Customer Reviews

Bobby Breen Double Feature, Vol. 1: Let's Sing Again, Rainbow on the River

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To hear the golden voice of Bobby Breen is to rediscover how beautiful a child's voice can be. What is more, his films touch the heart. Too bad we now call honest sentiment and beautiful melodies outdated and corny. We are jaded and cynical. Please do yourself a favor and buy Bobby Breen's movies. They are rare gems and a great bargain. You won't regret it.

I agree with the last reviewer. Bobby Breens golden voice goes straight to the soul. Althought the video quality leaves little to be desired, to hear him venerate, in song, Louise Beavers as a madonna with Shubert's Ave Maria is both moving and daring for its time. I hope one day he will regain the recognition he so richly deserves, and that his film work will get better treatment on dvd.

Bobby Breen had a stellar (if brief) movie career: eight starring roles from 1936 to '39, plus one final 1942 appearance (in "Johnny Doughboy") along with other former child phenoms Jane Withers, Spanky McFarland and Alfalfa Switzer. In his youthful prime, Bobby was the most famous boy singer of the 1930s, performing songs in English, French, Italian and Spanish.

The soprano-voiced Canadian-born Breen got his start in nightclubs at age 7, appeared on the Eddie Cantor radio show in 1936 and quickly moved on to Hollywood. Four short years later with the onset of puberty, Bobby suffered the fate of many child stars-- his remarkable career was virtually over. In 1967, the Beatles used his image in their celebrity collage on the "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover.

BOBBY BREEN Double Feature, Vol. 1 contains Bobby's first two movies.

SYNOPSES:

LET'S SING AGAIN-- Runaway orphan joins a travelling show where he is mentored by a former opera star. Eventually the child gets an opportunity to sing in an opera on the New York stage. Songs include "Let's Sing Again," "Lullaby," "Farmer in the Dell" and "La Donna è Mobile" (from "Rigoletto").

RAINBOW ON THE RIVER-- A Southern child's parents are killed during the Civil War and he is sent north to live with his grandmother, where the boy meets with much resentment. He eventually charms her and the family with his singing and sweet personality.


"Escape to Paradise," a Bobby Breen film not available in this three volume series, may be found on the COMEDY KINGS 50 Movie Pack (from MCE). Also included are other rarely seen comedies of the 1930s and '40s.

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Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.

(6.2) Let's Sing Again (1936) - Bobby Breen/Henry Armetta/George Houston/Vivienne Osborne/Grant Withers/Lucien Littlefield/Richard Carle/Ann Doran

(7.9) Rainbow on the River (1936) - Bobby Breen/May Robson/Charles Butterworth/Alan Mowbray (uncredited: Matthew 'Stymie' Beard/Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson)