I've Got to Sing a Torch Song

I've Got to Sing a Torch Song is a 1933 black-and-white Merrie Melodies animated short film, directed by Tom Palmer. The animation was supervised by Jack King and produced by Leon Schlesinger. The musical score was composed by Bernard B. Brown and Norman Spencer.^[1] It premiered on September 23, 1933.

Plot

The cartoon is a series of gags featuring characters all singing and dancing to the song "I've Got to Sing a Torch Song" and/or reacting to radio broadcasts. Some scenes are set in stereotypical portrayals of China, Africa, the Arctic, the Middle East and New York City. Some characters are caricatures of celebrities of the 1930s, including: Benito Mussolini, George Bernard Shaw, Leopold Stokowski, Ed Wynn, Bing Crosby (described as Cros Binsby on the door of his office), James Cagney and Joan Blondell, Ben Bernie, Guy Kibbee, Wheeler and Woolsey, the Boswell Sisters, Greta Garbo,^[2] Zasu Pitts and Mae West.^[3][4] In one gag a sultan is shown listening to the Amos 'n' Andy radio show. Another gag features the Statue of Liberty singing the title track, while ending with the line "Ha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha", in reference to Jimmy Durante. Garbo concludes the cartoon by saying That's all, folks!.

Sources

External links

• I've Got to Sing a Torch Song at the Internet Movie Database