is sparse but occasionally shows a clever dry wit, as in "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have minded". The entire cast works very well togethor and the interplay between Eve Arden and Danny Kaye is particularly good. The song and dance is competent but uninspired.
17 Reviews
One of Danny Kaye's best films...sparkling cast...
Doylenf26 December 2006
Everyone in THE KID FROM BROOKLYN is at their best--thanks to a zestful comedy based on "The Milky Way" with Harold Lloyd, only this time the timid milkman is DANNY KAYE, who goes from lovable, funny Kaye to totally extroverted Kaye who thinks he really won all those fights that he was signed up for by crooked manager WALTER ABEL.
VIRGINIA MAYO, looking her most luscious in Technicolor, is Kaye's partner again and the great supporting cast includes VERA-ELLEN (as Kaye's dancing sister), EVE ARDEN, LIONEL STANDER and STEVE COCHRAN, who steps away from his usual serious role (as a heavy) to show that he had a flair for slapstick comedy.
The story is nonsense, of course, and even the usually repressed FAY BAINTER gets into the spirit of things as a woman Kaye teaches some boxing pointers to. It's all very lightweight, easy to take and pleasant to watch, especially if you enjoy Kaye's special brand of comedy. Included are some specialty numbers for Vera-Ellen, surrounded by chorus boys and The Goldwyn Girls and a nice song number for Virginia Mayo, all emphasizing some dazzling Technicolor hues.
Kaye does only one of his tongue-twisting routines, but it's a gem--a Russian number called "Pavlova" written for him by Sylvia Fine, his wife.
Summing up: Light-hearted entertainment impossible to dislike and all of it is photographed in gorgeous Technicolor.
VIRGINIA MAYO, looking her most luscious in Technicolor, is Kaye's partner again and the great supporting cast includes VERA-ELLEN (as Kaye's dancing sister), EVE ARDEN, LIONEL STANDER and STEVE COCHRAN, who steps away from his usual serious role (as a heavy) to show that he had a flair for slapstick comedy.
The story is nonsense, of course, and even the usually repressed FAY BAINTER gets into the spirit of things as a woman Kaye teaches some boxing pointers to. It's all very lightweight, easy to take and pleasant to watch, especially if you enjoy Kaye's special brand of comedy. Included are some specialty numbers for Vera-Ellen, surrounded by chorus boys and The Goldwyn Girls and a nice song number for Virginia Mayo, all emphasizing some dazzling Technicolor hues.
Kaye does only one of his tongue-twisting routines, but it's a gem--a Russian number called "Pavlova" written for him by Sylvia Fine, his wife.
Summing up: Light-hearted entertainment impossible to dislike and all of it is photographed in gorgeous Technicolor.
Kaye Kayoes At Box Office
bkoganbing17 May 2009
One of Danny Kaye's better films while he was with Samuel Goldwyn is this musical adaption of The Milky Way where Kaye steps into the shoes of another comic genius, Harold Lloyd in The Kid From Brooklyn. Kaye proves every bit the adept physical comedian that Harold Lloyd was and he sings and dances besides.
The main weakness of the film is the music which is mostly sung and danced by Virginia Mayo and Vera-Ellen, the score from Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn is not one of their better ones. Kaye does get a patter song Pavlova from wife Sylvia Fine and Max Liebman which is also not one of his better efforts.
But the story of The Milky Way suits Kaye's talents perfectly, the timid milkman from Brooklyn who accidentally knocks out the Middleweight champion, Steve Cochran who while drunk makes a pass at Kaye's sister Vera-Ellen. In fact Kaye is like Inspector Clousseau whenever he's around Cochran.
Cochran's manager Walter Abel sees possibilities in this and gives him the Primo Carnera treatment. Amazing that this same kind of subject could be treated so dramatically in a film like The Harder They Fall and comically in the various adaptions of The Milky Way.
Sam Goldwyn gave Kaye as he did with his previous comedian under contract in the Thirties, Eddie Cantor, a lavish production with a great supporting cast. Mayo is Kaye's girlfriend, Eve Arden is Walter Abel's squeeze who deflates him and is just Eve Arden. And repeating his role from The Milky Way in The Kid From Brooklyn is Lionel Stander as Cochran's trainer and as it turns out the man who makes Danny Kaye's dreams come true and makes Cochran dream.
