Second Chorus
Second Chorus is a 1940 American musical comedy film directed by H. C. Potter, starring Fred Astaire as trumpet player Danny O'Neill and Paulette Goddard as his love interest Ellen Miller, with Burgess Meredith portraying rival musician Hank Taylor and bandleader Artie Shaw appearing as himself.[1][2] The story centers on Danny and Hank, two perennial college students who delay graduation to lead their campus orchestra, only to face real-world challenges when they join Shaw's swing band under Ellen's management, leading to romantic rivalries and pursuits of Broadway success.[1][2] Produced independently by Boris Morros and distributed by Paramount Pictures, the screenplay by Elaine Ryan and Ian McLellan Hunter incorporates original swing music composed by Artie Shaw with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, highlighting the era's big band popularity.[1] Notable musical sequences include Astaire's innovative tap dance while conducting an orchestra and a duet with Goddard, alongside Shaw's performances of hits like "Concerto for Clarinet."[1] The film received two Academy Award nominations: Best Original Score for Artie Shaw, and Best Original Song for "Love of My Life" (music by Artie Shaw; lyrics by Johnny Mercer), though it was a modest commercial success amid the competitive 1940 musical landscape.[1][3] Despite its energetic dance numbers and authentic jazz elements, Second Chorus is often critiqued for a convoluted plot and uneven pacing, with Astaire himself later deeming it his least favorite of his films due to production issues and creative differences.[1] Released during a transitional period for Hollywood musicals just before World War II's impact on film markets, it exemplifies smaller-scale productions featuring top talent in the swing era, preserving performances by one of the period's leading clarinetists and dancers.[1]Plot and Characters
Plot Summary
Second Chorus follows Danny O'Neill and Hank Taylor, two trumpet-playing college students who have spent seven years at their university by deliberately failing classes, allowing them to remain part of the campus band, O'Neill's Perennials. As best friends and fierce rivals, they constantly compete for solos and leadership in the group, their antics fueled by a shared passion for music and a reluctance to enter the real world. Their carefree existence is upended when Ellen Miller, a determined young woman working as a bill collector, arrives to demand payment for an outstanding debt from the band. In a comedic scheme to recruit her, Danny and Hank stage a chaotic confrontation that results in her dismissal from her job; grateful for their persistence, Ellen accepts the role of the band's manager.[4][1] Under Ellen's astute guidance, the band achieves unexpected success, booking high-paying gigs and even outshining professional ensembles like Artie Shaw's orchestra, which heightens Danny and Hank's ambitions to join the big leagues. However, Ellen soon receives a prestigious offer to become Shaw's booking manager in New York, prompting her departure and leaving the duo scheming to follow her while vying for her affections. Upon arriving in the city, Ellen arranges auditions for them with Shaw's band, but their rivalry erupts into slapstick sabotage—each trying to upstage the other with improvised disruptions during the performance, leading to their humiliating rejection. Desperate for work, Hank takes a job as a bugler at a racetrack, enduring humorous mishaps like startling horses mid-race, while Danny disguises himself as a Cossack dancer in a Russian restaurant, where his trumpet playing inadvertently draws a crowd but also chaos. To secure a breakthrough, Hank impersonates Ellen's overprotective brother to gain access to J. Lester Chisholm, a wealthy amateur musician and Shaw admirer; the ploy works, as Chisholm, charmed by Ellen's pitch during a comically mismatched job interview attended by society ladies, gangsters, and teens, agrees to sponsor a grand concert featuring Shaw's band.[1][5][4] The path to the concert is riddled with further comedic conflicts, as Danny and Hank's jealousy escalates: Hank attempts to undermine Danny by tampering with his trumpet, only for the scheme to backfire spectacularly, while Hank attempts to undermine Chisholm by slipping sleeping pills into his drink, but the scheme backfires when Chisholm switches the drinks, drugging Hank instead. On the night of the premiere, a groggy Hank misses the event entirely, forcing Danny to step up despite his nerves. Motivated by his love for Ellen and a desire to prove his talent, Danny conducts his original composition for the orchestra, incorporating his signature dance moves in a triumphant fusion of music and rhythm that captivates the audience and earns Shaw's praise as a mature, innovative piece. With the concert's success cementing his position in the band, Danny resolves his rivalry with Hank through forgiveness and shared triumph, while romantically, he wins Ellen's heart, leading to a joyful reconciliation as the two drive off together into a promising future.[1][5][4]Cast and Roles
The principal cast of Second Chorus features Fred Astaire and Paulette Goddard in the leading roles, supported by Burgess Meredith, Artie Shaw, and Charles Butterworth, whose portrayals blend musical talent with comedic rivalry to establish the film's lighthearted, swing-era tone.[1][6]| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fred Astaire | Danny O'Neill | A perpetual college student and trumpeter leading a campus orchestra; Astaire mimes the trumpet solos, dubbed by Bobby Hackett, marking his sole on-screen trumpet role in a film.[1][7] |
| Paulette Goddard | Ellen Miller | A resourceful band manager who navigates the musicians' antics; Goddard, transitioning from comedic roles to romantic leads, demonstrates surprising dance aptitude in her duet with Astaire.[1][6] |
| Burgess Meredith | Hank Taylor | Danny's rival trumpeter and bandmate, employing physical comedy in their competitive dynamic; Meredith's trumpet playing is dubbed by Billy Butterfield.[1][7] |
| Artie Shaw | Himself | The renowned bandleader whose real-life orchestra appears on-screen; Shaw's authentic, non-acting presence adds musical credibility to the ensemble scenes.[1][6] |
| Charles Butterworth | J. Lester Chisholm | An eccentric elderly businessman and music enthusiast who becomes entangled in the group's schemes; Butterworth's deadpan delivery enhances the film's whimsical humor.[1][8] |