Music Is Magic Reviews

A simplistic stage door, behind-the-scenes musical has Daniels as a big star on her way down. She meets Faye, a youngster on her way up. Faye's stuck in the chorus and Daniels, finally realizing she's getting old, gives her part to the newcomer. This minor musical was made when the struggling Fox studio was starting its merger with 20th Century studios. Picture budgets were small, and there was no money for lavish musicals like those produced by rival MGM. The film is handily directed despite the relatively skimpy sets--Faye was fine in her shortest film ever, and this marked the last American production for Daniels. She went to England, where she made only a handful of films of virtually no significance. Oddly enough, the roles that Faye and Daniels had in MUSIC IS MAGIC were quite similar to the directions of their own careers--Faye as the up-and-coming starlet, with Daniels the fading star forced to realize her popularity was waning. Songs included "Honey Chile" and "Love Is Smiling at Me" (Oscar Levant, Sidney Clare), "Music Is Magic" (Arthur Johnston, Clare), and "La Locumba" (Raul Roulien, Clare).