The final fight scene for the championship is hysterically funny, perfect material for Danny's physical skills. The Kid From Brooklyn is a very good product from Danny Kaye and Sam Goldwyn.
The main weakness of the film is the music which is mostly sung and danced by Virginia Mayo and Vera-Ellen, the score from Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn is not one of their better ones. Kaye does get a patter song Pavlova from wife Sylvia Fine and Max Liebman which is also not one of his better efforts.
But the story of The Milky Way suits Kaye's talents perfectly, the timid milkman from Brooklyn who accidentally knocks out the Middleweight champion, Steve Cochran who while drunk makes a pass at Kaye's sister Vera-Ellen. In fact Kaye is like Inspector Clousseau whenever he's around Cochran.
Cochran's manager Walter Abel sees possibilities in this and gives him the Primo Carnera treatment. Amazing that this same kind of subject could be treated so dramatically in a film like The Harder They Fall and comically in the various adaptions of The Milky Way.
Sam Goldwyn gave Kaye as he did with his previous comedian under contract in the Thirties, Eddie Cantor, a lavish production with a great supporting cast. Mayo is Kaye's girlfriend, Eve Arden is Walter Abel's squeeze who deflates him and is just Eve Arden. And repeating his role from The Milky Way in The Kid From Brooklyn is Lionel Stander as Cochran's trainer and as it turns out the man who makes Danny Kaye's dreams come true and makes Cochran dream.
The final fight scene for the championship is hysterically funny, perfect material for Danny's physical skills. The Kid From Brooklyn is a very good product from Danny Kaye and Sam Goldwyn.
Remake of "The Milky Way"
zsenorsock10 February 2005
This is a complete scene by scene remake of a 1934 Harold Lloyd film called "The MilkyWay" directed by Leo McCarey. It even features some of the same supporting characters the Lloyd version did! (notably Lionel Stander as Spider) Norman Z. McLeod who directed some scenes in "The Milky Way" was even called in to direct this remake. The big difference is the addition of the songs, Danny Kaye and color....and of course the original with Lloyd and McCarey was crisper and funnier. This was made only 10 years after the release of the original, (producer Samuel Goldwyn destroyed the original and many of the copies) which I think has got to be some sort of record. Was anything else ever remade so quickly?
Kid from Brooklyn-The Milkman Was On His Way **1/2
edwagreen28 December 2006
Danny Kaye began to show his comic genius in this so-so film of 1946. He would star with his constant co-star Viginia Mayo. In this film, he plays a milque-toast milkman and often acts like he is ready to do Walter Mytty. He is mistaken for knocking out a prize fighter (Steve Cochran) and that's when the fun starts.
Cochran, managed by Walter Abel with a wise-cracking girlfriend, Eve Arden, tries to recruit Kaye to fight in the ring. Kaye is hilarious in the ring but it doesn't take a genius to note that the fights are fixed so that Kaye will win.
Mayo plays his love interest and sings delightfully. Vera-Ellen plays his charming sister and dances up a storm in a number called "Josie." To complicate the plot somewhat, Ellen and Cochran fall for each other.
Fay Bainter is a steal scener playing a patron of the arts who tries to spar with Kaye. The scenes with them doing this are hilarious.
The picture goes downhill as success spoils Kaye and he goes into inane musical routines.
The film is definitely for the lighthearted. Beautifully filmed in Technicolor.
Cochran, managed by Walter Abel with a wise-cracking girlfriend, Eve Arden, tries to recruit Kaye to fight in the ring. Kaye is hilarious in the ring but it doesn't take a genius to note that the fights are fixed so that Kaye will win.
Mayo plays his love interest and sings delightfully. Vera-Ellen plays his charming sister and dances up a storm in a number called "Josie." To complicate the plot somewhat, Ellen and Cochran fall for each other.
Fay Bainter is a steal scener playing a patron of the arts who tries to spar with Kaye. The scenes with them doing this are hilarious.
The picture goes downhill as success spoils Kaye and he goes into inane musical routines.
The film is definitely for the lighthearted. Beautifully filmed in Technicolor.
Ta da da da da, boom boom.
hitchcockthelegend4 March 2008
I agree with the other user comments here on this site that state it helps to like Danny Kaye in the first place, because the film offers nothing fresh and exciting outside of a love for musicals and Kaye's effervescent madcap malarkey. It's a perfect showcase for Kaye to let loose and he delivers smartly as the humble milkman mistakenly built up as a prize fighter of note who then proceeds to lose the grip on his ego. He is surrounded by very stoic actors and they all benefit from a tidy script and foot tapping tunes, and sure enough the laughs are dotted throughout the show, but it still feels like they plonked Danny Kaye on set and built a film around him.
It's also of interest to note the back story of the film actually being a remake of Harold Lloyd's 1936 film The Milky Way, that is something that few people are aware of and great effort was made by the makers of The Kid From Brooklyn to distance themselves from the 36 film. So with that in mind it's hard to not view this film as merely a Kaye vehicle without much heart, and with that I say the film is entertaining enough without being close to being a really good Danny Kaye movie, 6/10.
It's also of interest to note the back story of the film actually being a remake of Harold Lloyd's 1936 film The Milky Way, that is something that few people are aware of and great effort was made by the makers of The Kid From Brooklyn to distance themselves from the 36 film. So with that in mind it's hard to not view this film as merely a Kaye vehicle without much heart, and with that I say the film is entertaining enough without being close to being a really good Danny Kaye movie, 6/10.
The Kid from Brooklyn
CinemaSerf8 January 2023
This is very much a vehicle for Danny Kaye, and I was never his greatest fan. That said, he does a decent job holding this together. When his sister "Susie" (Vera-Ellen) is facing some unwanted attention from Steve Cochran's boxer "Speed McFarlane", he floors the man. Next thing he knows, he is in the ring, professionally - and winning too. All of this initially impresses nightclub singer "Polly" (Virgina Mayo) but as his victories begin to go to his head, he becomes a bit of an ass. His slightly dodgy manager "Sloan" (Walter Abel) has an ultimate goal - a prize fight against "Speed" but can "Tiger" make the grade and keep his gal? Kaye is on good form, he delivers effortlessly and stylishly throughout. I thought the humour a little too predictable, but this light-hearted spoof on the boxing industry is at times still quite amusing. What let's it down most, isn't anything to do with the stars - it's the unremarkable musical sequences. Jule Styne and Sammy Khan were well off the best when they wrote the songs and neither Mayo nor Vera-Ellen did any of their own singing. The best song by a country mile isn't their's at all - but Sylvia Fine & Max Liebman's "Pavlova" - the only song delivered by Kaye, himself. The film is also rather long. The premiss is fun for some of this, but after a while wears a bit thin and as I, personally, didn't much care for the lead character's character, I started to feel just a little bit bored in the end.
Kaye Knocks The World Out
thebigsee9 January 2006
If you are looking to see Danny Kaye in his absolute prime, look no further than "The Kid from Brooklyn". This film was the third made by Kaye during his first filming contract (MGM) and it's fresh and funny even now in 2006 for so many reasons. Having cut his teeth in "Up In Arms" and "Wonder Man", he appears more polished and his act has found its place. This is the film where he would "find his mark" and then subsequently hit a grand-slam with "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty".
Here is the Kaye most beloved by all -- the nervous, lovable milquetoast with a secret extrovert/entertainer side, incredible physical comedy and exuberance; a funny, fast-paced almost screwball script featuring the best on-screen partners Kaye would ever work with (particularly his unscrupulous manager and wonderfully deadpan Eve Arden); the always lovely Virgina Mayo as his love interest; and spectacular music/dance numbers, including his tongue-twisting "Pavlowa". This is Kaye bursting with energy, youth and vitality, on-top-of the world (literally) and knowing it. Kaye could literally do no wrong from 1940 - 1950, and this film captures the confidence and joie de vivre that can only come from knowing that the entire world worships every move you make and word you say. This was Kaye's time in the sun and he soaks up every ray and sends it into the camera.
In addition, this film benefits greatly from a more ensemble feel. Kaye is clearly the star, but there is balance with songs and dancing from other members of the cast. It's my opinion that his best work (if not the most memorable) came when he was still on the rise and had to take orders from the studio bosses. In his later films -- such as "Hans Christian Andersen" -- Kaye would have more control and would even exercise this control to eliminate "competition" from other actors by singing the songs written for other characters. In the "Kid from Brooklyn", we see a humbler, hungrier Kaye.
Also -- this is often overlooked -- the historical context of this film adds much to your enjoyment of it. Not only was Kaye on top of the world, but America was, having emerged victorious from WWII and with a booming economy. The optimism shines through in the songs, the dance, and especially the incredibly saturated, gorgeous color photography. This was a Technicolor picture when most films were shot in black and white (and would continue to be for the next 15-20 years!) and you sense that MGM wanted not just color on the screen, but C-O-L-O-R! Check out some of the outfits, particularly worn by Eve Arden -- they are almost overwhelming in their colorfulness and this adds to the fun. It's almost like watching a Disney cartoon, it is that colorful.
Add to it the period flavor -- the incredible costumes, the inherent dash and style of a bypassed era when even a milkman looked eye-catching -- and you can't help but brim over with fun watching this film. I have watched this many times in my life and here I am, a world-weary Generation Xer hitting 36 and I still let out a pure, spontaneous laugh at the non-cynical humor. This film is just funny and fun -- period.
Here is the Kaye most beloved by all -- the nervous, lovable milquetoast with a secret extrovert/entertainer side, incredible physical comedy and exuberance; a funny, fast-paced almost screwball script featuring the best on-screen partners Kaye would ever work with (particularly his unscrupulous manager and wonderfully deadpan Eve Arden); the always lovely Virgina Mayo as his love interest; and spectacular music/dance numbers, including his tongue-twisting "Pavlowa". This is Kaye bursting with energy, youth and vitality, on-top-of the world (literally) and knowing it. Kaye could literally do no wrong from 1940 - 1950, and this film captures the confidence and joie de vivre that can only come from knowing that the entire world worships every move you make and word you say. This was Kaye's time in the sun and he soaks up every ray and sends it into the camera.
In addition, this film benefits greatly from a more ensemble feel. Kaye is clearly the star, but there is balance with songs and dancing from other members of the cast. It's my opinion that his best work (if not the most memorable) came when he was still on the rise and had to take orders from the studio bosses. In his later films -- such as "Hans Christian Andersen" -- Kaye would have more control and would even exercise this control to eliminate "competition" from other actors by singing the songs written for other characters. In the "Kid from Brooklyn", we see a humbler, hungrier Kaye.
Also -- this is often overlooked -- the historical context of this film adds much to your enjoyment of it. Not only was Kaye on top of the world, but America was, having emerged victorious from WWII and with a booming economy. The optimism shines through in the songs, the dance, and especially the incredibly saturated, gorgeous color photography. This was a Technicolor picture when most films were shot in black and white (and would continue to be for the next 15-20 years!) and you sense that MGM wanted not just color on the screen, but C-O-L-O-R! Check out some of the outfits, particularly worn by Eve Arden -- they are almost overwhelming in their colorfulness and this adds to the fun. It's almost like watching a Disney cartoon, it is that colorful.
Add to it the period flavor -- the incredible costumes, the inherent dash and style of a bypassed era when even a milkman looked eye-catching -- and you can't help but brim over with fun watching this film. I have watched this many times in my life and here I am, a world-weary Generation Xer hitting 36 and I still let out a pure, spontaneous laugh at the non-cynical humor. This film is just funny and fun -- period.
Good Cure For Insomonia.
rmax30482322 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
One of Danny Kaye's earlier effort and pretty funny, sometimes very funny. He's a shy, nervous milkman for Sunshine Dairies, anxious to please, and is drawn into a street fight with the Middleweight Champion of the World (Cochran) and his burly friend (Stander). Kaye is good at "ducking" and his opponents accidentally knock each other out.
The incident reaches the press and there is a big uproar -- MILKMAN KAYOES CHAMP!!! Cochran's manager (Abel) is a nervous wreck, not at all helped by his girl friend (Arden) who keeps making acerbic wisecracks about the events.
Abel decides that the best bet is to train Kaye as a boxer, set him up with a few rigged wins, then have him face Cochran for the championship and bet all their money on Cochran.
Kaye fits in his usual cowardice, corniness, and a nonsense song about modern dance and ballet, but he also does a fine turn as a physical comic. Some of the gags could have been choreographed by Buster Keaton. His awkwardness in the ring has to be seen to be appreciated. There is a long scene at the training camp, when Lionel Stander is trying to teach Kaye the fundamentals of boxing. "Okay, lemme have it on the chin -- give it all you got," orders Stander. And Kaye minces in circles around him, pattering his shoulder with boxing gloves as if they were powder puffs and he were applying make up. And he does it at a frenzied pace -- giving it all he's got.
There are a couple of musical numbers, eminently forgettable except for Vera Ellen's energy. There has never been a peppier dancer except Ann Miller, whose range was more limited. I kvell when I watch someone dance expertly. I took a dance class once and realized that my limit was that of a drunken circus clown. You know, you really must admire people who can do things you can't do at all. And dancers use skills as finely honed as those of professional athletes. They have to be in tip-top shape. Singers have to remember lyrics, but dancers memorize every single step they take, along with their postures and port de bras. My hat is off, as much as my balance.
It's corny and colorful. The wardrobe seems made for a splashy Goldwyn musical comedy. So do the Goldwyn girls. I wonder what they had to do to get a job as a Goldwyn girl. Nothing that cost them any dignity, I hope.
The incident reaches the press and there is a big uproar -- MILKMAN KAYOES CHAMP!!! Cochran's manager (Abel) is a nervous wreck, not at all helped by his girl friend (Arden) who keeps making acerbic wisecracks about the events.
Abel decides that the best bet is to train Kaye as a boxer, set him up with a few rigged wins, then have him face Cochran for the championship and bet all their money on Cochran.
Kaye fits in his usual cowardice, corniness, and a nonsense song about modern dance and ballet, but he also does a fine turn as a physical comic. Some of the gags could have been choreographed by Buster Keaton. His awkwardness in the ring has to be seen to be appreciated. There is a long scene at the training camp, when Lionel Stander is trying to teach Kaye the fundamentals of boxing. "Okay, lemme have it on the chin -- give it all you got," orders Stander. And Kaye minces in circles around him, pattering his shoulder with boxing gloves as if they were powder puffs and he were applying make up. And he does it at a frenzied pace -- giving it all he's got.
There are a couple of musical numbers, eminently forgettable except for Vera Ellen's energy. There has never been a peppier dancer except Ann Miller, whose range was more limited. I kvell when I watch someone dance expertly. I took a dance class once and realized that my limit was that of a drunken circus clown. You know, you really must admire people who can do things you can't do at all. And dancers use skills as finely honed as those of professional athletes. They have to be in tip-top shape. Singers have to remember lyrics, but dancers memorize every single step they take, along with their postures and port de bras. My hat is off, as much as my balance.
It's corny and colorful. The wardrobe seems made for a splashy Goldwyn musical comedy. So do the Goldwyn girls. I wonder what they had to do to get a job as a Goldwyn girl. Nothing that cost them any dignity, I hope.
If everyone on the screen thinks it's funny...
smeyer-039968 July 2023
Danny Kaye may be the least transferable comedian to the post 1940s. The Court Jester stands up against anything, anytime, period. The FIve Pennies is not a comedy and is fabulous. Basically everything else varies between overdone, momentarily humorous, and painful. This one combines the first and second. The boxing scenes are hilarious. The rest is embarrassing, with especially bad music because the picture does not know if it's a musical or a piece of crap. As for the rest of the cast, Eve Arden stands out as a stalwart, if only because the rest of them are trying so hard to convince us that this is funny. VIrginia Mayo does her best with horrible material. In her defense, "Old Fashioned Song" is not awful; indeed, it's quite pleasant.
Swell cast !
wc19965 March 2006
Probably the best thing about this film-besides the color-was the cast. Danny Kaye gets top billing & he was good--but he had the backing of Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen, Steve Cochran, Eve Arden, Walter Able--and more. Virginia Mayo made a couple of films with Kaye & also did a couple with Cochran ( check out "White Heat" ). Vera-Ellen filmed mostly @ MGM--but her last film was "White Cristmas", playing opposite Danny Kaye. Brian Donlevy played the part of the fighter in the stage play--the part that Steve Cochran played in the movie. The Kid From Brooklyn proved to be a very profitable film. Fay Bainter does a small bit & she carries it off extremely well. Eve Arden and her endless wisecracks were a kick.
Rabbit punch
Lejink23 June 2018
I am a fan of Danny Kaye and have been a long time tracking down this, one of his first starring features. Sad to say it wasn't really worth the wait. The constituent ingredients are there, a fine supporting cast of Virginia Mayo, Vera Ellen and Lionel Stander, Marx Brothers director Norman Z MacLeod at the helm, the filming is in glorious colour, the songs by Jules Styne and Sammy Cahn, even the story of Kaye's 98 pound weakling being set up for a world title fight based on his ability to avoid rather than actually throw a punch all augured well.
Somehow though it doesn't come together. At 1 hour 50 minutes it's way too long and you can see the padding, the songs are mediocre and even Kaye himself becomes somewhat irritating in his puffed-up swell mode.
I also don't think I've seen such an odd and prepossessing start to a feature as the Goldwyn Girls singing an advertising ditty around a full-grown cow and it doesn't really get much better from there. Sure, Danny boy clowns and mugs his way through the film but you can almost see him being directed in this, which can't be a god thing. Vera Ellen comes off better with her elfin appearance and dancing exuberance, Virginia Mayo can't do much with her part of the pretty singer who in rather unlikely fashion falls for Kaye's clutzy character but Walter Abel and Eve Arden make a good team as the manager on the make and his acid-tongued P.A. The comedy mainly centres on Kaye's antics in the boxing ring but I've seen funnier skits in silent movies on the same subject.
The same team of Kaye, Mayo and Macleod would soon reunite for Kaye's next feature, the classic "Secret Life Of Walter Mitty". Let's just say that with this inconsistent film they were sparring for the main event further down the line.
Somehow though it doesn't come together. At 1 hour 50 minutes it's way too long and you can see the padding, the songs are mediocre and even Kaye himself becomes somewhat irritating in his puffed-up swell mode.
I also don't think I've seen such an odd and prepossessing start to a feature as the Goldwyn Girls singing an advertising ditty around a full-grown cow and it doesn't really get much better from there. Sure, Danny boy clowns and mugs his way through the film but you can almost see him being directed in this, which can't be a god thing. Vera Ellen comes off better with her elfin appearance and dancing exuberance, Virginia Mayo can't do much with her part of the pretty singer who in rather unlikely fashion falls for Kaye's clutzy character but Walter Abel and Eve Arden make a good team as the manager on the make and his acid-tongued P.A. The comedy mainly centres on Kaye's antics in the boxing ring but I've seen funnier skits in silent movies on the same subject.
The same team of Kaye, Mayo and Macleod would soon reunite for Kaye's next feature, the classic "Secret Life Of Walter Mitty". Let's just say that with this inconsistent film they were sparring for the main event further down the line.
Danny's up for the count
jjnxn-123 November 2014
Cute, silly very lightweight comic musical with Kaye antic as ever and an amazing array of wonderful supporting actresses.
As for the main story it's a bit of nonsense about beanpole milkman Danny somehow becoming a winning prize fighter after accidentally knocking out the reigning champ. As preposterous as it sounds, the cast still make it fun by playing the goofy situations straight faced.
About those supporting actresses. Eve Arden is acerbic and terrifically droll as a wised up gal with an astounding wardrobe and a way with a quip. Vera-Ellen in only her second film is youthful, fresh and she dances like a dream. She hadn't at this point succumbed to the over dieting that would make her emaciated with a frighteningly tiny waist and is buoyant and peppy. Fay Bainter is all fractured dignity as a society matron with a pugilistic bent and then there's Virginia Mayo sweetly charming and at the height of her beauty. They all perform expertly and since the film is shot in old style Technicolor they are all attired in primary hues which makes the screen alight with color.
Best for Danny's fans but a fun comedy for anyone who is willing to suspend belief for a couple of hours.
As for the main story it's a bit of nonsense about beanpole milkman Danny somehow becoming a winning prize fighter after accidentally knocking out the reigning champ. As preposterous as it sounds, the cast still make it fun by playing the goofy situations straight faced.
About those supporting actresses. Eve Arden is acerbic and terrifically droll as a wised up gal with an astounding wardrobe and a way with a quip. Vera-Ellen in only her second film is youthful, fresh and she dances like a dream. She hadn't at this point succumbed to the over dieting that would make her emaciated with a frighteningly tiny waist and is buoyant and peppy. Fay Bainter is all fractured dignity as a society matron with a pugilistic bent and then there's Virginia Mayo sweetly charming and at the height of her beauty. They all perform expertly and since the film is shot in old style Technicolor they are all attired in primary hues which makes the screen alight with color.
Best for Danny's fans but a fun comedy for anyone who is willing to suspend belief for a couple of hours.
Milky Bar Kid
writers_reign18 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
After a series of 'shorts' dating from the late thirties (thus before his breakout role on Broadway in 1941's Lady In The Dark) Danny Kaye was signed by Sam Goldwyn who built a series of musical-comedy films around him beginning with Up In Arms in 1944. The Kid From Brooklyn was a third outing and in my opinion it fell below the standard of UIA and it's successor Wonder Man. What TKFB does have is the brilliant Eve Arden and Walter Abel who, are, alas, offset by the lackluster Vera Ellen and the insipid Virginia Mayo. The plot - based on the Harold Lloyd vehicle The Milky Way - has Kaye as a milquetoast milkman who accidentally decks champion boxer Steve Cochran and is then hyped by Abel as Cochran's manager. Predictable.
Up there with Danny Kaye's best
TheLittleSongbird20 February 2017
As has been said, it does help to like Danny Kaye in order to enjoy the film. However, along with other great Kaye vehicles such as 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty', 'The Court Jester' and 'Hans Christian Andersen', those who didn't like him initially may find themselves converted.
The weak link of 'The Kid from Brooklyn' is the songs, pleasant enough and not awful certainly but none of them really are among Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn's better songs, with most of them being pretty forgettable after a few days. "Pavlova" is a gem this said and a great example of Kaye's tongue-twisting/pattering genius.
On the other hand, 'The Kid from Brooklyn' looks great, being beautifully shot in rich Technicolor and the costumes (especially Eve Arden's) are gorgeous. The script sparkles with wit and charm, also being devoid of the sentimentality that could mar some of Kaye's later work, and while some of the story is total nonsense you're just having so much fun and not having much care in the world to properly care.
Kaye is in his element, delivering a performance that's both hilarious and endearing.
He gets sterling support from his supporting cast. Whether in the glamour stakes like with Virginia Mayo and Vera Ellen, or in the snappy ones with Lionel Stander, Steve Cochran and especially sparkling Eve Arden. Fay Bainter is also along for the ride in less subdued form to usual (not a knock at all on the actress, just a comment on her usual roles).
In conclusion, very good and up there with Kaye's best. 9/10 Bethany Cox
The weak link of 'The Kid from Brooklyn' is the songs, pleasant enough and not awful certainly but none of them really are among Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn's better songs, with most of them being pretty forgettable after a few days. "Pavlova" is a gem this said and a great example of Kaye's tongue-twisting/pattering genius.
On the other hand, 'The Kid from Brooklyn' looks great, being beautifully shot in rich Technicolor and the costumes (especially Eve Arden's) are gorgeous. The script sparkles with wit and charm, also being devoid of the sentimentality that could mar some of Kaye's later work, and while some of the story is total nonsense you're just having so much fun and not having much care in the world to properly care.
Kaye is in his element, delivering a performance that's both hilarious and endearing.
He gets sterling support from his supporting cast. Whether in the glamour stakes like with Virginia Mayo and Vera Ellen, or in the snappy ones with Lionel Stander, Steve Cochran and especially sparkling Eve Arden. Fay Bainter is also along for the ride in less subdued form to usual (not a knock at all on the actress, just a comment on her usual roles).
In conclusion, very good and up there with Kaye's best. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Wonderful film from Hollywood at its very best.
petshel-910-4530323 February 2017
Danny Kaye in one of his funniest films. I saw this first in 1948 along with Wonder Man. The Technicolor is beautiful. The comedy infectious. The interplay between the characters superb. Vera-Ellen dances energetically while the lovely Virginia Mayo never disappoints. I am reminded of so many other great American musicals where colour, dance, great songs all combined to a visual masterpiece. This film is an uncomplicated delight. And not a vulgar word said Would that more films were made like this. It never dates. Enjoy!
Sports musical comedy with a lotta bottle.
MartynGryphon19 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I grew up watching Danny Kaye movies and I love them, but I can understand why some might feel that his type of zany style of comedy hasn't aged well. However, The Kid from Brooklyn was one of Danny's best.
In this remake of a long forgotten Harold Lloyd flop called 'The Milky Way' from 1936, Danny is reunited with his Wonder Man co-stars Virginia Mayo, Vera Ellen and Steve Cochran. He plays Burleigh Sullivan an inept milkman who finds himself coerced into a boxing career, despite having no talent or boxing ability up against Cochran who just happens to be Middleweight champion of the world.
Some great, (if not dated), song and dance numbers are delivered courtesy of Vera Ellen and her wonderful feet although her singing voice and that of love interest Virginia Mayo were dubbed.
Also shining in supporting roles are Clarence Kolb, again playing the short tempered authority figure, Lionel Stander, (who actually appeared in the 1936 version playing the same character), Walter Abel as the shady boxing promoter and Eve Arden as his moll.
Despite this being a starring vehicle for Kaye, it is actually Abel and Arden who steal all their scenes as they are truly hilarious.
As for Kaye, few entertainers at the time could lay claim to being such an 'all rounder' he was a deft comedian, he could act as well as sing and dance and he was amazing at all of them. But sadly he could over egg the pudding at times.
Of the four Kaye/Mayo movies of the mid/late 40's, Wonder Man was always he best, but this one does come a close second and this is one for all the family to enjoy. Young kids especially will take a shine to Danny as his humour was always on that level. He was never there to influence or pass on any profound messages, he was just there to entertain and that's exactly what he did.
Enjoy!
In this remake of a long forgotten Harold Lloyd flop called 'The Milky Way' from 1936, Danny is reunited with his Wonder Man co-stars Virginia Mayo, Vera Ellen and Steve Cochran. He plays Burleigh Sullivan an inept milkman who finds himself coerced into a boxing career, despite having no talent or boxing ability up against Cochran who just happens to be Middleweight champion of the world.
Some great, (if not dated), song and dance numbers are delivered courtesy of Vera Ellen and her wonderful feet although her singing voice and that of love interest Virginia Mayo were dubbed.
Also shining in supporting roles are Clarence Kolb, again playing the short tempered authority figure, Lionel Stander, (who actually appeared in the 1936 version playing the same character), Walter Abel as the shady boxing promoter and Eve Arden as his moll.
Despite this being a starring vehicle for Kaye, it is actually Abel and Arden who steal all their scenes as they are truly hilarious.
As for Kaye, few entertainers at the time could lay claim to being such an 'all rounder' he was a deft comedian, he could act as well as sing and dance and he was amazing at all of them. But sadly he could over egg the pudding at times.
Of the four Kaye/Mayo movies of the mid/late 40's, Wonder Man was always he best, but this one does come a close second and this is one for all the family to enjoy. Young kids especially will take a shine to Danny as his humour was always on that level. He was never there to influence or pass on any profound messages, he was just there to entertain and that's exactly what he did.
Enjoy!
See also
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